J.P. France Returns to Astros Embracing Underdog Path to Roster Spot

Not a single bit of the past two seasons has been ideal for Houston Astros pitcher J.P. France. What happened in January could have been the final blow.

After the Astros completed their trade with the San Francisco Giants to acquire pitcher Kai-Wei Teng, they needed a roster spot. Houston decided to designate France for assignment to remove him from the roster.

That exposed France to waivers that would have allowed any other team to claim him. Left unclaimed, he had to accept Houston's assignment to their Triple-A affiliate in Sugar Land because he didn't have the service time to refuse it and become a free agent.

Now, with a starting rotation stocked with talent, France has a slim path to make the Major League roster for opening day. But he’s used to it.

“It’s obviously not ideal craziness,” he said to SportsTalk 790 in a video interview. “But that's been the story of my career. I’m just kind of the underdog. So, I'm just gonna come here, fight for a spot, do everything I can do and then whatever happens, happens. It’s out of my control. All I can do is go out, compete, make pitches and let the cards fall where they may.”

J.P. France’s Brutal Past Two Years

Catching up with @Astros pitcher JP France from Spring Training. France was DFA’d a week ago, but was brought back, looking to reclaim a roster spot. #ChaseTheFight @williesicehouse pic.twitter.com/Epv7pI4ALF
— SportsTalk 790 (@SportsTalk790) February 14, 2026

France helped to rescue a battered Houston rotation when he made his Major League debut in 2023. The right-hander went 11-6 with a 3.83 ERA, as he struck out 101 and walked 47 in 136.1 innings. He staked a claim to his spot in the 2024 rotation, but things quickly went sideways.

One month into the season France was optioned to Sugar Land and then he was placed on the injured list with a shoulder injury. He had surgery to repair a torn right shoulder capsule, an injury and surgery that required a year of rehab. It was a grind, but he was fortunate.

“The shoulder rehab was tough,” he said. “Luckily, we didn't have any setbacks or anything. It was kind of a flawless rehab if you want to put it that way. But it was sink or swim for me, just seeing how the shoulder was going to react. Because you could throw bullpens all you want but once you get into the game that intensity is different.”

He appeared late in the season and pitched in relief in two games, going 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA. He pitched four innings. That should have been a springboard to reclaiming his spot.

The Astros signed Tatsuya Imai and Ryan Weiss, traded for Mike Burrows and have starters like Hunter Brown, Cristian Javier and Lance McCullers Jr. returning. Houston intends to start with a six-man rotation. France likely won’t be a part of it. He’s now a minor leaguer and he must work his way back to Houston. But who doesn’t love a good underdog story? He things he’s off to a good start this spring.

“I was telling one of the guys yesterday was one of the better first-day bullpens that I've had in a while,” he said. “Everything felt sharp. I felt back to kind of my old self, the mechanics felt good, the pitches felt good, everything felt really good.”

J.P. France’s Brutal Past Two Years

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