Astros' Forrest Whitley: IL-bound to start 2025

Manager Joe Espada confirmed Saturday that Whitley (knee) will start the season on the injured list, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Whitley suffered a bone bruise in his left knee March 8 but has since resumed throwing, hitting 95 mph off flat ground Saturday, per Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. Whitley doesn't seem to be in any discomfort while throwing and will utilize his time on the injured list to make up for lost reps, which bodes well for his chances of returning after a minimum-length stay on the shelf.