The Houston Astros rotation woes deepened this week, as yet another of their starters heads to the injured list. Houston placed starter Cristian Javier on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to May 24th, with a right forearm injury. This is Javier’s second stint on the injured list this season after neck discomfort sidelined the right-hander in late April. The 27-year-old, who avoided the injured list between 2020-2023, has been limited to just seven starts this season. Injuries aside, Javier has pitched rather well, posting a 3.89 ERA over 34 ⅔ innings of work. His injury is just the latest in a string of injuries that have plagued the Astros rotation.
Houston has already had the equivalent of a full five-man rotation on the injured list this season. Starters Luis Garcia and Lance McCullers Jr. both underwent arm surgery last year and are not expected back until the All-Star break. Astros ace Justin Verlander and right-hander José Urquidy both opened the season on the injured list after suffering setbacks in spring training. Then, left-hander Framber Valdez joined his rotation-mates on the injured list after being scratched from his third scheduled start.
While Houston has since returned both Verlander and Valdez to the rotation, Urquidy has yet to make his season debut.
Injured Astros Starters Cristian Javier and José Urquidy Suffer Setbacks
Urquidy, who spent three months on the injured list last season with a shoulder injury, has been sidelined with forearm discomfort since March. The 29-year-old was expected to return to the Astros rotation after making his third rehab start on Friday. Urquidy threw 56 pitches in Friday’s outing with Triple-A Sugar Land before leaving the game after flexing his hand and fingers after throwing a pitch.
Both Cristian Javier and José Urquidy are getting imaging on their forearms tomorrow, Joe Espada said. They’ll have more information then.
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) May 27, 2024
Astros manager Joe Espada said that both Javier and Urquidy would meet with the team doctors and undergo imaging on their forearms on Tuesday. Houston expects to have more information about the extent of their starter’s injuries after Tuesday’s evaluation.
Despite getting off to one of the worst starts in franchise history, the Houston Astros are still very much alive. Seattle holds a 4 1/2 game lead over the Astros in the AL West after Monday’s series opener.
Houston called up Alex Speas, who was claimed off waivers on May 10th, to replace Javier on the active roster. The Astros signed left-hander Eric Lauer to a minor league deal last week and assigned him to Triple-A Sugar Land. Lauer has a 4.30 ERA in 120 career games in the majors, including 112 starts. He provides depth to a depleted Astros rotation and could step into the rotation on a short-term basis.
Since the Astros were using a six-man rotation before Javier’s injury, they still have five starters on the active roster. Houston will send Hunter Brown, Justin Verlander, and Spencer Arrighetti to start the final three games of their four-game series in Seattle.
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