What happened to Astros pitcher Luis Garcia? Latest update from Joe Espada on possible return

After the end of the 2022 season, Luis Garcia was considered to be one of the top rising pitching stars within the Houston Astros organization. However, after waiting over a year to see the Venezuelan return to the bump, it has been determined that the wait will continue.

On Tuesday, Astros manager Joe Espada confirmed that Garcia will not see action before the end of the 2024 season. The indication comes after it was determined that Garcia has not made adequate progress since his May 2023 Tommy John surgery, and has not been given permission to return to throwing.

The update surrounding Garcia's condition was confirmed via comments made to Chron by Astros manager Joe Espada.

"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

Luis Garcia's last MLB appearance came on May 1, 2023, against the San Francisco Giants. After exiting with elbow discomfort in the first inning, it was later confirmed that Garcia would need to undergo reconstructive Tommy John surgery.

A native of Bolivar, Venezuela, Garcia was first inked by the Houston Astros as an international free agent in 2017, when he was 20 years old. Luis Garcia began playing for Houston's minor league affiliates before making his MLB debut for Houston in 2020.

"Luis Garcia, Immaculate Inning." - Pitching Ninja

2021 represented the first full MLB season for Garcia. In thirty appearances, the then-24 year-old went 11-8, pitching to a 3.48 ERA, and logging 167 strikeouts in 155 innings. On account of his impressive season, Garcia finished second in AL Rookie of the Year voting, finishing behind Randy Arozarena of the Tampa Bay Rays.

Luis Garcia's club remains optimistic about his future

Although Tommy John can wreak havoc on the best of arms, it is particularly disappointing when a young pitcher takes a concerning amount of time to recover. As Astros manager Joe Espada told Chron:

“The plan here is to get him ready for 2025, we’re not going to rush that process. We need Luis for the future. And right now, he’s progressing well. But he will not pitch this season.”

A frustrating setback, there are still many reasons to believe that there is time yet for Garcia to build on the success he has already achieved in MLB.