It has been a shaky year for the Houston Astros and their pitching staff. Many of their arms could not stay healthy, leading the club to play musical chairs with their starting rotation this season.
They had three pitchers undergo Tommy John surgery during the regular season, like Brandon Walter, Hayden Wesneski, and Ronel Blanco. The likelihood that either of these three returns next season is slim.
You can also add Luis Garcia to that list. The Athletic's Chandler Rome revealed that Luis Garcia underwent Tommy John surgery on Wednesday to reconstruct his UCL.
"Luis Garcia's elbow surgery included a reconstruction of his UCL and a repair of the flexor tendon in his forearm, the Astros announced. As previously stated, it will sideline him for the 2026 season — his final under team control."
Astros to be without Luis Garcia as he faces a lengthy recovery
This injury could not have come at a worse time for Luis Garcia. Next year is his final year under team control, and with him not playing next year, the club could decide to non-tender or outright waive him.
This is what Houston did last season to Jose Urquidy. A few weeks after having his Tommy John surgery, he was outrighted, became a free agent, and signed a deal with the Detroit Tigers.
This is now Garcia's second Tommy John surgery. He underwent his first one in 2023 and went through some setbacks along the way, missing the entirety of last season. He was not able to return until September this year, which did not help Houston all that much.