Cole went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run, a walk, a stolen base and a second run scored in Saturday's 6-1 win over the Angels.
Cole has swiped a bag in three straight games, which accounts for all of his steals in the majors this year. He's added four homers, 11 RBI and nine runs scored while batting .279 and slugging .605 over 47 plate appearances in his first taste of the majors. Cole will likely need to supplement this late-season audition with a strong spring training, but he's certainly in the mix to begin 2026 in the majors.
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Astros' Zach Cole: Pops homer in loss
Rotowire
Cole went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and a second run scored in Sunday's 7-3 loss to the Mariners.
Cole was initially expected to sit out Sunday, but Jeremy Pena (oblique) was scratched, forcing the Astros to shuffle some players around. Cole ultimately got the start in right field and got Houston on the board with his third-inning homer, though that was after the Mariners put up seven runs in the second. The rookie outfielder had gone 0-for-10 over his previous four games, slipping into a part-time role in the process. He's batting .296 with three homers, eight RBI, four runs scored and no stolen bases over his first nine major-league contests.
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Astros' Zach Cole: Part of corner-outfield committee
Rotowire
Cole is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Mariners.
Cole will sit for the second straight game, with both of his absences coming against right-handed pitching. With the Astros returning Isaac Paredes from the 60-day injured list Friday and installing him as their everyday designated hitter, the team would appear to have one spot available in the corner outfield. Manager Joe Espada may be inclined to take a committee approach to that spot in the lineup, as Cole, Cam Smith and Mauricio Dubon have all made one start apiece in the corner outfield since Paredes' return.
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Astros' Zach Cole: Day off Saturday
Rotowire
Cole is not in Saturday's lineup against the Mariners, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
The lefty-hitting Cole heads to the bench even with a righty (George Kirby) on the hill for Seattle. Cole is hitless with four strikeouts and one walk in his last three games after bashing two home runs with seven RBI in his first four big-league games. Cam Smith is starting in right field and batting ninth.
Cole went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run and an additional RBI in Monday's 6-3 win over the Rangers.
Cole was slated for a day off, but he had to enter the game after Yordan Alvarez suffered a sprained ankle. Prior to Monday, Cole had made three straight starts in left field since he was called up Friday for his major-league debut, so he would be a natural replacement in the likely event Alvarez misses time. Cole has gone 6-for-13 with two homers and seven RBI over his first four games in the majors, though he's also struck out five times in 15 plate appearances.
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Astros' Zach Cole: Sitting after three straight starts
Rotowire
Cole is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Rangers.
After being called up from Triple-A Sugar Land on Friday, Cole drew three straight starts in left field during the Astros' weekend series with Atlanta, going 4-for-10 with a home run, two walks, two runs, four RBI and two runs. Despite the strong start to his time in the big leagues, Cole could have difficulty carving out an everyday role while the Astros are nearing a return to full health. The Astros could Isaac Paredes (hamstring) back from the injured list as soon as this weekend, which would only further block Cole's path to regular at-bats.
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Astros' Zach Cole: Goes yard in MLB debut
Rotowire
Cole went 3-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored and four RBI in Friday's 11-3 win over Atlanta.
Starting in left field and batting eighth in his big-league debut, Cole became just the fifth player in Astros history to leave the yard in their first career at-bat when he deposited a Hurston Waldrep cutter over the right-field fence in the third inning for a two-run homer. Cole's presence in the lineup returned Jose Altuve to second base and Yordan Alvarez to DH, and if the rookie keeps swinging a hot bat, he could quickly become a fixture in the lineup against right-handed pitching. Prior to his promotion, Cole was slashing .347/.430/.645 over 32 games for Triple-A Sugar Land since the beginning of August with 20 of his 43 hits going for extra bases (nine doubles, five triples and six homers).
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Astros' Zach Cole: Slated to join big club
Rotowire
The Astros will call up Cole from Triple-A Sugar Land prior to Friday's game in Atlanta, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Cole has had a nice season between Double-A Corpus Christi and Sugar Land, slashing .279/.377/.539 with 19 home runs and 18 steals over 97 contests. The 25-year-old is capable of playing all three outfield spots, though he wouldn't seem to have a clear path to playing time. Cole will be making his major-league debut when he gets into a game.
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Astros' Zach Cole: Call-up official
Rotowire
The Astros selected Cole's contract from Triple-A Sugar Land on Friday, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Cole's first MLB stint officially begins Friday, as the outfielder had his contract selected. The 25-year-old slashed .353/.459/.745 with five home runs and three stolen bases in 15 games with Sugar Land. With Yordan Alvarez, Jake Meyers and Jesus Sanchez healthy, Cole doesn't have a direct path to playing time.
Cole (oblique) has gone 3-for-13 with a double, three walks and a stolen base in four games since being activated from Double-A Corpus Christi's 7-day injured list April 16.
After sustaining an oblique injury in the spring, Cole had a brief stay on the shelf to begin the season before getting cleared to make his debut last week. Though the 24-year-old is healthy again, cutting down on his strikeouts will likely be essential if he's to receive his first big-league call-up later this season or in 2026. He struck out at a 38.6 percent clip with Corpus Christi in 2024 and has already struck out in seven of his 15 plate appearances so far this season.
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Astros' Zach Cole: Out with oblique injury
Rotowire
Double-A Corpus Christi placed Cole on the 7-day injured list with an oblique injury, Jim Callis of MLB Pipeline reports.
Cole isn't expected to miss too much time. A toolsy outfielder with significant strikeout issues, Cole hit .214 with 10 home runs, 14 steals and a 38.3 percent strikeout rate in 70 games at Double-A last year. He turns 25 in August.
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Astros' Zach Cole: Makes return from IL
Rotowire
Double-A Corpus Christi reinstated Cole (hamstring) from the 7-day injured list Tuesday.
The 23-year-old started in left field in Tuesday's 13-10 win over Arkansas, going 0-for-2 with two walks, one stolen base and one run while also reaching on a hit-by-pitch. Tuesday's game marked the Double-A debut for Cole, who began the season on the 7-day IL due to the hamstring injury before completing a six-game rehab assignment in the rookie-level Florida Complex League prior to his activation.
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Astros' Zach Cole: On shelf at Double-A
Rotowire
Cole is opening the year on the injured list at Double-A Corpus Christi with a hamstring injury, Jim Callis of MLB.com reports.
According to Callis, Cole should return to play in the near future. A 23-year-old outfielder who hits from the left side, Cole slashed .247/.349/.480 with eight home runs, 12 steals and a 33.1 percent strikeout rate in 41 games last year at High-A.
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