Astros Option Reliever Jayden Murray to Triple-A Sugar Land After Spring Camp

The Houston Astros optioned right-hander Jayden Murray to Triple-A Sugar Land on March 10 as part of a wave of spring roster reductions, with the move officially recorded on MLB transaction logs. The reassignment sends the 28-year-old reliever back to the organization's Triple-A affiliate, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys, where he has previous experience after first reaching that level in 2023.

Murray's path to the Astros organization runs through a 2022 trade that sent outfielder Jose Siri to the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays had originally selected Murray in the 23rd round of the 2019 MLB draft out of Utah Tech, where he threw 148 innings across the 2018 and 2019 seasons and finished his college career with a 13-8 record and a 4.38 ERA. His junior campaign in 2019 was his strongest, going 10-3 with a 3.78 ERA before Tampa Bay tabbed him that summer.

After arriving in the Astros system, Murray climbed to Triple-A Sugar Land by 2023, but a series of injury setbacks cost him most of the 2024 season and disrupted what had been a steady ascent through the organization's pitching depth.

His Triple-A performance at Sugar Land showed genuine bullpen utility: 50 appearances out of the Space Cowboys' bullpen, a 4.64 ERA across 64 innings, seven holds, and three saves in four chances. Murray struck out 66 batters against 30 walks, posting a 1.33 WHIP in that stretch.

At 28, Murray now heads into the 2026 season focused on re-establishing himself as a reliable arm in the Astros' system after the health disruptions of the prior year. A strong showing with Sugar Land could position him for a return call-up if Houston's big-league bullpen requires reinforcement later in the season.