Astros Call Up César Salazar After Yainer Díaz Scratched With Abdominal Issue

Overview

• Houston selected catcher César Salazar to the majors after Yainer Díaz was held out with a left abdominal issue.
• Christian Vázquez started against the Dodgers and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, with Salazar serving as the reserve catcher.
• To make room, the club optioned infielder Shay Whitcomb and designated outfielder Daniel Johnson for assignment to open a 40-man spot.
• Designating Johnson for assignment removes him from the 40-man roster and exposes him to waivers.
• Salazar is a defense-first, out-of-options catcher with 36 MLB games and modest Triple-A numbers this year, so his stay likely ends if Díaz avoids an IL stint.