Astros' J.P. France: Reaches fourth inning in rehab start
Rotowire
France (shoulder) struck out three batters and surrendered two earned runs on two hits and three walks over 3.2 innings in his rehab start Friday for Triple-A Sugar Land.
For the first time over his four rehab starts, France reached the fourth inning while building up to 63 pitches. While working his way back from last summer's surgery to address a right shoulder capsule tear, France has struggled to regain control of his offerings. He's recorded more walks (nine) than strikeouts (eight) over the first nine innings of his rehab assignment and has also hit two batters. France will likely need just one or two more rehab outings to get stretched out enough to handle a typical starter's workload, but given the poor form he's displayed on the farm thus far, the Astros may not be eager to open up a spot for him in the big-league rotation once he's activated from the injured list.
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Astros' J.P. France: Stumbles in third rehab start
Rotowire
France (shoulder) allowed four earned runs on two hits and four walks over two innings in his rehab start Saturday with Triple-A Sugar Land. He also hit a batter.
The 30-year-old right-hander moved up to the Triple-A level for the third start of his rehab assignment after previous stops in the rookie-level Florida Complex League and at Double-A Corpus Christi. He pushed his pitch count up to 49 on Saturday, but that was about the only positive takeaway on the day for France, who threw just 22 strikes and failed to record a punchout. France will continue to get stretched out as a starter while he completes his recovery from July 2024 right shoulder surgery, but Houston may not have a rotation spot available for him by the time his 30-day rehab window comes to a close in late August.
France (shoulder) is scheduled to make the third start of his rehab assignment later this week at Triple-A Sugar Land, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
After covering 1.1 innings in his first rehab start July 21 in the rookie-level Florida Complex League, France moved up to Double-A Corpus Christi for his most recent outing Sunday, when he allowed three earned runs on five hits and one walk while striking out three over two innings. The right-hander will likely continue to increase his innings and pitch counts over at least two more rehab outings as he gets stretched back out after undergoing surgery last July to repair a torn right shoulder capsule. France has a minor-league option remaining, so the Astros could keep him at Sugar Land once his rehab assignment ends and he gets activated from the 60-day injured list.
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Astros' J.P. France: Makes first rehab appearance
Rotowire
France (shoulder) threw 1.1 scoreless innings, allowing two hits and one walk while striking out two in a Florida Complex League rehab start Monday.
France has slowly ramped up his throwing intensity, most recently throwing live batting practice in mid-July. He's been sidelined the entire 2025 season, so he's likely to have a lengthy rehab stint. An exact timeline for his return has yet to be established, but France should debut at some point late in the season.
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Astros' J.P. France: Faces hitters
Rotowire
France (shoulder) tossed a live batting practice session Wednesday, MLB.com reports.
France has been facing live hitters for nearly a month, but the Astros haven't yet provided an update on when he might be ready to embark on what will likely be an extended minor-league rehab assignment. The right-hander has been out all season while recovering from last July's surgery to repair a torn shoulder capsule.
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Astros' J.P. France: Tosses 26-pitch 'pen session
Rotowire
France (shoulder) most recently tossed a 26-pitch bullpen session June 27, MLB.com reports.
France has been facing live hitters for nearly a month and had been scheduled to to do so on June 27, but poor weather prompted the Astros to alter those plans and have France throw a bullpen session instead. The Astros haven't indicated that France threw again in the week since that that 26-pitch side session, so the right-hander could be in the midst of a brief de-loading period as he works his way back from July 1, 2024 surgery to repair a torn right shoulder capsule. France is likely at least a couple weeks away from beginning a rehab assignment, and he's not expected to be ready to return from the 60-day injured list until late in the 2025 season.
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Astros' J.P. France: Set for another live BP
Rotowire
France (shoulder) will throw another live batting practice session Friday, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
France has already thrown a pair of live batting practice sessions in June and will be in line for a third. He threw 20 pitches last Friday and should increase that number this time around.
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Astros' J.P. France: Throwing live BP
Rotowire
France (shoulder) threw 20 pitches in a live batting practice session Friday, MLB.com reports.
France is returning from a capsule tear in his right shoulder and has thrown two live batting practice sessions in June. He is not expected to return until late in the 2025 season.
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Astros' J.P. France: Slated for live batting practice
Rotowire
France (shoulder) will throw a live batting practice session Friday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
It appears to be the first time France has faced hitters since he underwent surgery last July to repair a torn right shoulder capsule. He is not expected to be an option for the Astros until sometime after the All-Star break.
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Astros' J.P. France: Goes on 60-day injured list
Rotowire
The Astros placed France (shoulder) on the 60-day injured list Thursday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
The procedural move frees up a spot on the 40-man roster. France is not expected back until after the All-Star break while he recovers from July 1 surgery to repair a torn right shoulder capsule.
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Astros' J.P. France: Expands throwing to 90 feet
Rotowire
France (shoulder) will expand his flat-ground throwing program to 90 feet Wednesday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Working his way back from surgery in July to repair a torn right shoulder capsule, France was clocked at 72-74 mph while throwing from 75 feet, which is on target for where he's supposed to be at this stage of his rehab. The right-hander is not expected back until at least the second half of the 2025 season and might not be ready to be a real contributor for the Astros again until 2026.
Astros' J.P. France: Recalled, placed on 60-day IL
Rotowire
The Astros recalled France (shoulder) from Triple-A Sugar Land on Tuesday and placed him on the 60-day injured list,
France had been on Sugar Land's 60-day IL after having season-ending surgery on his right shoulder in early July. The transaction frees up a spot on the 40-man roster for the addition of outfielder Ben Gamel, who was claimed off waivers from the Mets.
France underwent surgery Monday to repair a capsule tear in his right shoulder.
It had been reported previously that France was set to undergo season-ending surgery, and the specifics of the procedure have now been revealed. France is on the 7-day injured list at Triple-A Sugar Land but could be a candidate for the major-league 60-day IL should the Astros need to free up a spot on the 40-man roster.
France will undergo season-ending surgery on his right shoulder Monday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Shoulder problems have kept France on the injured list at Triple-A Sugar Land since early May, and he suffered a setback in his recovery Sunday. Rather than pausing and restarting his throwing program, the 29-year-old right-hander will instead go under the knife to address the issue, putting an early end to his season. He'll finish with a 7.46 ERA and 1.70 WHIP through 25.1 innings over five major-league starts, and a timeline for his return will likely come following his procedure.
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Astros' J.P. France: Suffers setback in recovery
Rotowire
Astros general manager Dana Brown said Sunday that France (shoulder) experienced a slight setback while recently taking part in long-toss throwing, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports. "At some point we'll get him stretched out and back out on the mound," Brown said. "It's been longer than expected."
France secured a rotation spot coming out of spring training but turned in a 7.46 ERA over five starts before the Astros optioned him to Triple-A Sugar Land in late April. The right-hander proceeded to make just one start in the minors before landing on Sugar Land's 7-day injured list May 7 with a right shoulder injury. Though he was cleared to resume throwing earlier this month after about a one-month shutdown period, France didn't advance to mound work before succumbing to a setback. Brown didn't go into much detail about the extent of France's setback, but the right-hander would appear to be unlikely to rejoin the Triple-A rotation until after the All-Star break.
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Astros' J.P. France: Remains shut down
Rotowire
France (shoulder) has yet to resume a throwing program at Triple-A Sugar Land, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
France hasn't pitched in more than a month after injuring his right shoulder in his first start after being optioned to Sugar Land. It's uncertain when he might be cleared to throw, but certainly he's not going to be an option for Sugar Land (or the Astros) for a while.
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