The Astros made a few roster moves Friday, and the one that stands out most is the arrival of Lucas Spence.
Houston selected the contract of the 23-year-old outfielder from Triple-A Sugar Land, giving an undrafted free agent from 2024 his first shot at the majors. To make room, the Astros reinstated right-hander Kai-Wei Teng from the 15-day injured list and placed Brice Matthews on the 10-day IL with a sprained left knee.
Spence’s climb has been quick. The Southern Illinois University product began the 2026 season in Double-A, where he hit well across 44 games and 207 plate appearances before moving up to Sugar Land for his first taste of Triple-A. He hasn’t found the same success there, struggling over 67 plate appearances, but his combined .258/.353/.424 line between Houston’s top two minor league stops was enough to earn him a look with the big club.
The Astros have been searching for a left-handed-hitting outfielder, and Spence fits that need for now. Houston is expected to keep looking for a more established option, but in the meantime Spence gets a chance to show he belongs.
Before his call-up, he had six home runs and was 13-for-15 on stolen base attempts in the minors. The swing-and-miss has been a concern in Triple-A, where he has struck out in nearly one-third of his plate appearances, though that number was much more manageable at 20.3% in Double-A.
Matthews’ injury leaves a bigger hole than just one roster spot. The club hasn’t said how serious the knee sprain is or how long he’ll be out, and manager Joe Espada is expected to address it later Friday.
Matthews, 24, was Houston’s top pick in 2023 and entered last year as the system’s top prospect before reaching the majors. He’s gotten plenty of run this season as the Astros evaluate him for the future, but the offense hasn’t come with it yet.
In 226 plate appearances, he’s hitting .197/.250/.332 with a 31.4% strikeout rate.
His transition to the outfield has gone well, though, with 6 Defensive Runs Saved and 4 Outs Above Average in just 399 innings. Even so, the Astros need more production if they’re going to keep him in a long-term role.
For now, Spence joins a mix that includes Jake Meyers, Cam Smith, recent minor league signee LaMonte Wade Jr. and journeyman/former top prospect Taylor Trammell. He should get a real chance to play in the short term, but losing Matthews’ defense only adds to Houston’s urgency to find outside help.
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