Astros call up Davis, Deetz to bolster roster

HOUSTON -- With infielder Marwin Gonzalez nursing a sore oblique and reliever Héctor Rondón day to day after a line drive hit him on his throwing hand Monday, the Astros called up infielder J.D. Davis and right-hander Dean Deetz from Triple-A Fresno on Tuesday.
"Both Deetz and Davis were on the list for us to consider after the Triple-A season had concluded," manager AJ Hinch said. "The two injuries [Monday] made us feel like we needed a little bit more depth -- Davis on the infield and Deetz in the bullpen."
Deetz, 24, appeared in 27 games across three Minor League levels this year, striking out 50 in 34 innings in 21 appearances for Fresno. He is ranked as the club's No. 18 prospect by MLB Pipeline. Davis, in his fourth stint with Houston this year, played in 30 games for the Astros prior to Tuesday's promotion.
"It's pretty awesome," Deetz said. "The beginning of the season was kind of rough for me, but I overcame it and to make it here is pretty special."
Deetz was added to the 40-man roster in November after going 7-6 with a 4.25 ERA in 25 games at Double-A Corpus Christi, two months before receiving an 80-game suspension without pay for testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance, in violation of Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.
At the time of his suspension, Deetz released a statement through the Major League Baseball Players Association saying he unknowingly took the substance and had appealed the suspension. His stance hadn't changed nearly eight months later.
"It was tough," he said. "I wasn't ready for it at all. I got a call literally three or four days after I got put on the 40. I went from being really excited to the toughest news I ever heard. My family helped me get through it, just working in extended [spring] through my suspension and working with everyone helped me get through it."
Hinch said Deetz could serve a variety of roles in September, but he's not eligible for the postseason roster.
"He's done a little bit of everything in his Minor League season, having gone up to 43 pitches and three ups [from the bench to mound], which is a rarity for a bullpen-type guy, especially a back-end type pitcher in the Minor Leagues," Hinch said. "I think he can provide a little bit of length, little bit of matchup quality. He can get lefties or righties out. He has a pretty good arm, good slider, swing-and-miss [stuff]. We don't know how he's going to adapt to the big leagues."
Deetz said Fresno manager Rodney Linares interrogated him after Monday's game in Salt Lake City about what hotel room he was in because there had been a noise complaint.
"I was like, 'Uh, not me,'" Deetz said. "Then, I figured out he was pulling my chain a little bit. He told me I was going to the big leagues, and it was pretty special."
Worth nothing
Right-hander Charlie Morton, who was placed on the disabled list on Wednesday with right shoulder discomfort, threw in the bullpen prior to Tuesday's game. If he responds well, he'll start Saturday's game against the Red Sox. If he's not ready, rookie and No. 6 prospect Josh James will make his second MLB start.