Zach Cole Jr.

Next 90 days, by the model

Pushing the cut risk around: this season's WAR (-0.15) raises it, option days this season (149) raises it, roster status (3) raises it.

Context the model does not weigh: ZiPS projects 1.7 WAR, -0.1 WAR this season; 17 OF on the 40-man, of whom Daulton Varsho, LaMonte Wade Jr are headed to free agency.

Trained on every 40-man roster snapshot since 2011 and what happened in the following 90 days; it sees roster status, options, service, history and last season's line, not this season's performance or the club's intentions. How well it does.

Is there a job for him next year?

HOU returns 15 IF on the 40-man once 1 free agent leaves; about 8 IF jobs survive a normal winter. By his own recent record he ranks 9th among the returners (0.4 WAR against a bar of 0.9), which the calibrated model turns into 91% kept through the tender deadline. Ranked by ZiPS and Steamer instead, which credit his longer track record, he is 9th (1.0 WAR, bar 1.0), worth 94% kept on the same model.

Departing free agents are excluded; players on club, mutual or player options are counted as returning. The kept probability is calibrated on every September since 2012 using the recent-record projection; the ZiPS/Steamer reading uses the same model with a different ranking, so treat it as a second opinion rather than a calibrated number. Salary enters once arbitration projections publish in October.

What happens if the club…

option him to the minors

Yes, 3 option years left. 2 of the five optional assignments for 2026 remain. A 2026 option year is already used (150 days), so further trips this season cost nothing extra. Once down he must stay 10 days unless he replaces an injured or traded player.

Option years and the 20-day rule · Five optional assignments per season · Minimum stay on option

designate him for assignment (or put him on outright waivers)

The club has 7 days to trade him, pass him through outright waivers, or release him; he is paid at the major-league rate and keeps accruing service in the meantime. On outright waivers any club can claim him for $50,000, worst record first, and the claiming club takes his contract. If he clears, the club can outright him to the minors and he has no say; he stays under club control on a minor-league deal. He would then be Rule 5-eligible and would hold XX-D rights against any future outright. Post-season: an outright after the September 1 cutoff ends his automatic eligibility. He could only return as an approved injury replacement, and only if he accepts the outright and stays on a minor-league reserve list in the organization without interruption; a release makes him ineligible for anyone this October.

Designated for assignment: 7 days · Outright waivers · Article XX-D: the right to walk

release him

Release waivers cost a claiming club $1 but the claimant assumes the whole contract, so expensive players clear. The club owes the full unpaid balance of this season's salary, offset by whatever another club pays him this year. A released player is not post-season eligible for any club this year.

Release waivers and termination pay · Which rate a split contract pays at release

trade himBLOCKED

Not now: players on major-league contracts cannot be traded after the Aug 3 deadline until the day after the World Series.

Trade deadline · 10-and-5 rights · June 15 no-trade for free-agent signees

renew him for next year

Pre-arbitration: the club sets his 2027 salary near the minimum ($780,000 floor) and he has no leverage beyond a non-tender.

Minimum salaries · Tender deadline