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Padres' J.P. France: Lands MiLB deal with San Diego
Rotowire
France agreed to a minor-league contract with the Padres on Saturday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
France had been with the Astros organization since 2018 before he was released Thursday. He'll get a fresh start at Padres and will likely report to their Triple-A affiliate in the Pacific Coast League, where he had posted a 3.72 ERA and 1.69 WHIP across 36.1 innings with Sugar Land this season.
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J.P. France: Released by Astros
Rotowire
The Astros released France on Thursday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
France missed much of the 2025 season following right shoulder surgery and has spent nearly all of 2026 at Triple-A Sugar Land, logging a 3.72 ERA and 39:25 K:BB across 36.1 frames. The 31-year-old is now a free agent and will look to latch on with a new organization.
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Astros' J.P. France: Goes unclaimed via waivers
Rotowire
The Astros outrighted France to Triple-A Sugar Land on Monday.
After the Astros designated him for assignment for the second time in just over two months this past weekend, France will once again end up sticking around in the Houston organization upon going unclaimed off waivers. He'll likely slot back into the rotation at Sugar Land, which lost three of its starters (Spencer Arrighetti, Colton Gordon and Peter Lambert) last week when the big club was in need of further reinforcement.
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Astros' J.P. France: Cut from 40-man roster
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The Astros designated France for assignment Saturday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
The move makes room on the Astros' 40-man roster for outfielder Dustin Harris, who was claimed off waivers from the White Sox in a corresponding move. France struggled out of the bullpen across three outings with Houston, allowing six runs on six hits and five walks while striking out four in 6.2 innings.
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Astros' J.P. France: Returns to big club
Rotowire
The Astros recalled France from Triple-A Sugar Land on Monday.
Houston had optioned France to Triple-A on Saturday, but because the Astros placed Tatsuya Imai (arm) on the injured list in a corresponding move, France won't have to wait the required 15 days to rejoin the big club. With Imai becoming the third Astros starter in six days to land on the IL and with Cody Bolton (back) also at risk of hitting the shelf, France could be a candidate to move into the rotation if he's not needed in relief in the next few days. France is already on the same schedule as Imai, having covered 2.2 innings in long relief in Friday's loss to the Mariners after Imai recorded just one out before departing.
The Astros optioned France to Triple-A Sugar Land on Saturday.
France was promoted from Sugar Land on Friday but will now head back to the minors after giving up four earned runs in just 2.2 innings during his appearance against Seattle. Jayden Murray was recalled in a corresponding move to fill the void in Houston's bullpen.
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Astros' J.P. France: Contract selected Friday
Rotowire
The Astros selected France's contract from Triple-A Sugar Land on Friday.
To make room on the 40-man roster for France, the Astros transferred Ronel Blanco (elbow) to the 60-day injured list. France has pitched in three games out of the bullpen for Sugar Land this season, logging an 8:1 K:BB across 5.1 scoreless innings. He'll slide into a relief role for Houston.
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Astros' J.P. France: Will be added to roster
Rotowire
The Astros are expected to add France to their active roster prior to Friday's game in Seattle, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
France was removed from the Astros' 40-man roster prior to spring training but has found his way back onto it by tossing 5.1 scoreless innings with an 8:1 K:BB at Triple-A Sugar Land. The right-hander will provide the Houston bullpen with some length.
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Astros' J.P. France: Won't make Opening Day roster
Rotowire
France was informed that he will not make the Astros' Opening Day roster, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
France will remain in major-league camp for now, though he'll ultimately open the season with Triple-A Sugar Land. The 30-year-old France was a long shot to make the team out of spring training. The right-hander was limited to just 11.2 innings with Houston in 2025, posting a 3.86 ERA with 13 strikeouts before undergoing shoulder surgery. France could be an option should the Astros need reinforcements in their rotation in 2026.
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Astros' J.P. France: Outrighted to Triple-A
Rotowire
France cleared waivers Thursday and was sent outright to Triple-A Sugar Land, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
France will still receive an invitation to spring training, but he will have to pitch his way back onto the Astros' 40-man roster after missing the vast majority of 2025 recovering from shoulder surgery.
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Astros' J.P. France: Designated for assignment
Rotowire
France was designated for assignment by the Astros on Thursday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
France missed most of the 2025 season while recovering from a torn right shoulder capsule. He returned to throw four innings out of the bullpen late in the year, but he'll now have to battle for a roster spot during spring training.
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Astros' J.P. France: Recalled from Triple-A
Rotowire
The Astros recalled France from Triple-A Sugar Land on Tuesday.
France allowed one run over five innings in his last start at Sugar Land. He had pitched in relief in his three appearances prior to that, and the Astros plan to deploy him as a multi-inning reliever.
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Astros' J.P. France: Poised for recall
Rotowire
The Astros are expected to recall France from Triple-A Sugar Land during their series in Toronto that runs through Thursday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
France's last appearance with Sugar Land was a start, but his three outings prior to that came out of the bullpen, and he's expected to fill a multi-inning relief role with Houston. The right-hander missed the first half of this season while recovering from shoulder surgery and holds a 6.38 ERA and 23:20 K:BB over 24 innings during his time with Sugar Land.
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Astros' J.P. France: Activated and optioned
Rotowire
The Astros activated France (shoulder) from the 60-day injured list and optioned him to Triple-A Sugar Land on Thursday, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
France has completed his rehab from shoulder surgery, but the Astros have elected to keep him at Sugar Land where he's been on a rehab assignment. The righty will provide rotation depth in the minors.
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Astros' J.P. France: Covers four innings in rehab start
Rotowire
France (shoulder) struck out seven and allowed three earned runs on four hits and four walks across four innings in his rehab start Thursday with Triple-A Sugar Land.
The right-hander has now made five rehab starts across stops with three different affiliates and has been gradually increasing his workload. He built up to 77 pitches Thursday and probably needs just one more rehab outing to get himself stretched out enough to handle a typical starter's workload, but France likely hasn't performed well enough to garner serious consideration for a spot in Houston's rotation once he's activated from the 60-day injured list. After undergoing shoulder surgery last July, France has struggled to regain his control thus far during his rehab assignment, as he's posted a 15:13 K:BB while hitting two batters and uncorking a wild pitch over 13 innings. France has a minor-league option remaining, so the Astros could have him remain with Sugar Land once his 30-day rehab window comes to a close.
Astros' J.P. France: Reaches fourth inning in rehab start
Rotowire
France (shoulder) struck out three batters and surrendered two earned runs on two hits and three walks over 3.2 innings in his rehab start Friday for Triple-A Sugar Land.
For the first time over his four rehab starts, France reached the fourth inning while building up to 63 pitches. While working his way back from last summer's surgery to address a right shoulder capsule tear, France has struggled to regain control of his offerings. He's recorded more walks (nine) than strikeouts (eight) over the first nine innings of his rehab assignment and has also hit two batters. France will likely need just one or two more rehab outings to get stretched out enough to handle a typical starter's workload, but given the poor form he's displayed on the farm thus far, the Astros may not be eager to open up a spot for him in the big-league rotation once he's activated from the injured list.
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Astros' J.P. France: Stumbles in third rehab start
Rotowire
France (shoulder) allowed four earned runs on two hits and four walks over two innings in his rehab start Saturday with Triple-A Sugar Land. He also hit a batter.
The 30-year-old right-hander moved up to the Triple-A level for the third start of his rehab assignment after previous stops in the rookie-level Florida Complex League and at Double-A Corpus Christi. He pushed his pitch count up to 49 on Saturday, but that was about the only positive takeaway on the day for France, who threw just 22 strikes and failed to record a punchout. France will continue to get stretched out as a starter while he completes his recovery from July 2024 right shoulder surgery, but Houston may not have a rotation spot available for him by the time his 30-day rehab window comes to a close in late August.
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