Houston Astros right-hander Luis Garcia (elbow) will not pitch for the team for the remainder of the season, according to manager Joe Espada. Garcia will resume playing catch this weekend but is now aiming to be ready for the start of the 2025 campaign. The 27-year-old will now end up missing the entire 2024 season after having Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in May of last year. He would have been able to return to Houston's starting rotation for the tail end of the season, if not for a few setbacks along the way during his recovery. As long as he doesn't have any more setbacks this winter or in spring training next year, Garcia should be ready to roll for the start of next season in April. The Venezuelan hurler has been pretty decent in his four big-league seasons for the Astros, posting a 3.61 ERA and 1.16 WHIP with a 25.3% strikeout rate, making him worth looking at for rotation depth in all fantasy formats.

Houston Astros manager Joe Espada said on Tuesday that right-hander Luis Garcia (elbow) still isn't throwing. Garcia was originally scheduled to start a minor-league rehab assignment on Sunday but was shut down due to right-elbow soreness as he tries to work his way back from Tommy John surgery in May of last year. The fact that the 27-year-old has yet to resume throwing isn't great news, although the Astros are still optimistic that Garcia will return from the 60-day injured list before the end of the 2024 season. The Venezuelan hurler had a career-high 27% strikeout rate in just 27 innings last year before he was shut down with elbow issues and has a respectable 3.61 ERA and 1.16 WHIP in 352 career innings for the Astros. However, with time running out this year, Garcia probably isn't going to be much of a fantasy option if he returns to the rotation in September.

Houston Astros manager Joe Espada said that right-hander Luis Garcia (elbow) threw a 35-pitch bullpen session before Friday's series opener against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers and didn't have any issues. Garcia ramped up his workload on Friday after tossing 15 pitches in his previous bullpen session last Saturday. The 27-year-old continues to recover from Tommy John surgery and could be cleared to start facing live hitters soon. Eventually, he'll need to go on a lengthy minor-league rehab assignment before potentially joining the Astros' starting rotation to close out the 2024 campaign. Garcia has been a solid starter for Houston since debuting in the shortened 2020 season, but fantasy managers in mixed leagues should temper expectations once he returns on what will likely be a limited workload.

Houston Astros right-hander Luis Garcia (elbow) is throwing out to 75 feet and is going to get back on a mound in a couple of days, according to general manager Dana Brown. It's good news after Garcia was pulled from his minor-league rehab assignment after making his last start on July 4 because he wasn't bouncing back the way he wanted. The 27-year-old is attempting to return from Tommy John surgery that he had last year and should return to Houston's starting rotation later in the second half of the season when he's sufficiently stretched out. The Venezuelan hurler would be a significant addition for a banged-up Astros starting rotation down the stretch, but fantasy managers in mixed leagues may want to temper their expectations because of Garcia's long layoff. In four major-league seasons, he's gone 28-19 with a 3.61 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 364 K's in 352 innings pitched.

Houston Astros right-hander Luis Garcia (elbow) has been returned from his minor-league rehab assignment. Garcia, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery last May, hasn't pitched since July 4 at Double-A Corpus Christi. He made two rehab appearances with the Hooks but apparently didn't bounce back well from those outings, and his rehab assignment is now on pause. It's unclear when the 27-year-old Venezuelan hurler will be cleared to resume his rehab assignment, but when he does, he's probably going to need the full 30-day window before he's reinstated to the major-league roster. Whenever he does make his 2024 debut, fantasy managers will want to temper expectations. In four big-league seasons with the Astros, Garcia has gone 28-19 with a 3.61 ERA (3.79 FIP) and 1.16 WHIP with a 25.3% strikeout rate in 352 innings pitched.

Houston Astros right-hander Luis Garcia (elbow) will make his second minor-league rehab start on Thursday for Double-A Corpus Christi, according to manager Joe Espada. Garcia's first rehab appearance was a one-inning outing last Friday in the Florida Complex League. The 27-year-old is on the rehab trail after undergoing Tommy John surgery, so he's likely to spend near the full 30 days on his rehab assignment before becoming available for a banged-up Astros rotation at some point in August. Fantasy managers will want to temper expectations when the Venezuelan hurler returns to the big leagues in the second half, but don't ignore him entirely. Garcia has a 3.61 ERA and 1.16 WHIP with a 25.3% strikeout rate in 352 innings in his four years in the majors after debuting for Houston back in 2020.

Houston Astros right-hander Luis Garcia (elbow) was sent to the Florida Complex League to begin a minor-league rehab assignment on Friday. Garcia will be making his first appearance in a game this weekend since having Tommy John surgery last May. Given the nature of his injury and his long layoff, it's likely that he'll spend the full 30 days on his rehab assignment. However, after that, he should return to the big-league starting rotation later in the second half of the season as a much-needed reinforcement for a rotation that has been decimated by injuries this year. The 27-year-old Venezuelan hurler has a respectable 3.61 ERA (3.79 FIP) and 1.16 WHIP with a 25.3% strikeout rate in his four major-league seasons with the Astros since debuting in 2020 over 352 innings and 69 appearances (63 starts).

Houston Astros starting pitcher Luis Garcia (elbow) could start a game in the complex league this weekend, manager Joe Espada said before Tuesday's game against the visiting Colorado Rockies. That would be the beginning of a minor-league rehab assignment for Garcia, who's entering the closing stages of his recovery from last season's Tommy John surgery. He'll likely spend around 30 days on assignment before the Astros consider reinstating him from the 60-day injured list, but Garcia is a name to watch on fantasy waiver wires ahead of the mid-July All-Star break. In 27 innings last year, the 27-year-old Venezuelan right-hander registered a modest 4.00 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and 31:10 K:BB in Houston's rotation.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Luis Garcia (elbow) was able to throw a successful bullpen session on Saturday. The right-hander is working his way back from Tommy John surgery he underwent in May of last year. The team has been taking it slow, but Garcia was able to throw 20 pitches on Saturday without any issues. The hope is that Garcia can continue throwing and will eventually go on a minor-league rehab assignment. The expectation is that Garcia will be able to rejoin the Astros' rotation mid-way through the season.

Houston Astros right-hander Luis Garcia (elbow) threw another bullpen session on Wednesday as he continues to rehab from Tommy John surgery that he had in May of 2023. Garcia started throwing bullpens in April and is taking a slow progression to eventually go out on a minor-league rehab assignment. The expectation is that he will be able to rejoin Houston's starting rotation at some point in the middle of the season. The 27-year-old will mostly likely not be activated from the injured list until the second half of the season after the All-Star break in mid-July. When healthy, Garcia has been quite intriguing for fantasy managers because of his ability to create plenty of swings and misses. However, given his long layoff, you should temper expectations for him in 2024 as he returns from Tommy John surgery.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Luis Garcia (elbow) threw another bullpen session this weekend as he continues his recovery from Tommy John surgery. He began throwing bullpen sessions in April and has not suffered any setbacks yet. His next step in the rehab process will be a stint in the minors, but the Astros are taking things slow with the young right-hander. The expectation is that he'll be able to return to the majors near midseason. Garcia was impressive in his last full campaign as he posted a 15-8 record, 3.72 ERA and 1.13 WHIP across 28 starts in 2022. He is someone for fantasy managers to keep an eye on as he gets closer to his return date.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Luis Garcia (elbow) threw a bullpen session at Minute Maid Park ahead of Tuesday's game against the Atlanta Braves. Continuing to recuperate from Tommy John surgery, Garcia started tossing bullpens earlier in April and is slowly progressing toward eventually heading to a minor-league rehab assignment. The expectation is that he will be able to rejoin Houston's injury-ravaged rotation at some point during the middle of the season. Before his 2023 season came to a close, the 27-year-old right-hander posted a respectable 4.00 ERA (3.63 FIP), 1.29 WHIP, and 31:10 K:BB over 27 innings (six starts). The Astros called up Forrest Whitley on Tuesday for pitching help, but it wouldn't be surprising to see swingman Brandon Bielak be asked to eat some innings at some point.

Houston Astros pitchers Luis Garcia (elbow), Lance McCullers Jr. (elbow), Jose Urquidy (forearm) and Penn Murfee (elbow) all played catch at Minute Maid Park on Monday. Left-hander Framber Valdez (elbow) is scheduled to play catch Tuesday. Garcia, McCullers and Murfee are all currently on the 60-day injured list. Garcia is recovering from Tommy John surgery last May and isn't expected to be an option for the 'Stros until around midseason at least. McCullers, 30, is expected to be out until late June or early July as he recovers from right-elbow surgery. After missing a huge chunk of last season, the 28-year-old Urquidy has now been out almost a month with a right-forearm strain. Barring a setback, he should be the first of this group to return for Houston's rotation.

The Houston Astros moved pitchers Luis Garcia (elbow) and Penn Murfee (elbow) to the 60-day injured list on Thursday to make room on the 40-man roster for reliever Miguel Diaz and catcher/utility man Cooper Hummel after they were claimed off waivers. Garcia underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow last May and won't be able to return to the Astros' starting rotation at least until around midseason this year. The 27-year-old threw a 15-pitch bullpen session on Monday, which is a big step in his recovery from elbow reconstruction. Given Garcia's long layoff, fantasy managers shouldn't expect much from him in 2024 in the second half. The Venezuelan hurler went 15-8 with a 3.72 ERA and 1.13 WHIP with 47 was and 157 K's in 157 1/3 innings in his last full season in 2022.

Houston Astros right-hander Luis Garcia (elbow) threw 15 pitches off a mound on Monday and is "ahead of schedule" in his recovery from Tommy John surgery, according to manager Joe Espada. Garcia had Tommy John surgery last May, so even if Garcia doesn't have any setbacks in his recovery, he's unlikely to make his 2024 debut until around the All-Star break. The Venezuelan hurler only made six starts for the Astros last year before going under the knife. In his four years in the big leagues with Houston, he's gone 28-19 with a 3.61 ERA (3.79 FIP) and 1.16 WHIP with 112 walks and 364 strikeouts in 352 innings pitched covering 69 appearances (63 starts). Fantasy managers in single-year leagues can continue to leave Garcia on the waiver wire.

Houston Astros right-handers Luis Garcia (elbow) and Lance McCullers Jr. (forearm) are on track to return to the active roster in the second half of the 2024 season, according to general manager Dana Brown. Garcia is recovering from Tommy John surgery last May after allowing 12 earned runs with 10 walks and 31 strikeouts in 27 innings over six starts last year. The 27-year-old misses plenty of bats and could still be worth stashing as a late-round flier in deep-mixed fantasy leagues this spring. McCullers missed all of 2023 after having surgery to fix a torn flexor tendon in June. The 30-year-old remains intriguing in fantasy, but keep in mind he hasn't pitched since the World Series in 2022. Fantasy managers will want to temper expectations for both Garcia and McCullers once they return in the second half.

According to Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown, starting pitcher Luis Garcia (elbow) underwent successful Tommy John surgery on Friday. He will miss the remainder of the 2023 season and most of the 2024 campaign. The 26-year-old was 2-2 with a 4.00 ERA, 31 strikeouts, and 10 walks in six starts this season. Unfortunately, fantasy managers won't see Garcia again for a while, so he can be dropped in redraft formats. On the other hand, dynasty participants with room to spare can keep him stashed, especially since he may have a few good years ahead of him once he returns to the mound.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Luis Garcia (elbow) will have Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgery, according to general manager Dana Brown. A date for the surgery hasn't been set. Garcia left his last start early on May 1 against the San Francisco Giants after experiencing discomfort in his right elbow, and now he'll miss the remainder of the 2023 season and most likely around half of next season as he recovers. The 26-year-old was 2-2 with a 4.00 ERA, 10 walks and 31 strikeouts in his six starts before his injury, and he had registered back-to-back scoreless outings prior to his final start on May 1. With Jose Urquidy (shoulder) on the injured list, Houston's rotation will be short-handed until Lance McCullers Jr. (forearm) is able to make his season debut. Garcia can obviously be safely dropped in single-year leagues.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Luis Garcia (elbow) visited the doctor recently for an MRI, but those will have to be re-evaluated, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. Manager Dusty Baker told reporters that there should be an update on his status this weekend. Garcia experienced elbow discomfort and landed on the 15-day injured list after his last start on May 1. Before he was shelved, the 26-year-old posted a 4.00 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 27.0% strikeout rate, and two wins over six games. Fantasy managers should stay tuned for more updates and who will take Garcia's spot on the roster.

The Houston Astros placed starting pitcher Luis Garcia (elbow) on the 15-day injured list on Tuesday with right-elbow discomfort and recalled left-hander Matt Gage from Triple-A Sugar Land in a corresponding move. It comes just a day after right-handed starter Jose Urquidy (shoulder) landed on the IL with right-shoulder inflammation. The Houston Chronicle's Danielle Lerner is reporting that manager Dusty Baker said he doesn't know how long Garcia will be out, and the team is still awaiting the results of an MRI exam. It's unclear who the Astros will use to fill Garcia's spot in the starting rotation, and fantasy managers might want to expected him to miss more than two weeks. The 26-year-old has a 4.00 ERA (3.76 FIP), 1.29 WHIP, 10 walks and 31 K's in 27 innings over his first six starts in 2023.