Garcia (elbow) threw live batting practice Tuesday, Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Garcia has already been ruled out for the rest of the season as he continues to work his way back from a Tommy John procedure he underwent in May 2023. However, the fact he is back to facing hitters after having his throwing program paused in August bodes well for his availability to begin the 2025 campaign.
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Astros' Luis Garcia: Ruled out for 2024
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Houston manager Joe Espada said Monday that Garcia (elbow) will not return from the 60-day injured list this season, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
After undergoing Tommy John surgery in May 2023, Garcia was cleared to begin a rehab assignment in late June, but he made just two appearances before being pulled off the assignment shortly before the All-Star break. Garcia was cleared to resume throwing off the mound a couple weeks after being shut down, but he suffered another setback in late July that has now prompted the Astros to hold him out for the rest of the season. Though Houston is ruling out a return to game action for Garcia in 2024, the right-hander will resume his throwing program this weekend by playing catch. He'll shift his focus to returning to full health for the start of spring training.
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Astros' Luis Garcia: Rehab assignment delayed
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Manager Joe Espada said that Garcia won't make a minor-league rehab start Sunday as planned due to right elbow soreness, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Garcia has now had his rehab assignment paused on two occasions as he continues to work his way back from May 2023 Tommy John surgery. The 27-year-old right-hander reportedly experienced the renewed soreness in his elbow Friday upon reporting to Minute Maid Park. The Astros remain optimistic that Garcia will be able to return from the 60-day injured list before the end of the season, but his latest setback will further delay his 2024 debut.
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Astros' Luis Garcia: Throws two simulated innings
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Garcia (elbow) threw 30 pitches split across two simulated innings Tuesday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Garcia faced hitters Tuesday and was able to reach 93 miles per hour during the session, which is in line with his normal fastball velocity. While the right-hander will still require a rehab assignment, the expectation is that Garcia will join the Astros before the regular season ends.
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Astros' Luis Garcia: Completes another bullpen
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Garcia (elbow) threw a bullpen session Friday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Garcia completed a 15-pitch bullpen Saturday and was able to jump up to 35 pitches in Friday's session. The right-hander could progress to facing live hitters soon before beginning what's expected to be a lengthy rehab assignment.
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Astros' Luis Garcia: Throwing bullpen Saturday
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Garcia (elbow) will throw a bullpen session Saturday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Saturday will mark Garcia's first time throwing off a mound since July 4, as the Astros opted to pull him off his rehab assignment following a rough outing in Double-A. He will likely need to throw a few additional mound sessions before resuming his rehab stint, at which point he'll require multiple starts as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery.
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Astros' Luis Garcia: Doesn't throw bullpen Saturday
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Garcia (elbow) threw from flat ground Friday instead of off a mound, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Garcia was roughed up in his rehab start with Double-A Corpus Christi on July 4, allowing four earned runs on three hits and one walk while striking out two over 1.1 innings. Astros manager Joe Espada noted that Garcia "did not bounce back" as well as the team had hoped after that start, so the 27-year-old right-hander has been limited to playing catch since, per Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle.
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Astros' Luis Garcia: Limited to catch
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Garcia (elbow) played catch Thursday after originally being scheduled for a bullpen session, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Garcia struggled in his rehab appearance July 4, primarily due to issues with his location. Manager Joe Espada framed the downgraded activity as a precaution, though the team has also not announced when Garcia will make his next rehab start.
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Astros' Luis Garcia: Roughed up in latest rehab start
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Garcia (elbow) covered 1.1 innings while striking out two and giving up four earned runs on three hits and one walk in his latest rehab start last Thursday with Double-A Corpus Christi.
After tossing a perfect inning in his first rehab outing June 28 in the rookie-level Florida Complex League, Garcia was much less sharp while jumping up three levels for his second rehab start. While he spotted 21 of his 31 pitches for strikes and hit 94 mph with his fastball in the latest outing, his command wasn't on point, as he served up two home runs among the three hits he allowed. Due to effects of Hurricane Beryl in Texas, Garcia's rehab program has been slowed down this week, though he's scheduled to throw a bullpen session Thursday, according to MLB.com. If all goes well with the side session, Garcia could then make his third rehab start as soon as this weekend.
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Astros' Luis Garcia: Moving up to Double-A
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Astros manager Joe Espada said on Tuesday in an interview with SportsTalk 790 that Garcia's (elbow) next rehab start will come Thursday at Double-A Corpus Christi, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Garcia threw one inning with the Astros' Florida Complex League affiliate this past Friday in his first rehab appearance. It's not clear what his targeted pitch count is for Thursday's outing, but Garcia will need a handful of rehab starts before becoming an option to join the Astros' rotation. He's making his way back from Tommy John surgery.
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Astros' Luis Garcia: Throws one rehab inning
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Garcia (elbow) threw one scoreless inning in the Florida Complex League on Friday, MLB.com reports.
Garcia returned to game action for the first time since May of 2023. He threw 12 pitches and averaged 92.7 mph with his fastball. Garcia is slated to make his next rehab outing in early July.
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Astros' Luis Garcia: On cusp of rehab assignment
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Manager Joe Espada said Tuesday that Garcia (elbow) could begin a rehab assignment in the rookie-level Florida Complex League his weekend, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
The 27-year-old threw a 32-pitch live bullpen session over the weekend and is just about ready for game action. Garcia will likely need to throw another bullpen session before being cleared for games, at which point he'll jump into a lengthy rehab assignment as he finishes up his recovery from May 2023 Tommy John surgery.
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Astros' Luis Garcia: Inching toward rehab assignment
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Garcia (elbow) threw a live bullpen session Saturday, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Manager Joe Espada said Saturday that Garcia will begin a minor-league rehab assignment if the right-hander responds well to Saturday's session. Garcia is in the latter stages of his recovery from Tommy John surgery in May of 2023. In his last full season in 2022 with the Astros, Garcia went 15-8 over 28 starts with a 3.72 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 157:47 K:BB across 157.1 innings.
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Astros' Luis Garcia: Still waiting on rehab assignment
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Garcia (elbow) threw 20 pitches in a bullpen session Saturday, MLB.com reports.
Garcia has been throwing bullpen sessions since April but is purposefully being brought along slowly by the Astros. He'll require a lengthy rehab stint and will remain sidelined until at least halfway through the regular season.
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Astros' Luis Garcia: Still throwing side sessions
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Garcia (elbow) completed his most recent bullpen session Friday, MLB.com reports.
Garcia was cleared to resume throwing off a mound in the middle of April and has remained at the same stage of his recovery program for three weeks. The Astros haven't indicated that Garcia has experienced any setbacks in his recovery from his May 19, 2023 Tommy John surgery, so the right-hander could soon be cleared to face hitters in live batting practice. Houston is hopeful to get Garcia back from the 60-day injured list at some point around the middle of the season.
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Astros' Luis Garcia: Throwing bullpen sessions
Rotowire
Garcia (elbow) threw a bullpen session Tuesday, MLB.com reports.
Garcia is working his way back from Tommy John surgery and resumed throwing bullpen sessions in April. He's still several months away from a return to the mound, as he'll need to continue to build up his arm strength before embarking on a lengthy rehab assignment.
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Astros' Luis Garcia: Goes on injured list
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The Astros placed Garcia (elbow) on the 15-day injured list Thursday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Garcia will be a candidate to shift to the 60-day IL when the Astros need a 40-man roster spot. He's expected to be out until around midseason while working his way back from May 2023 Tommy John surgery.
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Astros' Luis Garcia: Settles with Houston
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The Astros and Garcia (elbow) avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $1.875 million contract Thursday, Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
It was the right-hander's first year of arbitration eligibility. Garcia underwent Tommy John surgery in May and will be on the shelf until at least around midseason.
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Astros' Luis Garcia: Goes through workout
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Garcia (elbow) went through pitchers' fielding practice with his Astros teammates during the club's pre-ALDS workout Thursday, Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Since he's less than five months removed from Tommy John surgery, Garcia wasn't allowed to participate in the throwing portion of PFPs. The right-hander is slated to be sidelined at least until around midseason of next year.
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Astros' Luis Garcia: Will undergo Tommy John surgery
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The Astros announced Friday that Garcia will undergo Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery and miss the remainder of the 2023 season.
Garcia ends his season with a 2-2 record, 4.00 ERA and 31:10 K:BB over six starts. The right-hander left Monday's outing against the Giants after just eight pitches, and further evaluation determined that the operation was necessary. The earliest he could rejoin the Astros' rotation is likely next summer. In the meantime, Houston may be scrambling to reinforce the big-league staff, although there is a chance Lance McCullers (forearm) could return within the next month.
