Astros give speedy Straw his first call to bigs

HOUSTON -- Myles Straw had a stressful night at the plate on Friday, going 0-for-5 for Triple-A Fresno. The emotion quickly turned into excitement when the speedy outfielder was told after the game that he was joining the Astros. On Saturday the club selected the 24-year-old to the Major League roster.
"World Series champs, and they're looking to repeat," said Straw, who has 70 stolen bases this season between Double-A and Triple-A. "I'm ready to get out there, whether it's steal a base, play defense, whatever the case may be."
It's Straw's baserunning potential that got him called up to the Major Leagues for the first time prior to Houston's game at Minute Maid Park against Arizona.
"Speed is the most obvious thing that he adds," Astros manager AJ Hinch said of Straw, who is ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Astros' No. 14 prospect. "When you get into the type of race we're in, playoff-caliber baseball, any small advantage would be a big advantage.
"He's an elite baserunner. His instincts are good, he's a good outfielder. We're not going to ask a ton out him, playing-wise. As I told him, he's in a very interesting situation, because every time he goes into the game in the foreseeable future, it's going to be either as a tying run, go-ahead run or tack-on run.
"We're asking him to take his best skill set, which is basestealing, and apply it to the Major League level."
Straw had 35 stolen bases at both the Double-A and Triple-A level this season. In high school, Straw ran a 4.4-second 40-yard dash.
A slap, contact hitter with little power, Straw batted .291 with a .734 OPS in the Minors this season. He was selected by Houston in the 12th round of the 2015 Draft out of St. Johns River State Junior College.
Straw arrived in the Houston clubhouse around 2:30 p.m. and was immediately greeted by Alex Bregman, followed by Justin Verlander, Will Harris and Joe Smith, before other teammates approached him at his locker.
"Going back to last year, AJ told me I kind of had a shot [to make the Majors] for the playoffs," Straw said. "That motivated me. That's what got me here."
To make room on the 40-man roster, the club transferred right-hander Jandel Gustave to the 60-day disabled list.