The Houston Astros are getting a major boost to their starting rotation. GM Dana Brown announced on Sports Talk 790 that Luis Garcia could make his return to the majors “within the next 48 hours.”
It’s been a long journey back for the 28-year-old right-hander.
Garcia hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2023, missing all of 2024 and most of this season while recovering from Tommy John surgery and dealing with elbow complications. The setbacks kept pushing back his return, but now he’s finally ready to rejoin a rotation that’s been searching for stability beyond Framber Valdez and Hunter Brown.
On the team’s pregame radio show on @SportsTalk790, GM Dana Brown said Luis Garcia “could start within the next 48 hours.”
When Garcia was healthy, he showed real promise. During Houston’s 2022 World Series run, he posted a 1.59 ERA across two postseason appearances. That same season, he logged 157.1 regular season innings with a solid 3.72 ERA. Even in his limited 2023 action — six starts before the injury — he managed a 4.00 ERA with 31 strikeouts in 27 innings.
The timing couldn’t be better for Houston. Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reported Brown’s comments, and it comes as the Astros are getting healthier across the board. Yordan Alvarez just returned from his own injury stint, and Jake Meyers is progressing toward a comeback in the coming weeks.
What makes Garcia’s return intriguing is Houston’s rotation depth chart. Beyond their top two starters, they’ve been cycling through Spencer Arrighetti, Cristian Javier, Lance McCullers Jr., and Jason Alexander in various roles. Adding Garcia back gives them seven legitimate options — not a bad problem to have as they eye a postseason push.
The question now is whether Garcia can recapture his 2022 form after such an extended layoff. Tommy John recoveries are never linear, and he’s dealt with multiple setbacks along the way. But if he can provide even league-average production as a third or fourth starter, that’s a significant upgrade for Houston’s depth.
All things considered, the Astros are positioning themselves for a strong finish. Garcia’s return represents more than just another arm — it’s the final piece of getting their injured core back together when it matters most.
