Velázquez Goes to Houston After Hitting Over 1.000 OPS in St. Louis

Nelson Velázquez was hitting .326 with a 1.024 OPS in 17 games for the Cardinals when Houston claimed him off waivers Monday. That's the transaction in full. Make of it what you will.

The Cardinals had been using him primarily as a corner outfielder, and he was the team's most productive hitter by rate over that stretch — four home runs, ten RBI, the kind of early efficiency that tends to get noticed around the league. It got noticed. The Astros put in a claim and St. Louis didn't pull him back.

The Cardinals are 59-57, two games out of the last wild card with 46 to play, so the timing is at least worth noting. Lars Nootbaar is back from the IL and figures to absorb left field reps, and Jordan Walker has been steady in right. The outfield doesn't collapse without Velázquez. But a bat that hot doesn't grow on trees in August, either.

My read: this is a depth decision that made sense on paper and may sting a little in practice. The Cardinals are playing their best baseball of the month right now — 7-3 over the last ten — and they just sent a hot hitter to a division rival. Small move. Worth watching.