With a farm system void of quality pitching prospects and lacking in depth, the Astros claimed right-hander Wilton Lopez on waivers from the San Diego Padres.
Lopez will head to Class AA Corpus Christi, which has only two pitching prospects expected to really have a chance to contribute. Those pitchers are left-hander Polin Trinidad and right-hander Sergio Perez. At Class AAA Round Rock, right-hander Bud Norris, the club's top pitching prospect, is the only member of the Express' rotation at Triple-A for the first time in his career.
The others at the top of that rotation are right-handers Felipe Paulino, Jose Capellan and Alberto Arias, all of whom have spent multiple season at Triple-A in their careers.
Lopez, 25, at least gives the club another bullpen arm for the system.
He made 58 relief appearances last year between Class A Lake Elsinore, Class AA San Antonio and Class AAA Portland. Since signing with the Yankees as a non-drafted free agent in 2002, he is 6-5 with a 4.13 ERA and 16 saves over 111 relief appearances.
CARDINALS 5, ASTROS 3: Mike Hampton lasted only five innings while giving up three runs, but he wasn't the only reason the Astros lost. They out-hit the Cardinals 11-6 but left eight men on base, and Hunter Pence, the No. 2 hitter for the day, was 1-for-5 with two strikeouts, including a strikeout with the bases loaded to end the seventh inning and seal the Astros' fate.
