McCormick has played sparingly this season as a reserve outfielder on Houston’s bench with Jake Meyers establishing himself as the primary center fielder. The 30-year-old figures to miss at least a couple weeks.

It’s McCormick’s first start since May 20. The 30-year-old has ceded playing time to younger options like Zach Dezenzo and Cam Smith this season while Jake Meyers has emerged as the club’s primary center field option.

The 30-year-old McCormick is slashing .318/.423/.364 on the season but has been limited to just 29 plate appearances, and the Astros have also said that Cam Smith will start taking fly balls in centerfield. As Rome points out, “The entire premise of carrying McCormick centered on his ability to back up Jake Meyers in center field and serve as a late-game defensive replacement for Smith or Altuve in the corners.” If the Astros don’t need McCormick as a late-game defensive replacement and Zach Dezenzo begins to show more offensive promise, there is little need for McCormick on the roster. Rome adds, “The act of exposing Smith to center field accentuates how far McCormick has fallen in the organizational hierarchy. That he has taken 19 plate appearances since April 3 — and sacrifice-bunted during two of them — further demonstrates his standing.”

It might be too little, too late for McCormick, since everyone wants either Cam Smith or Zach Dezenzo to take over the Astros’ right fielder. McCormick has walked 11 times this spring, but he’s batting .161 with two extra-base hits in 44 plate appearances.