Houston Astros manager Joe Espada has announced that pitcher Luis Garcia will not return for the remainder of the 2023 season. Garcia, who began the year with an injury, underwent Tommy John surgery last May for his elbow. Although he was expected to make a comeback this season, his recovery has faced several setbacks, delaying his rehab assignments.
Luis Garcia will not pitch for the Astros this season, Joe Espada said. Garcia will resume playing catch this weekend, but that is targeted toward getting him ready for 2025.
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) August 19, 2024
Garcia will continue his throwing program this weekend but will shift his focus to being fully prepared for spring training in 2025. The decision to hold him out for the rest of the season aims to prevent further complications and ensure his full recovery. The Astros are cautious, given the risk of re-injury seen with other pitchers, such as the Dodgers’ Brusdar Graterol, who suffered another injury shortly after returning from the IL.
Garcia enjoyed a standout season in 2021, finishing second in the American League Rookie of the Year voting, and had successful years in 2021 and 2022 with records of 11-8 and 15-8, respectively. His cutter usage notably improved his whiff rate over the years.
One of the more interesting developments early last season was Luis GarcÃa's cutter usage. A pitch with 40% or higher whiff rates from 2021-23.
Usage rates
– 2021: 22.4%
– 2022: 29.5%
– 2023: 43.2%I was curious to see if that trend continued in 2024 when he returned. Oh, well,… pic.twitter.com/TTwUDSAzkM
— Astros Stats 📈 (@astro_numbers) August 19, 2024
Despite Garcia’s absence and other injuries to key pitchers like Justin Verlander, Lance McCullers Jr., Cristian Javier, and Jose Urquidy, the Astros have continued to perform well. They started the season unevenly but have been strong recently, boasting a 9-1 record in their last 10 games. Remarkably, even with J.P. France also injured, the Astros remain four games ahead in first place in the AL West.
