The Houston Astros aren't getting the needed production out of the outfield. It may be time to call up the red hot Cavan Biggio from Triple-A.
The Astros rank last in the MLB in OPS of outfielders. They have posted a .666 OPS to go along with a .215 average also worst in baseball. They actually rank 12th in the MLB in home runs from the outfield but outside of the occasional home run, the outfield has failed to reach base posting a .294 OBP.
This also takes into consideration that Yordan Alvarez has played a handful of games in the outfield. In his 17 games in left field he's posted a .351 average and a 1.272 OPS. Without those Yordan games, the outfield has a .632 OPS and a .208 average. At the trade deadline, the Astros will almost definitely be looking for an outfielder, perhaps a left-handed bat to fill that need.
Cavan Biggio isn't a primary outfielder. At Sugar Land this year he has started 12 games in the outfield, mostly in left field. Biggio has started 61 games in the infield and an additional eight games as designated hitter. In his major league career with the Blue Jays, Royals and Dodgers he spent 105 games in the outfield.
Apr 27, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals first base Cavan Biggio (18). Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Biggio's statistics over the course of the season are great. He has a .877 OPS and a .260 average coupled with an impressive .407 on-base percentage. The Pacific Coast League, in which Sugar Land plays, is known for having higher batting numbers due to many of the ballparks being at altitude, but Biggio's numbers still stand out.
The Houston, Texas native numbers are even stronger when you consider what he's done since May 3. On that day, Biggio went 2-for-4 with a home run, a double and a walk and since then he hasn't looked back. The left-handed Biggio has posted a .299 average with an outstanding .454 on-base percentage thanks to taking a walk nearly a fifth of all plate appearances. His slugging percentage is .569 since May 3 which brings him to a 1.022 OPS over the course of these games. He's hit 14 of his 15 homers this season since the May 3 turnaround.
The only catch to bringing up Biggio is his absence from the 40-man roster. Someone currently on the Houston's 40-man roster would need to be designated for assignment or moved to the 60-day IL. This could be a challenge since the Astros don't have anybody who stands out as potential release candidates. Houston desperately needs an outfield bat especially a left handed one like Biggio. It may be time for the Astros to make a tough decision and give Biggio a shot with the major league club.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/astros/onsi as It's Time To Give This Astros Legacy Another Major League Shot .
