Astros sign LaMonte Wade Jr. after Triple-A stint, roster shuffle follows

LaMonte Wade Jr.’s .861 OPS in Triple-A was enough to push him straight back into a major league dugout, and Houston did not wait to see if the bat could carry over. The Astros signed the 32-year-old left-handed hitter to a major league contract on June 4 and had him active that night against the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he wore No. 31 and gave them a fresh corner-outfield and bench option.

That is the point of this move. Wade was not brought in as depth for depth’s sake. He was in Charlotte hitting .250 with a .420 on-base percentage and .441 slugging percentage in 46 games, with seven home runs, 26 RBI, two stolen bases and a 22.4% walk rate. For a Houston lineup that needed another left-handed bat, that profile matters immediately: he gets on base, he works counts and he can cover first base or either corner outfield spot.

Houston also had to make the roster fit. The Astros’ 40-man was full, so the signing came with a wider shuffle that rippled through the major league roster and Triple-A Sugar Land. Catching prospect Collin Price got his first big league call-up, veteran backup César Salazar was designated for assignment, Joey Loperfido was reinstated from the injured list and optioned, Zach Cole was optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land, and Rhylan Thomas was designated for assignment.

For Wade, the return is the latest stop in a circuitous year. The Chicago White Sox first signed him to a minor league deal on January 22, and he hit .289/.429/.605 with three homers in spring training before opting out on March 20 after not making the Opening Day roster. He then re-signed with Chicago and went to Charlotte, where the power, patience and left-handed contact kept him on Houston’s radar.

Wade last played in the majors in 2025, splitting time between the Giants and Angels, including 30 games with Los Angeles. Across seven big league seasons, he has a .236 average, .341 on-base percentage, .731 OPS, 55 home runs and 185 RBI. Drafted in the ninth round in 2015, he has spent the longest stretch of his career with San Francisco, but Houston clearly believes there is still a usable major league bat here. If the numbers in Charlotte meant anything, it is that Wade still knows how to force his way into the lineup.