The Astros just can’t seem to catch a break with injuries this season, especially on the pitching side. With guys like Spencer Arrighetti and Josh Hader already sidelined, things were tough enough. And now another injury scare is hitting Houston at the worst possible time. It’s entering just when the Mariners are closing in fast, sitting only two games behind the division leaders, and frustration is starting to spill over.

This time, though, fans aren’t just upset about the bad luck. Rather, they’re pointing fingers at the team’s medical staff. After all, when you bring back a pitcher who spent 28 months rehabbing from Tommy John surgery and then have to pull him back in only after his second start, it raises some serious questions about how the staff is handling these situations. Courtesy: Luis Garcia!

“Astros pitcher Luis Garcia exited the game in the 2nd inning after an apparent injury,” MLB’s official announcement pictured the grim scene at Houston.

Garcia’s comeback hit a major snag on Tuesday in Toronto. Reportedly, he left the game with soreness in his right elbow, the same one he had surgically repaired with TJ. Notably, after throwing an 88 mph pitch to Ernie Clement, Garcia immediately signaled to the dugout for a check to his arm. Manager Joe Espada and a trainer came out for a quick mound visit before pulling him from the game.

While any injury is tough for the Astros, this one stings even more. Why?

Just a day after Arrighetti landed on the IL with elbow inflammation, Garcia was rushed to give the rotation a much-needed boost. But the plan backfired almost immediately, leaving the Astros in an even bigger dilemma.

Fans are calling out the Astros staff for a botched act with Garcia

While the Astros are reeling under pressure due to Garcia’s injury, fans are pointing out the inefficiencies of the team’s medical staff. “Like this should not happen with a guy who’s been gone for two years. I want an investigation,” one fan remarked.

“The entire training staff needs to go. We’re past joking. This is abysmal. Straight up malpractice,“ added another.

Garcia’s situation is even more complicated when you look at the bigger picture. Reportedly, this was only his second start since undergoing elbow ligament reconstruction back in 2023. However, his road back was anything but smooth.

Multiple setbacks stretched his rehab to a staggering 28 months before he finally returned to a big-league mound. So when he’s already signaling arm trouble again, it’s hard not to wonder about the Astros’ medical staff’s role in all of this. That’s why one asked for strict action against the staff. “So….can we DFA our medical staff?”

“The training staff has discomfort,” added another.

Additionally, the Astros’ handling of his return is drawing criticism. Garcia was originally announced as the starter for Sunday’s game in Texas, only for the Astros to change plans late Saturday and give the ball to Framber Valdez instead. Maybe the rotation crunch pushed them into rushing Garcia back sooner than he was ready, but if that’s the case, it could end up making a bad situation even worse. “Gotta be someone sabotaging us, cause ain’t no way,” one user reacted.

So, as we wait for an update on the severity of the injury, the situation for the Astros started to look grim just on the eve of the postseason. Something absolutely uncalled for.