The Astros signed Otto (undisclosed) to a minor-league contract Thursday.
Before he was released by the Padres on July 28, Otto hadn't pitched since July 12 after he was placed on Triple-A El Paso's injured list. While the current state of the right-hander's health isn't yet known, the Astros will bring him into the organization with the hope he can provide depth at Triple-A Sugar Land. Otto previously made 39 appearances at the big-league level with the Rangers from 2021 through 2023, logging a 5.62 ERA over 169.2 innings.