Trammell opened up spring camp with a legitimate shot at making the Astros’ Opening Day roster with a strong showing in Cactus League action, but he suffered a significant right calf strain in late February and never really got the chance to prove himself. There’s still no clear timeline on how long he’s expected to be shelved for and with the emergence of Cam Smith and the shifting of Jose Altuve to the outfield, there is unlikely to be a spot available once he’s ready to go.

Astros manager Joe Espada told reporters Saturday that Trammell has a right calf strain and is expected to be out “a while.” The 27-year-old former top prospect now faces an uphill battle to make the Houston roster, and Ben Gamel is likely the “beneficiary” of the injury with a much stronger chance of joining the Astros out of Florida.

Astros manager Joe Espada told reporters Trammel will be out a little while with the injury, which should greatly improve veteran journeyman Ben Gamel’s odds of making Houston’s season-opening roster as a reserve outfielder.

The deal is now official. Trammell got into 10 games last year between the Yankees and Dodgers, which meant he was getting a World Series ring regardless of the Fall Classic’s outcome, which is pretty cool. The 27-year-old former top prospect has never quite been able to carve out an everyday role at the highest level and will function as extra outfield depth for Houston heading into 2025.