Astros Trade Grae Kessinger to Diamondbacks

Grae Kessinger, a 27-year-old infielder and grandson of six-time All-Star Don Kessinger, has been traded from the Houston Astros to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for pitching prospect Matthew Linskey. Kessinger, who made his MLB debut in 2023, has played 49 games in the majors with the Astros, hitting .131. Despite being a light-hitting utility player, he has shown better performance at the Triple-A level, where he hit .262 with a .725 OPS last season. The trade was necessitated by the Astros' need to clear a 40-man roster spot following the signing of Christian Walker. Linskey, a 22-year-old right-hander, compiled a 2.75 ERA over 39⅓ innings in the Diamondbacks' system. Kessinger is expected to compete for a utility infielder spot with the Diamondbacks but will likely start the 2025 season in Triple-A.