Astros Rumor Roundup: Joey Dixon Dominates the Fall League, Marlins Keep Alcantara
Astros right-hander Joey Dixon is finally getting healthy innings, and he is making them count in the Arizona Fall League. Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reported Friday that the seventh-round pick out of Stanford in 2023 has thrown eight scoreless innings over four starts for Scottsdale, allowing three hits and three walks while striking out 13.
Dixon has logged only 6 1/3 professional innings since the draft, a path shaped by Tommy John surgery in April 2024, elbow nerve surgery in October 2025, and a torn right shoulder capsule in May 2026 after a brief look with Single-A Fayetteville. In Arizona he has touched 99.2 mph and sat 95-97, with an emerging curveball and a solid changeup.
"I knew it was a good chance for me to kind of put myself out there a little bit, show people what I can do," Dixon told McTaggart.
Astros director of player development Sam Niedorf is encouraged, with a reminder attached. "I have to remind our group the Fall League isn't a finish line. This is just a checkpoint in his development that will hopefully continue to build momentum for 2027 for us," Niedorf said. On Dixon's attack mindset: "He doesn't take his foot off the gas, and we stress that with all the pitchers, but I think Joey, what he's showing this Fall League has taken that to the next level," Niedorf said.
Also in McTaggart's AFL note: third baseman Waner Luciano is moving around the field and is hitting .243/.364/.297 in 37 at-bats after an .829 OPS in 70 games at Fayetteville this year.
Our Astros GM search tracker is still waiting on a resolution to the Matt Kleine talks. MLB Trade Rumors' Opener notes Houston would ideally have a GM in place by Monday, Nov. 2, when free agency opens.
Around the MLB
Marlins keep Sandy Alcantara. Miami exercised Alcantara's $21 million club option for 2027, his final year under contract before free agency next winter, Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors reported (MLBTR on X; Francys Romero). Per Adams, Alcantara threw an MLB-high 214 innings with a 3.87 ERA in his second season back from Tommy John, with a 17.1% strikeout rate, 6.6% walk rate, and 41.9% ground-ball rate.
Seibu Lions to post Kaima Taira. The Seibu Lions will make right-hander Kaima Taira available to MLB clubs through the posting system, Naoto Yokoyama of Sanspo and Jason Coskrey of the Japan Times reported. Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors confirmed the Lions' announcement.
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