J.P. France Could Make Grapefruit League Debut This Weekend
9 months agoHouston Astros right-hander J.P. France (shoulder), who threw two innings in a minor-league game on Monday, could make his first Grapefruit League start this weekend, according to manager Joe Espada. France has recovered nicely from right-shoulder inflammation that he was dealing with earlier in spring training, and the team remains optimistic that he'll be ready by Opening Day on March 28. The 28-year-old was relied on heavily for the Astros in his rookie season in 2023 due to injuries to the rest of their starting staff, and he stepped up nicely by going 11-6 with a 3.83 ERA and 1.36 WHIP with 47 walks and 101 strikeouts in 136 1/3 innings over 24 outings (23 starts). However, France almost had an 8.00 ERA in his last six appearances, and his fantasy ceiling is low because of his lack of swing-and-miss stuff.
Source: Houston Chronicle - Matt Kawahara
Source: Houston Chronicle - Matt Kawahara