Rome:
Urías raises the floor of a depleted Astros roster and strengthens one of the sport's best run prevention machines. Only four infields entered Wednesday worth more outs above average than Houston's — a byproduct of moving Jose Altuve to left field and signing three-time Gold Glove first baseman Christian Walker this offseason.
Urías has been worth three outs above average at third base this season, according to Baseball Savant. According to Sports Info Solutions, he's been worth six defensive runs saved. Playing Urías primarily third base would put him alongside Gold Glove shortstop Jeremy Peña, who could return from the injured list on Friday when the Astros open a three-game series against the Boston Red Sox.
Presuming Urías and Peña comprise the left side of the infield, Houston could shift Mauricio Dubón — a utility Gold Glove winner — to second base, where rookies Brice Matthews and Shay Whitcomb have been splitting playing time.