Luis Garcia Injury: Righty becomes second Astros starter to leave with injury in last two games
The Houston Astros have had a starting pitcher leave a game with an injury for the second night in a row. Righty Luis Garcia sat out Monday night’s game with the San Francisco Giants (GameTracker) with elbow discomfort after throwing just eight pitches, the team announced. Fellow righty José Urquidy left Sunday night’s 4-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies with a shoulder injury. He was placed on the injured list on Monday.
Garcia’s final pitch was an 82.9 mph cut, just south of his 85.4 mph season average. He threw his final pitch, joined his teammates on the mound, then called the trainer and left the game. For what it’s worth, Garcia has never been on the injured list in his career, majors or minors.
Houston is already without Urquidy, who said he “felt something a little weak” in his shoulder after leaving Sunday’s start, and Lance McCullers Jr. suffered a concussion. McCullers forearm stress in spring training and did not stop this season. He is relatively early in his throwing program and weeks away from returning to the team.
The Astros rotation depth chart looks something like this right now:
- LHP Framber Valdez
- RHP Cristian Javier
RHP Lance McCullers Jr.(forearm stroke)- RHP Luis Garcia (left Monday with injury)
RHP José Urquidy(shoulder discomfort)- RHP Hunter Brown
- RHP Forrest Whitley?
Entering Monday’s game, the Astros were one of eight teams to use just five starters this season. That will change with Urquidy on the shelf. Righty Brandon Bielak was called up to fill Urquidy’s roster spot and came out of the bullpen in place of Garcia on Monday. Bielak was stretched out to 75 pitches in Triple-A.
Garcia, 26, has a 4.00 ERA in five starts and 27 innings this season and a 3.61 ERA in 352 career big league innings through 2020. He pitched effectively for his native Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic as t – spring
The Astros entered Monday with a 15-13 record and two games behind the Texas Rangers in the AL West. They have allowed 3.79 runs per game, sixth fewest in baseball.
