Houston Astros starting pitcher Luis Garcia walked out of Monday’s 7-3 win over the San Francisco Giants in the first inning with a right elbow problem, the team said. Here’s what you need to know:
- Garcia threw just eight pitches before being looked at by a team coach and exiting the game.
- Garcia’s removal comes hours after the Astros put starter Jose Urquidy on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder complaint.
- Right-hander Brandon Bielak, recalled by Triple A to take Urquidy’s spot on the list, replaced Garcia and pitched four innings.
- Garcia said he felt “pain” in his elbow after the fifth pitch of the game but said he didn’t feel a pop. He will have an MRI on Tuesday to determine the severity of his injury.
The Athletic’s instant analysis:
Another blow to Astros’ initial pitching depth
Catcher Martín Maldonado signaled the Astros’ dugout after Garcia’s eighth pitch of the game — an 82.9-mph cutter that Thairo Estrada fouled away. A brief encounter on the mound ended with Garcia walking out of the game, shaking his head while heading into the clubhouse.
Speed is never a good indicator of how Garcia is feeling — he falters more than any Astros starter — but it’s worth noting that he was on both his four-seam fastball and cutter prior to his elimination. Garcia’s shortened start came a day after Urquidy sustained a shoulder injury in the sixth inning of his start against the Phillies, which brought the Astros’ already shallow initial pitching depth to the brink. – Rome
Injuries underscore Houston’s offseason choices
Urquidy and Garcia’s injuries underscore an issue the Astros have been reluctant to address this winter. They lost Justin Verlander to the New York Mets and didn’t sign a major league starter in response, instead relying on internal options and a repeat of the remarkable health their pitching staff showed last season.
The Astros only used eight starting pitchers last season. Five of them threw at least 145 innings, an anomalous scenario that should not have been accepted as sustainable. When asked during spring training if the team was considering adding an experienced starter, manager Dusty Baker replied, “That was always a consideration for me…we didn’t have a general manager to make that move.” — Rome
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(Photo: Troy Taormina / USA Today)