Astros retain outfielder Brantley on one-year deal: 'Welcome back, Uncle Mike!'

The Houston Astros have retained the services of outfielder Michael Brantley by inking him to a one-year deal, per a report on the team’s website. 

The 35-year-old Brantley is the incumbent World Series champions’ third free agency acquisition following the signings of first baseman Jose Abreu and reliever Rafael Montero. 

“Welcome back, Uncle Mike!” the Astros said in a tweet.

The upcoming 2023 season will mark Brantley’s fifth season in Houston, according to the team. 

He first signed with the Astros in late 2018 after 10 seasons with the then-Cleveland Indians. 

A five-time Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Star, he batted at .306 while in an Astros uniform and was a member of the club that won the most recent Fall Classic and the 2021 and 2019 teams that clinched the American League (AL) pennant.

A franchise-issued press release said that Brantley hit .288 with five home runs (HR), 14 doubles and 26 runs batted in (RBI) in 64 games in 2022. 

A shoulder injury and subsequent procedure in June brought an early end to what was his fourth season at 501 Crawford St., the release said. 

In the offseason leading to the 2021 campaign, Brantley was close to securing a deal with the Toronto Blue Jays until the Astros were able to make him stay with a two-year, $32 million deal.

An ESPN story that was ran by Houston ABC affiliate KTRK reported that Brantley is working his way back from injury but won’t resume hitting until next month. 

“Overall, I'm doing fine,” the veteran said, per ESPN. “I'm really happy where I am physically." 

While the Astros didn’t elaborate on the financial terms of his new contract, ESPN reported that Brantley can take home $4 million bonuses for at-bats (AB).