Astros' Framber Valdez Placed on IL with Elbow Injury After Missing Start vs. Rangers

Houston Astros pitcher Framber Valdez has been placed on the 15-day injured list with elbow inflammation, according to Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle.

The All-Star left-hander "will not throw for one or two days" before his injury is reassessed, Kawahara reported.

Valdez was scratched before the Astros' 10-5 Monday win over the Texas Rangers due to a sore left elbow.

The loss of Valdez is a tough blow for an already thin rotation in Houston. The Astros started the season with four pitchers on the IL.

The news is additionally worrying for the Astros because Valdez has historically been the team's most stalwart pitcher.

Valdez has pitched 697 2/3 innings since the start of the 2020 season, the fourth-highest total among all MLB pitchers, according to MLB.com's Brian McTaggart.

Another Astros concern will be a lack of reliable replacements for the two-time All-Star. Triple-A right-hander Blair Henley, who made his first MLB start in Valdez's absence, was pulled after just a third of an inning after facing nine Rangers and allowing five earned runs.

The Astros initially reported an optimistic assessment of Valdez's injury. General manager Dana Brown said Monday that Valdez had reported his pain level as being "a little below the medium side" and predicted he would just need to miss one start, per McTaggart.

Instead, Valdez will join starters Justin Verlander, José Urquidy, Luis Garcia and Lance McCullers Jr. on the IL.

The Astros will hope some of these missing starters will be returning to the roster soon.

The Athletic's Chandler Rome reported April 1 that Garcia was throwing pitches and was "ahead of schedule" in recovery from the Tommy John surgery he underwent last May.

Both he and McCullers, who underwent forearm surgery last June, are aiming for "midseason" returns, per Kawahara.

Urquidy could return in May from a right forearm strain, Kawahara reported.

Verlander is began a rehab stint with Houston's Triple-A affiliate Saturday, indicating he could rejoin the club this month.

The Astros will now hope the reassessment of Valdez's injury reveals more good injury news later this week.

Valdez had pitched 12.1 innings, earning a 2.19 ERA while striking out 10 and allowing 11 hits and six walks, in two no-decision Astros losses prior to his injury.