Daulton Varsho has landed on the IL again, this time with worsening cysts in his left wrist.

The Astros placed him on the 10-day IL, retroactive to Sept. 23, with left wrist inflammation. Jorge Barrosa takes his roster spot, with right-hander Jason Alexander designated for assignment to open a 40-man slot.

Varsho has dealt with this same wrist issue all year, including an IL stint back in June while still with the Blue Jays. Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports the two cysts have gotten worse recently.

That wrist trouble may explain much of his offensive downturn. Last year, he hit 20 home runs in just 271 plate appearances. This year, across a larger 526 plate appearances, he's managed just 12.

His numbers have cratered accordingly, from a .238 average and 123 wRC+ last year to .221 and a 78 wRC+ this season. Since the trade to Houston, it's been even worse, hitting just .172 with a .311 slugging mark.

Why this IL stint barely stings for Houston right now

Given that production, losing him for 10 days isn't a devastating blow for the Astros, though their outfield alternatives aren't inspiring either.

Houston has been searching for a lefty outfield bat since trading away Kyle Tucker before 2025, and names like Jesus Sanchez, Dustin Harris, and Daniel Johnson have all been tried without much success. The Varsho swap increasingly looks like another whiff.

Varsho will miss the Wild Card round but could return for the ALDS if Houston advances that far.

The Astros sit half a game back of the Rangers in the AL West but hold the tiebreaker, needing only to finish even by Sunday night to claim the division.

Lucas Spence, with just 45 plate appearances and a .150 average, looks like the top fill-in option and starts tonight. Taylor Trammell could shift over from left, with LaMonte Wade Jr. picking up more time there.

Barrosa adds defensive value off the bench but won't be eligible for the postseason, having been claimed off waivers from Arizona after the Sept. 1 eligibility cutoff.

For Alexander, this marks a rougher stretch after a solid 2025 stint that included a 3.66 ERA over 71.1 innings. He's out of options going forward, reducing his appeal, and will need to clear waivers before potentially electing free agency.

For Toronto, watching Varsho's Houston tenure continue to unravel adds yet another data point in a trade that's looking better and better for the Blue Jays with each passing month.