Lance McCullers Jr. Allows One Run In Return
Lance McCullers Jr. pitched 4 1/3 innings on Tuesday, allowing two runs (one earned) against the Rangers in his return to the rotation. McCullers (3-1) pitched for the first time since May 15 after being on the injured list with shoulder inflammation. The 27-year-old wasn't exactly sharp out of the gate, walking three batters in his start, but he was able to get through the outing fairly unscathed. Injuries have hampered McCullers' ability to contribute the past few seasons, and he will be tough to trust in fantasy until he can get his pitch count up moving forward.
Source: Houston Astros
Houston Astros starter Source: Houston Astros
Lance McCullers Jr. Tosses Four Shutout Innings In Rehab Start
Lance McCullers Jr. (elbow) was impressive on the mound during his rehab start with Triple-A Sugar Land on Saturday. The right-hander struck over five batters over four shutout innings during this outing. McCullers allowed one hit and one walk, but was perfect outside of that. He threw 42 of his 61 pitches for strikes and appears to be headed in the right direction. The expectation is that McCullers will probably need to make at least one more rehab start. Hopefully, McCullers can get back on the big league mound by the end of April.
Source: Lorenzo Delgado
Houston Astros starting pitcher Source: Lorenzo Delgado
Lance McCullers Jr. Throws Two Innings In First Rehab Start
Lance McCullers Jr. (forearm) allowed two earned runs and struck out three batters in his two innings of work in his first minor-league rehab start on Sunday at Triple-A Sugar Land. McCullers hit 94.9 mph on the radar gun in what was overall a positive outing, especially when considering it was his first real game action since the World Series in 2022. The 31-year-old also threw a scoreless inning in his only action in the Grapefruit League during spring training. McCullers had surgery to fix the flexor tendon in his right arm back in 2023 and hasn't pitched since after having multiple setbacks along the way. It's looking he may finally make his return to Houston's starting rotation in 2025, but he has a ways to go still, and the Astros are going to take their time. McCullers deserves to be stashed in deep-mixed and AL-only leagues, but his fantasy upside will be limited while on a strict workload this year.
Source: KPRC 2 Sports - Randy McIlvoy
Houston Astros right-hander Source: KPRC 2 Sports - Randy McIlvoy
Lance McCullers Jr. To Make Rehab Start On Sunday
Lance McCullers Jr. (forearm) will make his next minor-league rehab start this Sunday at Triple-A Sugar Land. It will be McCullers' first regular-season start since the 2022 World Series. It's unclear exactly when the 31-year-old veteran will be cleared to rejoin Houston's big-league rotation, but they certainly won't be rushing him based on how much time he's missed over the last few seasons because of arm injuries. McCullers has now recovered from two similar injuries on the flexor tendon in his right forearm, and there's certainly no guarantee he'll suddenly return to his pre-injury form, when he was once a dependable piece of the Astros' starting rotation. At best, he'll be a flier in deep-mixed and AL-only leagues when he returns. In his last full season in 2021, McCullers had a 3.16 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 185 K's and 76 walks in 162 1/3 innings pitched.
Source: Houston Chronicle - Matt Kawahara
Houston Astros right-hander Source: Houston Chronicle - Matt Kawahara
Lance McCullers Jr. Tosses Scoreless Inning In Tuesday Grapefruit League Debut
Lance McCullers Jr. (forearm) had a successful Grapefruit League debut in Tuesday's 4-3 loss to the Nationals. McCullers Jr. threw 13 pitches in a scoreless inning, hitting one batter while mainly featuring a four-seam fastball and a changeup. This was the 31-year-old's first game action since Game 3 of the 2022 World Series and he has been recovering from flexor tendon surgery since. Manager Joe Espada said that McCullers Jr. wanted to go out to pitch a second inning and that he was pleased with his performance. McCullers Jr. has been a useful fantasy option throughout his career, but he still has a long way to go before proving that he can be a reliable option again for the Astros and fantasy managers.
Source: Brian McTaggart - MLB.com
Houston Astros starting pitcher Source: Brian McTaggart - MLB.com
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