WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Astros right-hander Luis Garcia suffered another setback in his long recovery from Tommy John surgery. Garcia was scheduled to throw a live batting practice session Thursday on the back fields at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches, but that was scratched because of right elbow soreness.
Astros manager Joe Espada said Garcia, who had thrown several bullpen sessions this spring, will be examined by team doctors in the coming days. It¡¯s the latest setback for Garcia, who hasn¡¯t pitched in a Major League game since May 2023. He started a Minor League rehab assignment last June but suffered another setback and was shut down in August of last year.
The Astros were counting on Garcia and fellow rehabbing right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. as early-season starting pitching depth options. McCullers threw one inning Tuesday in a Grapefruit League game in his first game action since Game 3 of the 2022 World Series and will throw a pair of simulated innings here Monday.
McCullers could rejoin Houston¡¯s rotation return by the end of April, and Garcia was on a schedule that could have had him back on the mound for the Astros in May -- two years post-surgery.
Garcia, an international free agent from Venezuela, jumped from Class A to the big leagues during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season and quickly became a workhorse starter. He appeared in 58 games in 2021-22, including 56 starts, and was 26-16 with a 3.60 ERA and 1.16 WHIP in 312 2/3 innings. He was injured in his sixth start in the 2023 season and had Tommy John surgery that May.
Lefty Framber Valdez and right-hander Hunter Brown will begin the season as the Astros¡¯ top two starting pitchers, with right-handers Spencer Arrighetti, Ronel Blanco and Hayden Wesneski rounding out the rotation. Houston¡¯s depth is thin after that. Right-handed prospects Ryan Gusto (No. 21-ranked prospect) and A.J. Blubaugh (No. 11) and lefty Colton Gordon (No. 16) appear to be next in line, but they will begin the season in the Triple-A rotation and none has big league experience.
¡°We¡¯re going to need all those guys to step up and at some point come help us,¡± Espada said. ¡°We¡¯ve been tested, but this little setback for Luis gives someone else an opportunity at some point. We have the arms to assist this Luis setback for now. Hopefully some of these Minor League players see this as an opportunity for them.¡±
The Astros used 12 starting pitchers last season with Brown (30 starts), Blanco (29), Valdez (28) and Arrighetti (28) carrying the biggest workloads. The Astros lost starters Cristian Javier and J.P. France to serious injuries early last season.