All-Star closer Josh Hader landed on the 15-day injured list on Aug. 12.
Ever since, the Houston Astros’ bullpen has been in conservation mode, just trying to survive from one day to the next without another case of misfortune.
Plenty of pitchers have gotten chances, though not all have been able to stick. Among the new faces is John Rooney, a 28-year-old lefty who spent parts of seven seasons in the minor leagues.
On Sunday, just hours after getting called up, Rooney took the next step in his professional journey, making his major league debut in a 3-2 loss to the Baltimore Orioles. Pitching 1.1 innings in relief, Rooney allowed a run on one hit and one walk while striking out two on 23 pitches.
When Did the Astros Acquire John Rooney?
Rooney spent most of the season pitching for the Miami Marlins’ Triple-A affiliate in Jacksonville, notching a 2.45 ERA and four saves in 33 innings, before he was traded to Houston for cash on Aug. 3. He was subsequently optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land.
In his first five appearances (5.2 innings) pitching in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, Rooney recorded a 3.18 ERA and .158 batting average against while striking out 10 and walking only one.
A third-round pick of the Dodgers in 2018, Rooney spent his entire professional career in the Los Angeles organization until 2025, when he joined Miami as a minor-league free agent.
When Did John Rooney Make His MLB Debut?
Rooney was called on in the sixth inning of Sunday’s game, with Houston trailing 2-1. After walking his first batter, Samuel Basallo, Rooney struck out Dylan Beavers to get out of the frame.
Rooney then came back out for the seventh and got two quick outs before serving up a solo home run to Luis Vazquez. Once again, he concluded the inning with a strikeout.
The Astros got a run back in the eighth inning on a Victor Caratini pinch-hit sacrifice fly but ultimately fell 3-2, dropping their record to 72-59.
What Will Be John Rooney’s Role?
It’s possible that Rooney is limited to a cup of coffee in Houston. The Astros’ bullpen already features a pair of primary left-handers in Steven Okert and Bryan King, though they did recently lose Bennett Sousa to injury. Sousa landed on the IL on Aug. 22 with a left flexor/pronator strain, which is expected to keep him out into September.
Houston’s bullpen started the season strong but has struggled in wake of Hader’s injury. Over the last 30 days, Astros pitchers have a 4.67 ERA and are 5-for-7 in save opportunities.
The Astros also signed Craig Kimbrel to a major-league deal on Friday.
Astros Continue Bullpen Shuffle by Calling Up 28-Year-Old Rookie for MLB Debut