Astros sign free agent OF Michael Brantley

HOUSTON, TX - The Houston Astros have signed free agent outfielder Michael Brantley to a two-year contract. The announcement was made by Astros President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Jeff Luhnow.
No additional terms of the deal were disclosed. 
Brantley, 31, is a three-time American League All-Star and has been one of the most productive left-handed hitters in the Major Leagues over his 10-year career with the Cleveland Indians. A career .295 hitter, Brantley has been an All-Star in each of the last two seasons, and was named the 2018 AL Comeback Player of the Year after batting .309 (176x570) with 36 doubles, two triples, 17 home runs, 76 RBI, 12 stolen bases and an .832 OPS (.364 OBP/.468 SLG) in 143 games for the AL Central Division Champion Indians.
Brantley carries a long track record as one of the top contact hitters in baseball, as his 9.6% strikeout rate over the last five seasons is the fifth-best in all of Major League Baseball in that span. In 2018, he ranked second in the Majors in strikeout rate (9.5%) behind only Andrelton Simmons of the Angels (7.3%).
In 2014, Brantley finished third in the AL Most Valuable Player Award voting, was named to the AL All-Star Team and received an AL Silver Slugger Award after batting .327 (200x611) with 45 doubles, 20 home runs, 90 RBI and an .890 OPS (.385 OBP/.506 SLG).
With the addition of Brantley, the Astros 40-man roster stands at 39 players.

-ASTROS-