The Houston Astros have an opportunity to redeem themselves against the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night.
Ahead of the game, the organization announced new roster moves.
According to Astros beat writer Chandler Rome of The Athletic (via X), Mike Burrows has now been optioned, while Alimber Santa has been called up in his place.
Astros Option Mike Burrows, Call Up Alimber Santa
GettyMike Burrows of the Houston Astros has been optioned
Burrows will be making his way back down to Triple-A Sugar Land.
This season, the 26-year-old right-hander has appeared in 18 Major League games, 17 of which he started.
During that period, he registered a 5.99 ERA and 75 strikeouts across 94.2 innings of work. He walked 35 batters.
This is a significant drop from his 2025 campaign, when he logged a 3.94 ERA and 97 strikeouts across 96.0 innings pitched through 23 games and 19 starts.
As for Santa, he has only appeared in eight games with Houston so far this year.
In the big leagues, he’s recorded eight strikeouts through just over 12 innings of work.
He made his MLB debut on May 25, 2026, so he’s still quite fresh into his professional journey.
In Triple-A, he owns a 1.85 ERA and 29 strikeouts across 24.1 innings pitched. He played in 24 games.
The interesting element of this move is how significant Burrows’ addition was during the offseason.
Back in December 2025, Burrows was involved in a massive three-team trade between the Astros, the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Tampa Bay Rays.
Burrows found his new home with Houston, and fans were expecting to watch him stun this year.
Unfortunately, his performance has been rather underwhelming and largely inconsistent.
As bluntly noted by Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors, “Burrows has been one of the most homer-prone and least-effective pitchers in baseball.”
Simply put, it isn’t too surprising that he’s been optioned.
Where the Astros Stand Right Now
GettyJoe Espada and the Houston Astros are looking to redeem themselves against the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night
On Monday, Houston was on the verge of pulling off a win over the Nationals, but Washington just barely pulled ahead and clinched a tight 12-11 victory
This marked the first matchup of their three-game series at Nationals Park.
With two more games remaining, the Astros still have an opportunity to win the set.
In the American League West, Houston lands in third place with their overall record of 45-48.
They are trailed by the Athletics (41-49) and the Los Angeles Angels (36-55).
The Texas Rangers (45-45) and the Seattle Mariners (47-44) lead the way in second and first, respectively.
As for Washington, they’re placed further down in the National League East with their 47-45 record.
Once Houston wraps up its set against the Nationals, it will head to Globe Life Field to take on their division rivals, the Rangers.
This will be another three-game series, scheduled to commence on Friday, July 10, at 8:05 p.m. ET.
The Astros have undeniably had several bright spots throughout their 2026 campaign thus far, but there’s always room to step up.
Houston’s second matchup against Washington will begin on Tuesday, July 7, at 6:45 p.m. ET.
Houston Astros Reveal New Roster Moves Before Nationals Game