Luis Garcia DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

According to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com, Houston Astros starting pitchers Luis Garcia (elbow) and Lance McCullers Jr. (forearm) will not be ready for Opening Day. McTaggart noted that both pitchers are throwing but will need additional time before they are cleared for major league action. Garcia was sidelined during the entire 2024 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in May 2023. McCullers underwent surgery to repair his right flexor tendon in June 2023. Garcia posted a 3.72 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP across 157 2/3 innings during the 2022 season. McCullers held a 3.16 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP through 162 innings during the same season. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor their status during spring training as they will both likely contend for a spot in the rotation when they are cleared to return. While they are sidelined, newly acquired Hayden Wesneski will likely have a spot in the rotation during the start of the season.

According to Ari Alexander of KPRC2, the Houston Astros and starting pitcher Luis Garcia (elbow) have agreed to a one-year, $1.875 million contract to avoid salary arbitration. The 28-year-old has been sidelined since undergoing Tommy John surgery in May of 2023. However, Garcia began throwing earlier in September, suggesting he should be expected to be ready for spring training. Across a small 27-inning stint in 2023, the right-hander held a 4.00 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. However, in 2022, Garcia posted a solid 3.72 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP across 157 1/3 innings of work. During that season, he posted a 24.0% strikeout rate with a 36.3% hard-hit rate and a 7.8% barrel rate. Fantasy managers should continue monitoring his status leading up to Opening Day, but he should contend for a spot in the rotation if he is healthy.

Even though Houston Astros right-hander Luis Garcia (elbow) was ruled out for the rest of the 2024 season last month, he is throwing bullpen sessions and is set to advance to live batting practice sessions as the end of the regular season nears. Garcia suffered a setback when he experienced a sore elbow on Aug. 2, which eventually ended his return from Tommy John surgery that he had in 2023. Before needing TJ surgery, Garcia had been a workhorse for the Astros in previous seasons. Houston was hoping that they could maybe have the 27-year-old as an option in the postseason, but that won't be the case. He made just two minor-league rehab appearances this summer before being shut down. If Garcia doesn't have any more setbacks this offseason, the Venezuelan hurler could be a nice fantasy sleeper with a career 3.61 ERA and 1.16 WHIP in four MLB seasons in Houston.

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.