The Astros activated France (shoulder) from the 60-day injured list and optioned him to Triple-A Sugar Land on Thursday, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
France has completed his rehab from shoulder surgery, but the Astros have elected to keep him at Sugar Land where he's been on a rehab assignment. The righty will provide rotation depth in the minors.
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Astros' J.P. France: Covers four innings in rehab start
Rotowire
France (shoulder) struck out seven and allowed three earned runs on four hits and four walks across four innings in his rehab start Thursday with Triple-A Sugar Land.
The right-hander has now made five rehab starts across stops with three different affiliates and has been gradually increasing his workload. He built up to 77 pitches Thursday and probably needs just one more rehab outing to get himself stretched out enough to handle a typical starter's workload, but France likely hasn't performed well enough to garner serious consideration for a spot in Houston's rotation once he's activated from the 60-day injured list. After undergoing shoulder surgery last July, France has struggled to regain his control thus far during his rehab assignment, as he's posted a 15:13 K:BB while hitting two batters and uncorking a wild pitch over 13 innings. France has a minor-league option remaining, so the Astros could have him remain with Sugar Land once his 30-day rehab window comes to a close.
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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: 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: 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.
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Astros' J.P. France: Has surgery for capsule tear
Rotowire
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.
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Astros' J.P. France: Away on paternity leave
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The Astros placed France on the paternity list Tuesday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
France will be allowed to miss up to three days as he welcomes a new addition to his family. Dylan Coleman was recalled from Triple-A Sugar Land in a corresponding move.
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Astros' J.P. France: Falls short of quality start
Rotowire
France didn't factor into the decision Sunday against the Yankees, pitching 5.2 innings and allowing three runs on six hits and one walk. He struck out five.
France came one out shy of notching a quality start in his 2024 debut and was pulled after retiring the first two batters he faced in the sixth at 94 pitches. While Sunday's performance was by no means a disappointment, the second-year big-leaguer will likely have to do more to stick in the Astros rotation once Justin Verlander (shoulder) and Jose Urquidy (forearm) are healthy. France's next start is tentatively scheduled to come during a road series against the Rangers.
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Astros' J.P. France: Throws off mound
Rotowire
France (shoulder) threw off a mound Wednesday, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
The right-hander reported to camp with some inflammation in his shoulder and was initially limited to throwing on flat ground. He has since progressed to mound work, and France said Thursday that all went well. While it may be a while before we see him in Grapefruit League games, France has a realistic shot to be ready for Opening Day, barring a setback.
Astros general manager Dana Brown said Wednesday that France is dealing with shoulder inflammation, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
While it's less than ideal that France is nursing an injury in the early stages of spring training, Brown didn't express much concern, noting that the right-hander hasn't been shut down from throwing and is still able to play catch. France is likely to gradually stretch out his throwing distance before advancing to mound work in the weeks to come, but the shoulder injury is still likely to delay his Grapefruit League debut. So long as France is fully stretched out by the end of camp, he could still head into Opening Day with a spot in Houston's rotation.
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Astros' J.P. France: Available out of bullpen
Rotowire
France (personal) is back with the Astros and is available out of the bullpen, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
France was scratched from his scheduled start against Arizona on Friday due to a family emergency. While his absence lasted just one day, he won't get another chance to start.
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Astros' J.P. France: Scratched due to family emergency
Rotowire
France was scratched from his start Friday versus the Diamondbacks due to a family emergency.
Jose Urquidy will get the start instead as the Astros open their final series of the regular season. Entering play Friday, they sit two games back of the Rangers for first place in the AL West and one game up on the Mariners for the third AL wild-card spot.
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Astros' J.P. France: Scratched from start Friday
Rotowire
France was scratched from his start Friday against the Diamondbacks for undisclosed reasons, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Given their position in the American League West and wild-card standings, Friday's game is pretty close to a must-win game for the Astros, so France must be dealing with some kind of physical issue. Look for an update on France's status to arrive later Friday. Jose Urquidy will pick up his first start since Aug. 23 in place of France.
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Astros' J.P. France: Walks five in win
Rotowire
France (11-5) yielded one run on four hits and five walks over six innings Sunday, striking out five and earning a win over the Padres.
Despite his lackluster final line, France threw five shutout frames before Matt Carpenter's solo shot in the sixth inning. France has allowed nine homers in his last five appearances, posting a brutal 7.20 ERA during that span. However, he's given up two or fewer runs in eight of his last 10 outings with a 7-2 record across that stretch. France now owns a 3.61 ERA and a 96:42 K:BB through 127 innings. His next start is projected to be in Kansas City.
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Astros' J.P. France: Surrenders five in no-decision
Rotowire
France did not factor into the decision Monday, allowing five runs on six hits and three walks over five innings in Houston's 13-6 victory over the Rangers. He struck out five.
France struggled early Monday, allowing two runs in the opening frame in an eventual no-decision. After posting a 2.75 ERA through his first 18 starts, France has now surrendered 17 runs in his last three outings (13 innings), pushing his ERA to 3.72 with a 1.31 WHIP and 91:37 K:BB across 121 innings this season. The 28-year-old rookie will look to get back on track in his next outing, currently scheduled for this weekend against the Padres.
