Headlines

  • Red Sox Likely To Activate Alex Bregman Tomorrow
  • Astros To Promote Brice Matthews
  • Phillies Reportedly Targeting Controllable Relievers
  • Yankees Prioritizing Pitching, Also Searching For Infield Help
  • Orioles Trade Bryan Baker To Rays
  • Yankees Release DJ LeMahieu
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

Remove Ads
  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2025 Trade Deadline Outlook Series
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Lance McCullers Jr. To Begin Rehab Assignment

By Anthony Franco | July 19, 2022 at 9:47pm CDT

Astros starter Lance McCullers Jr. is set to begin a minor league rehab assignment on Friday, reports Mark Berman of Fox 26 (Twitter link). He’s scheduled to throw two innings for Double-A Corpus Christi.

Pitchers can spend up to 30 days on rehab assignments, so the start of his work suggests an early-mid August timetable for his return to the big leagues if all goes as expected. McCullers has yet to pitch this year as he’s rehabbed from the flexor tendon forearm strain that cut short his 2021 postseason. While the club initially expressed hope he’d be ready for Opening Day, McCullers’ offseason rehab didn’t progress as quickly as expected. He returned to mound work by late May and has spent the past six weeks gradually building back towards game readiness.

Getting McCullers back in mid-August should afford him time to round into shape for the postseason. The Astros lead the Mariners by nine games in the AL West, and they’re even further clear of the Twins for the league’s #2 seed (and associated first-round bye). They’re a virtual playoff lock, and a healthy McCullers will only add to the team’s embarrassment of riches on the mound. The right-hander was arguably the team’s best pitcher last year, tossing 162 1/3 innings of 3.16 ERA ball while punching out 27% of opponents.

Most teams would struggle to overcome the loss of an arm of that caliber, but the Astros have sported one of baseball’s top rotations. Houston’s starting staff trails only the Yankees in ERA (3.15) and the Padres in innings pitched (522 2/3). They’re seventh in strikeout rate (23.9%) and 11th in walk percentage (7%). Aside from McCullers, Houston’s rotation has stayed mostly healthy. Jake Odorizzi missed around six weeks with a heel injury, but each of Justin Verlander, Framber Valdez, Cristian Javier, Luis Garcia and José Urquidy has avoided the injured list. That sextet has combined to make all of the team’s starts, and Urquidy is the only member of the group with an ERA north of 3.76.

If everyone remains healthy, the Astros could consider kicking any of Odorizzi, Javier or Urquidy into relief. Houston’s bullpen has been similarly excellent, leading baseball with a 2.66 ERA. Their strong division lead should allow manager Dusty Baker to keep an eye on the innings totals for McCullers and Verlander (who missed all of last season recovering from Tommy John surgery) to ensure they hit the postseason at peak form.

Share 0 Retweet 8 Send via email0

Houston Astros Lance McCullers Jr.

Pre-Break Sweep Raises Questions About Marlins’ Deadline Outlook
Main
Giants, Kyle Tyler Agree To Minor League Deal
View Comments (15)
Post a Comment

15 Comments

  1. steven st croix

    3 years ago

    They are so well run. They might lose JV after this year and it really doesn’t matter. And Hunter Brown is just sitting in AAA.

    7
    Reply
  2. Neon Cop

    3 years ago

    Can I admit I totally forgot about this guy? Astros are stacked.

    3
    Reply
  3. astros_fan_84

    3 years ago

    I’d put McCullers in the bullpen for this year. Unless the Astros are planning to flip a starter for a longterm catcher or first baseman, SP isn’t a need.

    3
    Reply
    • oscar gamble

      3 years ago

      I agree. It doesn’t seem like there would be time to build him up as a starter.

      1
      Reply
      • JonathanJ

        3 years ago

        He just threw 40ish pitches in a simulated game. He won’t have a problem getting built up in 30 days.

        2
        Reply
        • astros_fan_84

          3 years ago

          Yeah, but how many 6 inning starts will he have going into October? Seems like he might not be ready.

          Reply
    • southern lion

      3 years ago

      Agreed.

      Reply
    • Astrosfn1979

      3 years ago

      Being in the bullpen has its own challenges.

      He would be a liability if he can’t pitch consecutive days, or at least on 1 day rest.

      1
      Reply
  4. Astrosfn1979

    3 years ago

    Rules limit his rehab to 30 days.

    That means the Astros must activate him and put him on the 26 man roster no later than Sunday 8/21 ( they are in Atlanta)

    Let’s say he pitched the day before on the 20th and they decide to give him 5 days of rest instead of typical 4 between each start.

    He is able to make 7 starts before the end of the season. Not to mention 5 rehab starts that will also be buildup.

    Plenty to build up and get ready for the playoffs.

    Reply
  5. stroh

    3 years ago

    McCullers will be back in the starting rotation, but likely they will limit his pitch count. The Stros already have 6 starters so look for one of them ( Javier, Garcia, Urquidy or Odorizzi) to become a tandem starter (6th-9th innings) with McCullers, or they trade someone for outfield, first base or left handed relief help.

    Reply
    • astros_fan_84

      3 years ago

      I’d just make McCullers the tandem guy.

      Reply
  6. Edp007

    3 years ago

    Just shows how hanging on to your pitching depth and adding to it always , allowing a high priced ace leave once in a while , makes for a sustainable contender year in year out . Other GMs should take note

    Reply
    • Astrosfn1979

      3 years ago

      But sometimes a team needs to deal from the depth in order to strengthen other areas.

      The Astros have started 6 guys so far this season

      Each one has 10+ starts and league average or better results.

      Lance McCullers and Hunter Brown are not among those 6.

      This team has an aging 1B who is having a down year and an aging LF with a bad shoulder. Both will be FA after the World Series.

      They need to take one or two of the young starters and trade for a guy to help at those 2 spots.

      1
      Reply
      • astros_fan_84

        3 years ago

        Very true, but JV might be gone next year. That seems more like an off-season move. If the Astros trade one starter, and then two go down, the team could be in dire straits. I prefer to trade other assets to improve LF and 1B. Ideally, the Astros can grab someone who can play both of those positions.

        Reply
      • Memphis Kong

        3 years ago

        Seems like Javier is the best chip we have followed by Hunter Brown. If that would get us someone in CF/FB/C that we retain control then maybe but there’s not much there. Bell and Contreras are rentals and not much on the CF market. So Clicks job is a tough one although he said he’s being agressive.

        Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.

Log in Register

    Top Stories

    Red Sox Likely To Activate Alex Bregman Tomorrow

    Astros To Promote Brice Matthews

    Phillies Reportedly Targeting Controllable Relievers

    Yankees Prioritizing Pitching, Also Searching For Infield Help

    Orioles Trade Bryan Baker To Rays

    Yankees Release DJ LeMahieu

    Trevor Williams To Undergo UCL Surgery

    Nationals Fire PBO Mike Rizzo, Manager Dave Martinez

    Brewers Activate Brandon Woodruff

    Clarke Schmidt Expected To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

    Bobby Jenks Passes Away

    Braves Release Alex Verdugo

    Top 40 Trade Candidates For The 2025 Deadline

    Rays Reinstate Ha-Seong Kim

    Yankees Have Shown Interest In Ryan McMahon

    Royals Interested In Bryan Reynolds

    Rangers Option Josh Jung

    Kevin Pillar Announces Retirement

    Braves Place Spencer Schwellenbach On IL With Elbow Fracture

    Giants Exercise 2026 Option On Manager Bob Melvin

    Recent

    Trade Deadline Outlook: New York Yankees

    Trade Deadline Outlook: Atlanta Braves

    Which Other Relievers Might The Orioles Shop?

    Lee Elia Passes Away

    Red Sox Likely To Activate Alex Bregman Tomorrow

    Poll: Which Teams Should Make The Biggest Push For Jarren Duran?

    MLB Finalizes Home Run Derby Field

    Astros To Promote Brice Matthews

    Giants Outright Sergio Alcántara

    Joe Coleman Passes Away

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Sandy Alcantara Rumors
    • Luis Robert Rumors
    • Alex Bregman Rumors

     

    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android App Store Google Play

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Remove Ads, Support Our Writers
    • Front Office Originals
    • Front Office Fantasy Baseball
    • MLBTR Podcast
    • Trade Deadline Outlook Series
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • RSS/Twitter Feeds By Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

    hide arrows scroll to top

    Register

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version