Astros' Castro removed from roster due to COVID-19 protocols

The Houston Astros removed catcher Jason Castro from their World Series roster due to COVID-19 protocols, Major League Baseball announced Saturday

Castro has tested positive for COVID-19, a source told Fox 26 Houston's Mark Berman.

Houston activated catcher Garrett Stubbs as his replacement.

Castro, who entered Friday's Game 3 as a pinch-hitter, is now isolating from the team in Atlanta, general manager James Click told reporters, according to the Houston Chronicle's Danielle Lerner. While he didn't confirm the report on Castro's positive test, Click added that no other Astros player was affected, per Lerner.

Under MLB's postseason COVID-19 protocols, Stubbs will stay on Houston's active roster until Castro's reinstatement is approved. If the Astros are still playing in the series at that time, he'll then return to their roster.

Castro, 34, appeared in 66 regular-season games for Houston, posting a .799 OPS while serving as Martin Maldonado's backup. He's recorded two hits in six games during the playoffs as a pinch-hitter.

Stubbs, the Astros' former eighth-round pick in 2015, owns a .182/.238/.247 slash line across 51 big-league contests since 2019. The 28-year-old played in one postseason game last year.