The Astros are pulling again a bit on right-hander Luis Garcia’s rehab course of after he didn’t rebound properly comply with his most up-to-date begin within the minors, supervisor Joe Espada informed reporters (together with Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle) on Friday. Kawahara went on to notice that Espada emphasised that Garcia had not suffered a setback, though plans for the righty to throw a bullpen has been delayed and there’s no timetable for him to make his subsequent rehab begin.
It’s a irritating flip of occasions for Houston, because the membership’s rotation has been beleaguered by accidents all season. Proper-handers Cristian Javier, Jose Urquidy and J.P. France are all accomplished for the 12 months after present process season-ending surgical procedures final month, and of the three starters on the IL anticipated to return this 12 months Garcia seems to be the closest. This newest delay figures to go away the Astros to make the perfect out of a patchwork rotation that includes Framber Valdez, Ronel Blanco, Hunter Brown, Jake Bloss, and Spencer Arrighetti. Apart from Valdez, solely Brown entered the 2024 season with greater than a handful of begins on the large league stage on his resume and solely Blanco has posted an ERA higher than league common.
In fact, the return of Garcia could be a welcome one even when the Astros rotation was in higher form. In any case, the 27-year-old righty sports activities a profession 3.61 ERA and three.79 FIP in components of 4 seasons within the majors. Garcia had solidly labored his means into the center of Houston’s rotation previous to the Tommy John surgical procedure that worn out most of his 2023 marketing campaign, and he figures to pitch key innings for Houston within the second half as long as he can return to motion wholesome and efficient someday after the All-Star break.
The Astros received extra optimistic harm information concerning the standing of right-hander Justin Verlander, who’s been on the IL with a neck subject for the previous month. The longer term Corridor of Famer returned to the mound as we speak, nevertheless, and whereas he was initially scheduled for a lightweight bullpen session of simply 10 to fifteen pitches, MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart stories that he threw a 25-pitch session that included all of his pitches with none points. That’s a serious step ahead for the right-hander, and whereas it’s unclear when the veteran will return to the majors Chandler Rome of The Athletic relayed that he’s anticipating to throw one other bullpen in the course of the All-Star break.
Accidents have restricted Verlander to simply ten begins thus far this 12 months, and he’s struggled (at the least by his personal lofty requirements) when wholesome sufficient to take the mound with a 3.95 ERA that’s roughly according to league common and a worrying 4.99 FIP. Whereas his 21.3% strikeout price and his 7.1% stroll price are each roughly according to the numbers he posted final 12 months, Verlander’s career-worst 24.8% groundball price and elevated 9% barrel price are each trigger for concern, and his fastball’s velocity is down half a tick from final 12 months.
Trying towards the positional facet of issues, outfielder Kyle Tucker offered an replace to reporters (together with McTaggart) in regards to the shin contusion that’s sidelined him for six weeks now. Tucker informed reporters that he’s superior to throwing on the sphere and is hoping to return “someday in the beginning of the second half,” although he didn’t put a selected timetable on his return and cautioned that he’s nonetheless feeling some discomfort in his leg.
Whereas the Astros have surged in Tucker’s absence with a wonderful 23-11 report since he was positioned on the shelf, the membership is definitely keen so as to add one other star bat again into the lineup alongside Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez. Tucker caught hearth early within the season previous to his harm and headed to the injured record with a scorching .266/.395/.584 slash line in 60 video games regardless of a lackluster .245 BABIP. If he can contribute something even near that upon his return later this summer time, it might be an enormous enhance to the membership as they work to catch a division-leading Mariners membership that they path by only one sport coming into play as we speak.
