TORONTO — An evolving Houston Astros outfield mix has eaten into playing time for Taylor Trammell, the left-handed hitter who drew his first start in eight days Tuesday against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Depth is Trammell’s targeted role. He did not make the Astros’ opening day roster and was called up only after injuries hit the team hard in April. Trammell hit .314 over his first 16 games for Houston this season but then missed more than a month with a quad strain.
Upon his return May 26, Trammell started nine games in an 11-game stretch. But the Astros’ signing of LaMonte Wade Jr., and subsequent recall of Joey Loperfido after an injury to Wade, relegated Trammell back to a bench role.
Loperfido and Brice Matthews are both younger outfielders whose development Houston is mindful of, meaning they will play if on the major-league roster. Jake Meyers and Cam Smith continue to draw the majority of starts in center and right field, respectively.
Trammell being a reserve is logical, then, with perhaps the only wrinkle the Astros’ search for offensive production from their outfield. Houston entered Tuesday extracting a .657 OPS from its outfielders, the fourth-lowest mark in the majors.
Trammell had a .697 OPS entering Tuesday, though it was .759 through June 6. Since then, Trammell has started four of 15 games for Houston, while entering seven others as a pinch-hitter or in-game defensive replacement. He was 2-for-14 in that stretch entering Tuesday.
Strikeouts are a clear issue. Trammell carried a 37.6% strikeout rate and a 41.9% whiff rate into Tuesday, undermining the potential balance he could bring to a Houston lineup lacking for left-handed presence. No team has fewer plate appearances by lefties against right-handed pitching this season.
Notably, Trammell’s 62.5% swing rate on in-zone pitches is below MLB average. Before Tuesday’s game, asked about deciding when to use Trammell, manager Joe Espada cited pitching matchups but said he’s “also looking for aggressiveness” from Trammell in the batter’s box.
“He’s got a really good eye at the plate, and sometimes when you have really good swing decisions you can be really picky with the pitch that you choose to swing at,” Espada said. “Sometimes, just trust your instincts and let it rip. I think he gets into that zone where he’s looking for a perfect pitch. In this league, you only get a handful of those a day. And we’re trying to get him to let it rip.”
Trammell started in left field Tuesday against Toronto right-hander Shane Bieber, whom Espada termed “a pretty good matchup for him.” Alvarez had started the previous two games in left field, his first time this season playing back-to-back games there.