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.

Updating a previous report, Houston Astros starting pitcher Luis Garcia (elbow) left his start early on Monday against the San Francisco Giants with right-elbow discomfort. Garcia was only able to throw eight pitches in the outing before trainers came out onto the field to take a look at his arm. It remains to be seen how long the 26-year-old right-hander will be out, but we should know more once Garcia is re-evaluated on Tuesday. Coming into his start on Monday, Garcia had a 4.00 ERA (3.76 FIP), 1.26 WHIP, 10 walks and 31 strikeouts in 27 innings over his five starts. Check back later for more updates on his condition and whether there's a chance he'll need a stint on the injured list. Houston's starting rotation could be in trouble, as Jose Urquidy (shoulder) landed on the IL on Monday after leaving his start early on Sunday night.

Houston Astros right-hander Luis Garcia left his start against the San Francisco Giants with what appeared to be an arm injury on Monday. Garcia threw just eight pitches and did not get an out before the trainers came out to check on him. He left the contest shortly thereafter, giving way to Brandon Bielak. While there's no further news as of yet, look for the Astros to update Garcia's status sometime after the conclusion of Monday's game.

Houston Astros right-hander Luis Garcia (1-2) allowed two hits and one walk while striking out nine over seven scoreless innings in Wednesday's 8-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays. He picked up his first win of the season. The 26-year-old bounced back in Wednesday's victory after yielding five earned runs in his previous start. He owns a 5.14 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, and a 24:8 K: BB across 21 innings in 2023. Garcia will look to build on Wednesday's performance in his next start Tuesday on the road against the Tampa Bay Rays. Despite the tough matchup, Garcia can be started in most leagues next week.

Houston Astros right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. (illness) was scratched from his scheduled start on Tuesday against the Arizona Diamondbacks with an "illness," according to the team. Right-hander Luis Garcia will now make the start instead. McCullers has only made seven starts in 2022 after he got a late start to the season due to an injury, but he's pitched well in his seven starts, going 4-1 with a 2.38 ERA (3.41 FIP), a 1.25 WHIP, 45 strikeouts and 21 walks in 41 2/3 innings. It's unclear when or if he'll make another start in the regular season. Garcia has a 3.90 ERA (4.03 FIP), a 1.17 WHIP and a 147:46 K:BB in 26 starts for Houston this year and will be a fine streaming option for fantasy managers with something left to play for this year.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Luis Garcia improved his record to 11-8 on the year as his club defeated the Twins 6-3 on Thursday night. The right-hander lasted five innings while allowing three runs on five hits and a walk while striking out five in the 88-pitch performance. Garcia gave up a solo homer in the first inning, but the offense quickly bailed him out by scoring four runs in the bottom half of the frame. He would go on to allow a run on a wild pitch in the second followed by another run on a sac fly in the fifth. Garcia has now allowed three earned runs or more in six-straight contests, which has seen his ERA rise to 4.14 on the year. Hopefully the 25-year-old isn't running out of gas as he will look to put an end to the streak next week versus the Rangers.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Luis Garcia took his record to 8-5 on Thursday as his club defeated the Yankees 7-5 in the second game of a doubleheader. The right-hander surrendered two runs on three hits while walking a pair and striking out six, throwing 92 pitches over his five frames of work. The only damage he allowed was a two-run homer off Gleyber Torres' bat in the third inning in what was a quiet night on the basepaths for the Pinstripes. Garcia is sporting a 3.65 ERA and 1.06 WHIP with a 100/27 K/BB through 93 2/3 IP as he looks ahead to a road matchup with the Athletics next week.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Luis Garcia (3-1) allowed five hits and two walks while striking out nine across five scoreless innings in Thursday's 5-0 win over Minnesota Twins. He picked up his third win of the season. The 25-year-old was efficient Thursday, throwing a season-high 95 pitches and landing 60 pitches for strikes. He owns a 2.94 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and a 37:9 K: BB across 33 2/3 innings in 2022. Garcia will look to build upon Thursday's strong performance in his upcoming start scheduled next week against the Boston Red Sox.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Luis Garcia came through with a clean bill over his two starts this spring. He pitched a total of 5 2/3 innings and allowed two hits, one walk and no runs while striking out nine. The 25-year-old was a major breakout player last year. He made 28 starts (30 appearances) and went 11-8 with a 3.30 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 26.4% strikeout rate. He's lined up to make his 2022 debut in the Astros' fifth game of the year, which will come on Tuesday, April 12 against the Arizona Diamondbacks.