The Houston Astros are having a dreadful start to the season.
Entering Monday’s series against the Texas Rangers, the Astros have limped to a 3-7 record out of the gate in their first 10 games under first-year manager Joe Espada.
While it’s a long season and there are plenty of opportunities to get back on track, Houston may have been dealt another crushing blow Monday, when ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that Astros ace Framber Valdez would be scratched from his start with elbow soreness.
Valdez played a big part in Houston’s success over the past two seasons, pitching an MLB-high 201.1 innings in 2022 and compiling a 17-6 record and 2.82 ERA. His 2023 season was a slight step back, going 12-11 in 198 innings pitched, but he also recorded 200 strikeouts, making the first time in Valdez’s seven-season career that he eclipsed the mark. He was named an All-Star in each of the past two seasons, as well.
This MLB season has been a particularly tough one for elbow injuries already. Miami Marlins pitcher Eury Pérez and Cleveland Guardians pitcher Shane Bieber have already been ruled out for the year and will both undergo Tommy John Surgery, while Atlanta Braves pitcher Spencer Strider, MLB’s strikeout leader in 2023, suffered a UCL sprain in his elbow last week and is weighing his options including Tommy John Surgery.
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