Former Astros Champ Signs With Marlins

The Houston Astros came up short in their title defense last year when they were eliminated at home by their rival Texas Rangers.

With their core of star players returning for the 2024 campaign, they still have a roster that is able to compete for their third World Series title.

That became more evident when they signed Josh Hader to a record-setting contract that made him the highest-paid reliever in terms of present day value in MLB history.

The Astros have added players the past few years at the trade deadline to assist in their pursuit of winning the championship, and it worked out for them in 2022 when they added Trey Mancini, Christian Vasquez and Will Smith.

Although those pieces didn't quite have the same impact as others in the past, they still filled out a World Series-winning roster.

Mancini struggled after he was acquired from the Baltimore Orioles, slashing .176/.258/.364 with only eight homers and 22 RBI. His numbers dipped even lower during the playoffs, causing Houston to decline his club option for 2023.

The slugger signed a two-year, $14 million deal with the Chicago Cubs to play first base for them, but his issues at the plate continued and they ultimately designated him for assignment in August.

Mancini has now agreed to a minor league contract with the Miami Marlins according to Jon Heyman of The New York Post. He'll get a Spring Training invite and have an opportunity to make the Major League roster at some point if he can perform.

The 31-year-old has a career slash line of .263/.328/.448 and was a perennial 20-plus home run hitter. He put together the best season of his career in 2019 before he was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer that caused him to miss all of 2020.

He beat cancer and returned to the diamond in 2021, winning AL Comeback Player of the Year, but hasn't achieved the same level of success he had prior to that diagnosis.

Mancini will look to get things back on track with the Marlins.