The Astros released Martes on Tuesday, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.
A former top pitching prospect while coming up through the Houston farm system, Martes made his big-league debut in his age-21 season in 2017. Since then, his career has been derailed by the Tommy John procedure he required in August 2018 along with two lengthy suspensions for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs. Now 25 years old, Martes struggled mightily in a relief role at Triple-A Sugar Land this season, giving up 17 earned runs on 10 hits and 20 walks over 11.2 innings. He'll look to reboot his career in another organization with Houston electing to pull the plug on him.
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Astros' Francis Martes: Clears waivers
Rotowire
Martes will stay with Triple-A Sugar Land after going unclaimed on waivers, Jake Kaplan of The Athletic reports.
Martes' 10.80 ERA through 8.1 innings with Sugar Land this season didn't appeal to any other organization after he was DFA'd, so he will remain with the Astros' Triple-A club.
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Astros' Francis Martes: DFA'd by Houston
Rotowire
Martes was designated for assignment by the Astros on Wednesday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
The 25-year-old spent the first couple months of the season on the restricted list while serving a PED suspension, and he's now lost his 40-man roster spot. Martes has made seven appearances at Triple-A Sugar Land and surrendered 10 runs on eight hits with 13 walks and nine strikeouts over 8.1 innings.
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Astros' Francis Martes: Completes suspension
Rotowire
Martes (suspension) was activated from the restricted list and optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land on Saturday, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Now that he's done with the PED suspension, Martes has an opportunity to begin carving out a role for himself in the Astros organization. Barring any injuries, the righty is unlikely to crack the big-league starting rotation this season, but Houston's bullpen has struggled quite a bit and could certainly use Martes down the road if he impresses at Triple-A.
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Astros' Francis Martes: Ramping up at Triple-A
Rotowire
Martes (suspension) was assigned to Triple-A Sugar Land on Friday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Martes has thrown a total of just 25 innings since the start of 2018 due to Tommy John surgery and a pair of PED suspensions, though he's still just 25 years old and was once an exciting prospect. His latest suspension, which comes after he tested positive for Boldenone in February of 2020, will expire June 19. He could help out the Astros as either a starter or reliever once he's back at full strength, though it may take some time to get him there given how little he's pitched over the last few years.
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Astros' Francis Martes: Back in camp
Rotowire
Martes (undisclosed) has returned to camp, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Martes had been away from the team due to the league's health and safety protocols, but he's now back at the club's spring training facility. The right-hander tossed a scoreless frame during his spring debut and should be available for the Astros going forward.
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Astros' Francis Martes: Out due to protocols
Rotowire
Manager Dusty Baker said Friday that Martes is away from the team due to the league's health and safety protocols, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Martes delivered a scoreless frame in his spring debut but will need to clear the COVID-19 protocols before retaking the mound. The 25-year-old was suspended for the entire 2020 campaign after a second violation of the league's policy on performance-enhancing drugs, and he hasn't pitched in the majors since 2017.
Martes was hit with a year-long suspension Monday after a second failed test for performance-enhancing drugs, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Martes picked up an 80-game suspension at the start of last season after testing positive for Clomiphene in March. After testing positive for Boldenone this time around, he'll miss a full 162 games. His stock will be quite low when he's eligible to return in 2021, as a combination of failed drug tests and Tommy John surgery will have conspired to limit him to just 25 total innings from 2018 to 2020.
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Astros' Francis Martes: Makes full-season debut
Rotowire
Martes (elbow) made a rehab appearance Sunday for Low-A Quad Cities, tossing 2.2 innings and giving up two runs on one hit and three walks while striking out three.
Making the third appearance of his rehab assignment and his first for a full-season affiliate since undergoing Tommy John surgery in August 2018, Martes generally fared well in the outing, with the exception of giving up a first-inning solo shot. The 23-year-old is unlikely to make it back to the Astros as a September callup, but he'll presumably enter next spring with no restrictions now that he's already resumed pitching in a competitive setting.
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Astros' Francis Martes: Officially placed on IL
Rotowire
Martes (elbow) was reinstated from the restricted list and placed on the 7-day injured list at Triple-A Round Rock, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.
He served an 80-game suspension for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug and then remained on the restricted list due to visa issues. Now he is officially on the IL as he works his way back from UCL reconstruction surgery, which he underwent a year ago. Martes probably won't return until 2020, but it's possible he could play winter ball.
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Astros' Francis Martes: Visa issues resolved
Rotowire
Martes (elbow) has had his visa issues resolved and is traveling back to Florida, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Martes underwent Tommy John surgery last August and isn't likely to take the mound at any point this season as a result. However, Rome also noted that Martes will be added to the team's 40-man roster soon, a noteworthy development.
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Astros' Francis Martes: Remains on restricted list
Rotowire
Martes (elbow) has completed his 80-game suspension, though he is still on the restricted list due to visa issues, Jake Kaplan of The Athletic reports.
Martes underwent Tommy John surgery last August and isn't expected to pitch for the Astros this season anyway, per Kaplan.
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Astros' Francis Martes: Suspended 80 games
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Martes was suspended 80 games Tuesday after testing positive for the banned substance Clomiphene, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Martes was already expected to miss most if not all of the 2019 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. He'll be docked 80 games' pay and will be ineligible for the postseason.
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Astros' Francis Martes: Heads to minors camp
Rotowire
Martes (elbow) was optioned to the Astros' minor-league camp Wednesday, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.
The move is merely a procedural one with Martes unlikely to be ready for game action until late in the season, if at all, while he recovers from the Tommy John procedure he required last August. It's possible Martes reverts to the 60-day injured list at some point in 2019 to afford the Astros an extra spot on the 40-man roster.
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Astros' Francis Martes: Continues throwing program
Rotowire
Martes (elbow) progressed to throwing from 90 feet on flat ground Wednesday, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.
The right-hander underwent Tommy John surgery back in August of 2018, and it seems like everything in his recovery process is going as planned. As things stand now, Martes is hopeful that he'll be able to get back to game action in August or September of 2019.
Astros' Francis Martes: Undergoes UCL reconstruction surgery
Rotowire
Martes underwent UCL reconstruction surgery in his right elbow Wednesday, which will keep him out of action for 12-to-16 months, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Martes made just four starts for Triple-A Fresno this season, posting a 6.75 ERA and an 18.1 percent walk rate before hitting the disabled list in late April. He'll now miss the rest of the season and likely all of next year as well. He was highly rated as a prospect despite command issues, and even if he's out until 2020, he'll still be just 24 years old.
Martes (elbow) has been shut down and will not return to competition until late July or early August, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Martes made four starts at Triple-A Fresno before landing on the disabled list in late April with a right elbow injury and is not expected to begin throwing until early July. It would be easy to dismiss his 6.75 ERA and 17 walks over 18.2 innings as a result of the injury, but the right-hander has struggled with command for years and has not good at the upper levels of the minors or in the majors.
