Astros move Nate Pearson, Zach Dezenzo, Bennett Sousa to Triple-A rehab assignments

Houston’s injury shuffle sent three more names to Sugar Land, with the Astros using their Triple-A stop only 23 miles from home as the last clear hurdle before roster decisions tighten. Zach Dezenzo and Bennett Sousa were assigned to the Sugar Land Space Cowboys on April 21, Nate Pearson was lined up to pitch for one of Houston’s minor league affiliates on April 23, and the timing signaled that each player was moving deeper into the final stages of recovery.

Pearson’s assignment carries the most weight on the pitching side because Houston signed the 29-year-old right-hander to a one-year, $1.35 million deal on Oct. 21, 2025, expecting him to add major-league depth. He is coming back from right elbow surgery, and his Triple-A-adjacent work is about more than simply getting on the mound again. Pearson still has to show that his elbow holds up under game intensity, that his command is sharp enough to survive traffic, and that the Astros can trust him to help stabilize innings rather than create another rehab stop. At 6-foot-6 and 255 pounds, he brings the kind of physical presence Houston can use when the staff starts to thin.

Dezenzo took a more gradual path. The 25-year-old, drafted by Houston in the 12th round in 2022, first opened his rehab at Double-A Corpus Christi on April 17 before moving up to Sugar Land four days later. He made his major-league debut on Aug. 6, 2024, and the Astros have also been using this period to build his reps in left field. That makes Triple-A more than a holding pattern. It is the level where Houston can measure whether a right elbow sprain has truly healed while also checking whether Dezenzo can handle the defensive workload that would make him useful as a corner-outfield and utility option.

Sousa may be the closest to the active roster. The 31-year-old left-hander threw a bullpen on April 21 after Sugar Land was rained out, then was scheduled to pitch for the Space Cowboys on April 22, a game that could have been his final rehab outing. Sousa appeared in 44 games for Houston in 2025 and posted a 2.84 ERA, while holding left-handers to a .145 average and a .433 OPS. Those are bullpen numbers that matter immediately, especially for a club already juggling injuries and roster churn through April. If the Astros are looking for the first return that changes the shape of the bullpen, Sousa is the most likely answer. Pearson’s comeback adds rotation depth; Dezenzo’s return broadens the bench. Sousa can alter the relief mix right away.