Astros Fan Favorite Slugger Informed He Won’t Make Opening Day Roster

The Houston Astros have opted not to place a veteran infielder on their opening day roster as the regular season approaches.

Matthew Postins | Mar 23, 2025

Feb 26, 2025; West Palm Beach, Florida, USA; Houston Astros first base Jon Singleton (28) runs to first base after a hit during the first inning against the Washington Nationals at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches. / Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images

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Houston Astros

The Houston Astros have Christian Walker to play first base. The question was how much playing time would be left for Jon Singleton.

As it turns out, there isn’t much left at all. Astros manager Joe Espada told reporters, including from The Athletic, that he has informed him that Singleton won’t make the opening day roster.

The report did not indicate if the Astros are optioning him to the minors or waiving him.

In addition to Singleton, The Athletic noted that three roster spots are left to be determined before opening day. Espada said nothing would be determined until Wednesday.

Cooper Hummel, Zack Short, Zach Dezenzo, Brendan Rodgers and Cam Smith appear to be competing for those spots.

The 33-year-old Singleton became an important part of the lineup after the failure of veteran first baseman Jose Abreu to keep the job. He was eventually released over poor performance, even as Houston eats the final year of the veteran’s contract.

Singleton ended up playing 119 games. He slashed .234/.321/.386/.707 with 13 home runs and 42 RBI.

But his story is much more than just last season, especially when it comes to the Astros.

Singleton was an eighth-round pick for Philadelphia in 2009 and the Astros acquired him in the Hunter Pence trade in 2011. The Astros liked Singleton so much they signed him to a $10 million contract before he even played a game for the Astros.

Singleton eventually reached the Majors, but he also tested positive for marijuana three different times, the last of which in 2018 earned him a 100-game suspension.

He played 114 games for Houston between 2014-15 and slashed .171/.290/.331/.621 with 14 home runs and 52 RBI.

He was out of the Majors from 2016-2023. During that time, he played in the minor leagues and in Mexico. In 2023, the Milwaukee Brewers called him up and he played in 11 games with a slash line of .103/.188/.138/.325.

When the Brewers released him, the Astros signed him to Triple-A Sugar Land. He eventually earned a call-up and, in his first home game back with Houston, hit his first home run since 2015. It was the longest drought between home runs since pitcher Jake Peavy (July 26, 2006 and Sept. 16, 2015), per Elias Sports Bureau.

For position players, it was the longest drought since Rafael Belliard (10 years, 144 days from 1987 to 1997).

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