Astros’ Luis Garcia Faces Elbow Inflammation, Shuts Down Throwing Indefinitely

HOUSTON, Texas — The Houston Astros announced Thursday that pitcher Luis Garcia has been diagnosed with inflammation in his right elbow following an MRI exam. As a result, he will not be throwing indefinitely.

Garcia’s inflammation diagnosis comes after he experienced a setback late in spring training while recovering from Tommy John surgery. The Astros indicated that he would be re-evaluated in four weeks, raising concerns about his potential return to the mound.

According to the Astros, Garcia sought a second opinion after he was initially shut down on March 20 due to elbow soreness. The team had been hopeful following the initial assessment, which brought what manager Joe Espada described as “decent news.”

Garcia, who had undergone Tommy John surgery in May 2023, missed the entire 2024 season after making just six starts that year. The Astros had initially considered him ahead in rehabilitation compared to teammate Lance McCullers Jr., but this recent setback shifts that perspective significantly.

In Garcia’s absence last season, the Astros cycled through 12 different starting pitchers. Hunter Brown led the team with 30 starts, followed by Ronel Blanco with 29 and Framber Valdez with 28. Meanwhile, pitchers Cristian Javier and J.P. France suffered serious injuries early in the season.

Garcia, originally an international free agent from Venezuela, moved through the Astros’ minor league system rapidly, making his major league debut during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. He quickly became a reliable starter, appearing in 58 games (56 starts) from 2021-22 with a record of 26-16, a 3.60 ERA, and a 1.16 WHIP over 33 2/3 innings.

As of now, Astros’ starting pitchers have a combined ERA of 3.71, currently ranking seventh in the American League. They are tied for third in the league with 37 strikeouts and have a 1.03 WHIP, placing them fourth overall. Impressively, they lead the American League with an opponents’ batting average of just .157, demonstrating their effective pitching strategy.