Veteran AJ DeLaGarza, recovering from ACL tear, re-signed by Houston Dynamo

TRANSFER TRACKER: Re-signed

A.J. DeLaGarza’s 2017 season came to an unfortunate end when he tore his ACL right before the MLS Cup Playoffs.

But DeLaGarza may get more opportunities to play in the postseason with Houston after the Dynamo announced Tuesday that they re-signed the veteran defender.

DeLaGarza was a key part of Houston’s resurgence after arriving in a draft-day trade with the LA Galaxy prior to the 2017 season. The 30-year-old right back started 30 of the Dynamo’s 34 regular-season games, finishing second on the team with 2,623 minutes and registering three assists as Houston made the playoffs for the first time since 2013.

DeLaGarza had spent the previous eight seasons in LA, emerging as a stalwart on the Galaxy backline and playing a pivotal role in their MLS Cup wins in 2011, 2012 and 2014.

He enters the 2018 season needing to play 128 minutes to reach 20,000 for his career and 16 appearances to reach 250 career games played.

“A.J. has been an outstanding addition to our club since joining us last year. He brings a winning mentality to our group every day, and his professionalism has made a significant impact on and off the field,” Dynamo vice president and general manager Matt Jordan said in a statement. “We look forward to him making a full recovery and contributing to the success of the team as we prepare for the upcoming season.”

DeLaGarza, who tore his ACL in Houston’s regular-season finale, underwent successful surgery on Nov. 1 with an expected recovery period of six to nine months.