Injury woes continue for Houston Astros right-hander Luis Garcia, who now is expected to miss the entire 2026 season with an elbow issue, manager Joe Espada told reporters Thursday.

Garcia, 28, has pitched in just eight games since 2023, and he did not pitch at all in 2024 because of elbow trouble. He finally returned from Tommy John surgery in September and made just two starts before going back on the injured list.

Espada did not specify if Garcia was set to undergo Tommy John revision surgery.

“I feel for him like he’s my son,” Espada said after Garcia went back on the IL earlier this month. “This guy has worked extremely hard. That’s the call as a manager you never want to get — be called to the mound or to the field because there’s something wrong. It’s tough. Hopefully, we get him back and he can work his way back, but that was a very tough conversation.”

Second in American League Rookie of the Year voting in 2021, Garcia is 29-19 with a 3.60 ERA over 71 appearances (65 starts) for the Astros since a brief roster stint in 2020. He is 2-4 with a 5.79 ERA in eight postseason appearances (six starts).

–Field Level Media