The Astros announced to reporters, including Chandler Rome of The Athletic, that left-hander Bennett Sousa underwent surgery to address thoracic outlet syndrome yesterday. He will miss the entire 2024 season.
Sousa, 29 on Saturday, has only been with the Astros since September when he was claimed off waivers from the Tigers. But the club is clearly fond of him, as general manager Dana Brown said in February that Sousa likely would have made their playoff roster last year if he had been acquired prior to the September 1 eligibility cutoff date.
That strong reputation with the club would have put him in a good spot to earn a notable role in their bullpen this year but he started the season on the 15-day injured list due to left shoulder inflammation. It seems that further testing revealed a more specific diagnosis and the recommendation of surgery.
Sousa has 29 1/3 innings pitched in his major league career with a 7.06 earned run average in that small sample. He started 2023 with the White Sox but rode the roster carousel to the Reds, Brewers and Tigers before landing with the Astros. He tossed nine major league innings on the year with four earned runs allowed, striking out 10 and walking two. He also tossed 20 1/3 minor league innings with a 4.43 ERA, 33.3% strikeout rate and 10.3% walk rate.
The news of the surgery and missed season is obviously tough for Sousa, but it comes with a silver lining. He’ll spend the year on the major league injured list collecting big league pay and service time, a notable thing for a guy who came into 2024 with less than a year of service. The Astros will transfer him to the 60-day IL whenever they need his roster spot for another transaction. Other than Josh Hader, the only left-handed reliever on the 40-man other than Sousa is Parker Mushinski, so perhaps the club will keep an eye on the waiver wire for southpaws.
Now the earlier waiver claims make more sense.
Common causes of thoracic outlet syndrome include trauma from a car accident, repetitive injuries from a job or sport, and pregnancy
I wonder which one it relates to in this person’s case.
Well, some people claim that men can get pregnant. 😉
Your mom did. Patient Zero
Well, your momma wears army shoes!
Hopefully this will make him a better pitcher
I don’t think so PW. How the hell would it make him better?
Yikes! TOS is a career killer. It’s the latest fashionable sports surgery, like micro fracture surgery was in the late 2000s. Neither of these surgeries do much for the player.
Matt Harvey will probably vouch for that, Brooklyn.
this is a death wish for any pitcher. hardly any are remotely effective after this surgery. tough break.
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome laid Matt Harvey low, too.
The earlier acquisitions took the roster spots of Garcia and Murfee 2 pitchers out due to TJ and whatever Murfee had they picked up from Atlanta. Think was on waivers or something too. Not too sure with the one hitter that was catcher/1st base according to one thing heard and another said he was outfield. We have enough outfield already that more is crazy. Singleton was in last night due to Lefties hit Bassitt well. He got a single but really nothing else. Especially when bases were loaded. But things are starting great for this team. Swept by Yankees. Did take 2 of 3 from Toronto. As they were no match for us. A no hitter, a 1 hitter. And our only loss came late in 9th as our BP could not hold it. But with Montero struggling, Pressly even and our multi million dollar closer. I hope things turn for the better but we have to find ways to win at home. Cannot take another season of win on road do not at home. With us in last place right now am sure. Rangers next tomorrow night.
But I do wish Sousa well and more too and hope comes back strong and more in 2025