The suddenly hot Houston Astros have received encouraging updates on a couple of injured starting pitchers. Following a season plagued by injuries in their starting rotation, this couldn’t come at a better time. The Astros are one step closer to being whole with the recent news on pitchers Jake Bloss and Luis Garcia.
Astros Get Good News On Injured Pitchers
Jake Bloss
Jake Bloss, a promising young prospect whose early MLB debut was cut short by injury, has shown significant progress in his recovery journey. Following a promising 20-pitch bullpen session that garnered positive feedback from coaches and medical staff alike, Bloss appears poised to make a timely return to active duty. Bloss left his bullpen with a smile on his face, according to manager Joe Espada, which is good news for the Astros pitching staff. He could go out for a rehab assignment as soon as Saturday, according to GM Dana Brown. The Astros eagerly anticipate Bloss’s imminent return as the prospect showed promising returns in his MLB debut. His return would help an Astros team that has coped admirably despite enduring absences from key players throughout the campaign.
Luis Garcia
The Astros got more good news on their starting pitchers when it was announced that Luis Garcia would begin his journey back to the mound. Garcia has been sidelined since May 2023 after getting Tommy John surgery. In his first rehab outing, Garcia threw one inning of scoreless baseball with 2 K’s for the Florida Complex League. Manager Joe Espada said Garcia will likely make his next rehab start with Double-A Corpus Christi. With these positive developments, Garcia could be back to the Astros in a few weeks. Since debuting in 2021, Garcia has established himself as a key figure in the Astros’ pitching rotation. With a career ERA of 3.61 and 15 wins during his last full season, Garcia would be a huge boost to an ailing rotation.
No News Yet On Other Injured Pitchers
The Astros are still awaiting good news on their other injured pitchers. A neck injury still sidelines Justin Verlander. They also await the next steps for injured pitcher Lance McCullers. Considering that Jose Urquidy and Cristian Javier are out for the season with injuries, Bloss and Garcia’s return is crucial. They would boost the Astros’ pitching depth substantially. In the mediocre AL West, this could be huge.
Both pitchers are poised to make significant contributions down the stretch. Houston fans have reason to be optimistic about their team’s prospects in the weeks and months ahead.
Despite an early season start that made it look like the Astros season was dead from the start, the Astros are still in it. In spite of rotation injuries, injuries to their stars, and disasters at first base that led to the Astros releasing Jose Abreu, the Astros have found a way to stay in the hunt. The return of Jake Bloss and Luis Garcia might be the thing that puts them over the top.
Main Photo Credits: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports
