The Houston Astros announced the call-up of reliever John Rooney on Sunday morning prior to their weekend series finale against the Baltimore Orioles, according to The Athletic’s Chandler Rome.
To make room for Rooney, the Astros optioned pitcher AJ Blubaugh to Triple-A Sugar Land.
The Astros acquired Rooney via a trade from the Miami Marlins at the beginning of August, and he joined the Astros for three days at Fenway Park. However, Rooney never entered a game and was optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land, until he was called back up on Sunday.
Rooney’s Wasn’t Chancing Missing His Debut
Rooney was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the third round of the 2018 MLB June Amateur Draft, and has spent the last seven years in the minor leagues.
When the 28-year-old got the news he’d be getting called up on Sunday morning, he wasn’t taking any chances of missing his opportunity.
“I didn’t sleep. I was thinking to myself, ‘Don’t be the guy that sleeps past his alarm and misses his opportunity to be in the big leagues.’ You are sitting there like on Christmas Eve and I’m like, ‘I’m not going to sleep,'” Rooney said. “I still haven’t slept. I’m going to try to sleep on the plane. We’ll see. I want to spend time with the guys; I might not sleep for a while.
“I knew once I got called up after the game last night it’s going to be one of those nights. It’s just part of it.”
Just like a kid ready to open their presents on Christmas Day, Rooney was not sleeping before making his major league debut on Sunday against the Orioles.
After Astros’ starting pitcher Spencer Arrighetti pitched into the sixth inning, he allowed the go-ahead run to score with two outs and his outing came to an end. That made way for Rooney’s MLB debut.
Rooney walked the first batter he faced, but then struck out the next batter to escape trouble and keep the Astros within a run. He came back out for the seventh inning and gave up a two-out solo home run, but bounced back again with a strikeout to end the inning.
John Rooney tallies his first big league strikeout!
The @astros left-hander recorded 446 punchouts over seven Minor League seasons. pic.twitter.com/hNrvsYel1s
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) August 24, 2025
“It was different for sure the first time. But once I got out there it just felt comfortable,” Rooney said. “Obviously, the walk was [not what I wanted], but you get that first batter out of the way and I am like, ‘You know what, these guys are the same people.’ Just do my job, not change a thing, and sure enough got that strikeout.”
The Astros scored a run in the eighth inning to make it a one-run game, but couldn’t finish the a comeback in the 3-2 loss. Although, it was an afternoon Rooney will never forget.
Although the Astros were playing away in Baltimore, the Orioles announced during Rooney’s warm-up pitches that it was his major-league debut, and Rooney got a nice hand from the home crowd.
The Astros’ reliever has the flight back to Houston to rest up after an exciting day that he’ll remember forever. Although, if you ask him, it may be a bit before he catches up on that lost sleep.
