Impact Cesar Salazar will start behind home plate and bat ninth in the Astros' regular-season finale. Since Sept. 1, Caratini has slashed .261/.329/.377 with two home runs and eight RBI across 76 plate appearances.
SEPTEMBER 29 • ROTOWIRE
VICTOR CARATINI #17 - CATCHER - HOUSTON ASTROS
8 HR •
30 RBI •
.269 AVG
8 HR
30 RBI
.269 AVG
Sitting Sunday Caratini is absent from Sunday's lineup against Cleveland.
Houston pitchers combine for 3-hitter, Astros down Guardians 5-2 in matchup of AL division champs
Ronel Blanco pitched five scoreless innings and combined with three relievers on a three-hitter, leading the Houston Astros to a 5-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians in a matchup o...SEPTEMBER 28 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Heyward, Bregman and Tucker homer as Astros beat Mariners 4-3 to clinch 4th straight AL West title
Jason Heyward hit a go-ahead, two-run homer and made a dazzling defensive play as the Houston Astros beat the Seattle Mariners 4-3 to clinch their fourth consecutive AL West champi...SEPTEMBER 25 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Drives in three runs Saturday Caratini went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run, an additional run and a walk against the Angels in Saturday's 10-4 victory.
Impact Caratini blew the game open for Houston in the third inning, belting a three-run shot off Angels starter Reid Detmers to increase the Astros' lead to 6-1. It was the third straight start for Caratini, who played first base Saturday after serving as Houston's catcher Thursday and Friday. Caratini is batting .289 (13-for-45) with five RBI through 15 games in September.
SEPTEMBER 22 • ROTOWIRE
Alvarez and Tucker power Astros to 10-4 win over Angels
Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Tucker hit back-to-back home runs and finished with four hits apiece in the Houston Astros’ 10-4 win over the Los Angeles AngelsSEPTEMBER 22 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Jon Singleton's two-run double in eighth lifts Astros to 3-1 win over Angels
Jon Singleton’s tiebreaking two-run double with two outs in the eighth inning lifted the Houston Astros to a 3-1 win over the Los Angeles AngelsSEPTEMBER 20 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sitting Wednesday Caratini is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Padres.
Impact Caratini is on the bench for the second day in a row after he had previously started four consecutive games. He should continue to see semi-regular playing time while the Astros have been rotating a number of players at first base, including Caratini and fellow catcher Yainer Diaz.
SEPTEMBER 18 • ROTOWIRE
On bench for second straight Caratini is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Reds.
Impact Caratini had seen an uptick in playing time lately while the Astros continue to rotate a number of different players at first base, but he'll hit the bench for a second straight matchup with a right-handed pitcher. The lefty-hitting Jon Singleton has started at first base in both of those games and looks to be the Astros' preferred option for now, though he doesn't have much job security.
SEPTEMBER 2 • ROTOWIRE
Getting day off Caratini is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Royals.
Impact Caratini picked up starts at first base and catcher Friday and Saturday, respectively, but he'll hit the bench for the finale. Yainer Diaz will work behind the plate Sunday, while Jon Singleton gets the nod at first base. The Astros are likely to rotate Caratini, Singleton and Zach Dezenzo at first base until somebody performs well enough to take control of the job.
SEPTEMBER 1 • ROTOWIRE
Getting day off Caratini is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Royals.
Impact Caratini picked up starts at first base and catcher Friday and Saturday, respectively, but he'll hit the bench for the finale. Yainer Diaz will work behind the plate Sunday, while Jon Singleton gets the nod at first base. The Astros are likely to rotate Caratini, Singleton and Zach Dezenzo at first base until somebody performs well enough to take control of the job.
SEPTEMBER 1 • ROTOWIRE
Resting Friday Caratini is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Orioles.
Impact After making back-to-back starts behind the dish, Caratini will get the night off Friday. With Yainer Diaz seeing more work at first base, Caratini should see plenty of action behind the plate in the closing weeks of the regular season.
AUGUST 23 • ROTOWIRE
Resting Friday Caratini is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Orioles.
Impact After making back-to-back starts behind the dish, Caratini will get the night off Friday. With Yainer Diaz seeing increasingly more work at first base, Caratini should see plenty of swings in the closing weeks of the regular season.
AUGUST 23 • ROTOWIRE
Alvarez hits 117 mph homer, Astros beat Rangers 6-4 to take season series again
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On bench for second straight game Caratini is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rays.
Impact Caratini's playing time had been trending up while the Astros had shown more of a willingness to play Yordan Alvarez in left field of late, but the former now finds himself on the bench for the second day in a row. Assuming Alvarez gets the bulk of his starts at DH moving forward, Yainer Diaz will continue to serve as the Astros' top backstop, which closes off Caratini's path to steady starts.
AUGUST 4 • ROTOWIRE
Playing time picking up Caratini will start at designated hitter and bat eighth in Wednesday's game against the Pirates, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Impact The Astros have shown more of a willingness to use Yordan Alvarez in left field of late, and it's helped open up more playing time for Caratini. He's now started in three of the last four games, with the previous two starts coming at catcher while fellow backstop Yainer Diaz served as Houston's DH. In addition to providing quality defense behind the plate, Caratini has held his own with the bat this season, hitting .276 with five home runs and 19 RBI over 128 plate appearances.
JULY 31 • ROTOWIRE
Skenes gets no-decision, Taylor's 9th-inning homer lifts Pirates over Astros 6-3
Paul Skenes allowed one earned run over six innings in a no-decision and Michael AJULY 30 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Swats solo home run Caratini went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Tuesday's 8-2 loss to the Athletics.
Impact Caratini put the Astros on the board in the third with a solo home run to right field off Oswaldo Bido. The long ball was his first hit since being activated off the injured list Monday after being out for just over a month with a strained left hip. Going back to before he was injured, Caratini has gotten a hit in six straight games, though Tuesday's two-hit effort was his first multi-hit game since May 17. The 30-year-old is slashing .257/.294/.459 with five homers, 18 RBI, 14 runs and a 5:16 BB:K in 119 plate appearances.
JULY 24 • ROTOWIRE
Activated off injured list The Astros activated Caratini (hip) from the 10-day injured list Monday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Impact Caratini completed four rehab outings during his recovery from a strained left hip, going 4-for-10 with one home run and two RBI over 11 plate appearances. To make room for Caratini on the 26-man roster, the Astros optioned Cesar Salazar to Triple-A Sugar Land.
JULY 22 • ROTOWIRE
Could join Astros Monday Caratini (hip) will play in rehab games at Double-A Corpus Christi on Saturday and Sunday before joining the Astros on Monday in Oakland, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Impact The Astros will begin a three-game set against the Athletics on Monday and Caratini is on track to return from his rehab assignment for the start of the series. The catcher has been recovering from a strained left hip and will have completed five rehab games before joining the big-league club. Cesar Salazar will likely be optioned once Caratini is activated.
JULY 21 • ROTOWIRE
Rehab moved to Double-A Caratini (hip) will continue his minor-league rehab assignment at Double-A Corpus Christi on Friday, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Impact Caratini went 2-for-5 in two games with the Astros' Florida Complex League affiliate. The catcher has been on the shelf since June 21 and was initially given a three-to-four week timetable for his return. Caratini is on track to rejoin the Astros before the end of July.
JULY 19 • ROTOWIRE
Rehab moved to Double-A Caratini (hip) will continue his minor-league rehab assignment at Double-A Corpus Christi on Friday, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Impact Caratini went 2-for-5 in two games with the Astros' Florida Complex League affiliate and has been transferred to Corpus Christi to continue his recovery process. The catcher has been shelved since June 21 and was initially given a 3-to-4 week timetable for return. Assuming he doesn't endure a setback, Caratini should be back before the end of July.
JULY 19 • ROTOWIRE
Starting rehab assignment The Astros sent Caratini (hip) to their Florida Complex League affiliate on Tuesday to begin a rehab assignment.
Impact Caratini has been shelved since late June with a left hip flexor strain but has been cleared for rehab games. The veteran catcher shouldn't need too many rehab at-bats before being activated, with a return early on in the second half likely.
JULY 16 • ROTOWIRE
Still not running full speed Caratini (hip) did drills Tuesday but is still not running at full speed, MLB.com reports.
Impact Caratini has been ramping up his activity for the last week, but he will not be sent on a rehab assignment until he is running at 100 percent. He'll be out through the All-Star break, but his timeline beyond that is unclear.
JULY 10 • ROTOWIRE
Out up to four weeks Astros general manager Dana Brown said Sunday that Caratini (hip) could be out for up to four weeks, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Impact Caratini landed on the 10-day injured list Friday after sustaining a left hip flexor strain June 19 against the White Sox. A four-week timeline would put Caratini's return after the All-Star break, potentially during the weekend series against the Mariners starting July 19. Prior to the injury, the 30-year-old catcher was slashing .248/.287/.429 with four home runs and 17 RBI over 115 plate appearances.
JUNE 23 • ROTOWIRE
