“Don’t Foresee Them Coming Back”: Houston Astros GM Dana Brown Shuts Door On Two Injured Players’ Imminent Return

It’s unfortunate when players’ bodies betray them almost every time they’re getting hot. Now imagine an entire team suffering that fate. That’s exactly what’s been happening inside the Houston Astros’ clubhouse. Day after day, their team continues to get decimated by injuries. However, in a sad development GM Dana Brown has shared some concerning information about J.P. France and Forrest Whitley. 

Both of these pitchers have found themselves in the doctor’s room. While in the case of France, it is his shoulder that gave away, for Whitley, it is his elbow. For a team suffering from an acute shortage of pitchers, losing two more could prove to be a major blow. However, the real issue obviously is the fact that majority of the Astros’ players are injury prone. This has led to the Astros’ GM having to take a tough decision on these two injured players.

Astros’ insider Chandler Rome’s X post revealed Dana Brown’s comments on these pitchers. When asked about the timeline of their return, the GM revealed that a return might not happen. “I don’t foresee them coming back soon to this club because they have some obstacles they have to get through,” Brown said. And that maybe it for the two pitchers.

Looking at Forrest Whitley’s history, this isn’t a surprising decision. The 26-year-old has perhaps been one of the most unlucky players regarding injuries. Every time he gets hot and gets called up, he finds himself on the Injured List. In 2021, Whitley had to undergo a Tommy John. Then, in 2022, he was demoted to minor leagues. When things looked good in 2023, he again injured his lats and missed 3-4 months. 

On the other hand, J.P. France just hasn’t performed well this season. With a 7.46 ERA, the pitcher is yet to record a win. However, for the Astros, the issue runs even deeper. The team now has an acute shortage of pitchers to work with.

Houston Astros’ profound pitching injury list spells trouble

While Cristian Javier is set to return soon, the Astros’ pitching staff is razor-thin as of now. Even one injury would force the team to cover their 6-men starting lineup with Spencer Arrigheti and Hunter Brown – two players who are currently struggling with an ERA over 8. Add to that the 10-game suspension of Ronel Blanco and suddenly the future looks bleak for the Astronauts. 

What’s even more scary is that the Houston Astros are about to embark on a huge 29 games in 30 days run. While managing such a schedule with a fully functioning pitching staff would be a struggle, one could imagine how tough it’d be with the bits-and-pieces system that the Astros have at the moment. So it seems right when the Astronauts were roaring back to form, their wings have been cut off. Can they do the unthinkable? Is a selling spree coming to rebuild their ranks? Let us know in the comments.