The Houston Astros are in the hunt for their eighth division title in the last decade and are in position to do so. As the Astros prepare for their weekend series against the Seattle Mariners, they own a 62-60 record.
However, the Astros do have glaring weaknesses, particularly in the outfield. One hole has been the lack of right-handed hitting outfielders.
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Houston has struggled finding production from their outfielders against southpaws, with Daulton Varsho, Taylor Trammell and LaMonte Wade Jr. all hitting from the left side. After the trade deadline the team decided to claim former St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Nelson Velazquez off waivers to hopefully solve the issue.
However, Velazquez was not their first choice. According to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com, Houston had their eyes set on Rob Refsnyder, who was designated for assignment by the Seattle Mariners. While the two sides came close, McTaggart reported that Refsnyder elected to retire instead.
Refsnyder has not yet confirmed the report, but it is not a surprise that is the route he has chosen. Refsnyder was known for demolishing left-handed pitching during his time with the Boston Red Sox, which is why Seattle signed him to a one-year deal this past offseason. He has been a massive disappointment, though.
Not only has he dealt with frequent injury setbacks, but even when on the field in 2026 the 35-year-old posted a .140 batting average, .211 on-base percentage and .465 OPS.
His decision to retire may stem more from his inability to stay healthy than from underperformance alone, as he has never appeared in more than 100 games in his 11 years in the big leagues.
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