From what I've read, the Astros now have acquired 3 Rule V players. So doesn't that mean that if the team wants to keep all 3 players, they'd have to stay on the 25 man roster the whole year? There goes the pennant next year...
Hall, who they acquired for Cruz, must remain on their roster all year or they must offer him back the the original team and will receive $25,000. Hall will probably serve the role Glen Barker did a couple of years ago. At worst case, they gave up Cruz for $25,000.
I thought the rule for rule V is that the player must be kept on 25 man roster all year and if they're assigned to the minors, they must be offered back to the club.
That is correct. Bear in mind though that there are two different rule V drafts - minor league and major league. The Major League Rule V draft is exactly as you described. The other is done on behalf of teams minor league affiliations. Those players must remain on a higher minor league level or be offered back. The two players the Astros actually drafted were done on behalf of their New Orleans AAA team. Hall, the player that was acquired in the Cruz trade was drafted by the Rockies from the D'backs. If Hall does not stay on the Astros 25 man roster, he must be offered back to Arizona.
