The Houston Astros received a devastating Luis Garcia injury update on Friday. Garcia, a key part of Houston's pitching rotation, is reportedly undergoing Tommy John surgery, per Underdog MLB on Twitter.
Garcia was removed from a recent start with an apparent injury, but it was unclear how severe the ailment was. Once it was reported that he was dealing with elbow discomfort, fans immediately feared the worst.
The Astros' have dealt with a number of injury concerns already in 2023. Lance McCullers Jr and Jose Altuve are among Houston's stars who've missed significant amounts of time.
The Astros have been one of the most consistent and successful organizations since 2017. They have continued to find ways to post winning seasons and make playoff appearances, winning two World Series championships since the '17 campaign. While the Astros have featured plenty of star power during that span, Houston's ability to win stemmed from their impressive amount of depth. That depth has been challenged in 2023 though due to all of their injuries.
With Garcia now out for the season, Houston may need to trade for a starting pitcher. They are currently hovering around the .500 mark but have roster uncertainty without question.
In addition to Luis Garcia, both Lance McCullers Jr and Jose Urquidy are on the injured list. That leaves Framber Valdez, Christian Javier, and Hunter Brown in the rotation. They have starting pitching candidates who can replace their injured players in the minor leagues, but Houston may need help from the outside if they want to make another deep playoff run in 2023.