The Houston Astros move Brice Matthews to the 60-day IL, clearing a roster spot for Ethan Pecko ahead of Wednesday’s clash vs. the Angels.
The Houston Astros made an injury-related roster move Wednesday before their game vs. the Los Angeles Angels, transferring Brice Matthews to the 60-day injured list. The transaction created a 40-man roster opening for pitching prospect Ethan Pecko, whose contract the Astros selected ahead of his scheduled major league debut.
Matthews has been sidelined since he collided with the outfield wall vs. the Texas Rangers on July 12, suffering a left knee sprain. Houston placed him on the 10-day injured list July 17, retroactive to July 14.
His transfer to the 60-day IL makes him ineligible to return until mid-September. Matthews has resumed defensive drills and hitting activities, but he had not begun running the bases as of Wednesday.
The Athletic’s Chandler Rome reported the transaction Wednesday on X, formerly Twitter, explaining how the Astros created the necessary roster space for Pecko.
“The Astros put Brice Matthews on the 60-day IL to clear a 40-man roster spot for Ethan Pecko.”
Houston also optioned right-hander Miguel Ullola to Triple-A Sugar Land to open a spot on the active roster. Pecko becomes the 17th different pitcher to start a game for the Astros this season, reflecting the injuries and instability that have reshaped their rotation.
MLB Pipeline ranks Pecko as Houston’s No. 9 prospect. The 23-year-old joined the organization as a sixth-round pick out of Towson in the 2023 MLB Draft and later earned Astros Minor League Pitcher of the Year honors.
Pecko’s promotion gives the Astros another rotation option during a competitive American League West race. The right-hander now receives his first opportunity to establish himself in the majors and provide stability for an injury-depleted pitching staff.
For Matthews, the transfer extends his minimum absence without necessarily ending his season. For the Astros, moving him to the 60-day IL supplied the flexibility required to give Pecko his first major league opportunity while preserving the possibility of Matthews returning later this year.
The Houston Astros made an injury-related roster move Wednesday before their game vs. the Los Angeles Angels, transferring Brice Matthews to the 60-day injured list. The transaction created a 40-man roster opening for pitching prospect Ethan Pecko, whose contract the Astros selected ahead of his scheduled major league debut.