Roster Moves

The Astros traded relief pitcher Wilton Lopez and a PTBNL* for two right-handers from the Rockies last night, Alex White and Alex Gillingham. White has been added to the 40-man roster while Lopez was removed from it, leaving the 40-man at 37 with three openings.

Alex White was drafted by Cleveland out of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the first round (15th overall) in 2009 and was traded to Colorado in July 2011 as a part of the Ubaldo Jimenez deal. In 2012, he appeared in 23 games (20 starts) for the Rockies, compiling a 2-9 record with a 5.51 ERA and a 1.684 WHIP. In 44 starts over three seasons in the minors, White was 15-15 with a 2.65 ERA and a 1.118 WHIP. He just turned 24 in August.

The 23-year old Alex Gillingham was drafted by the Rockies in the 11th round in 2011 out of Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. In 19 starts for the LoA Asheville Tourists in 2012, Gillingham was 6-8 with a 3.66 ERA and a 1.220 WHIP. According to MiLB.com, his ground out to air out ratio was 3.29 which would automatically make him one of the most prolific groundball pitchers in the Astros minor league system.

*According to Baseball-Reference, the trade was actually for Lopez plus a player to be named later or cash.

I have updated my ongoing Off-Season Transaction List to account for these moves. Jeff Luhnow has hinted at another move coming soon. Bud Norris is the name most frequently rumored to be at the center of talks.