Astros starter Lance McCullers Jr. is no longer throwing from a mound, manager Dusty Baker informed reporters before today’s matchup with the Twins (relayed by Chandler Rome of the Athletic). Baker didn’t provide any additional specifics, noting only the club will “take it slow with Lance until we know that he’s 100 percent.”
It’s unclear how significant this latest development will be — the Astros are as cagy as any team about providing injury updates — but it represents a scaling back from where McCullers was a couple weeks ago. He’d progressed to bullpen sessions in mid-May but had moved back to throwing from flat ground of late. General manager Dana Brown recently pegged the All-Star Break as a loose estimate for his return to a big league mound; it’s unclear if or to what extent that timeline might now be delayed.
McCullers hasn’t pitched this year on account of a muscle strain in his forearm that was diagnosed over the offseason. It marked the continuation of arm issues for the 29-year-old, who was diagnosed with a flexor strain during the 2021 postseason. That cost him until mid-August last year. McCullers returned to make 11 starts between the regular season and playoffs to help the Astros to a World Series title but unfortunately again battled arm soreness over the winter.
The right-hander also has a Tommy John surgery in his history, having undergone the procedure over the 2018-19 offseason. There’s nothing to suggest he’s in danger of going back under the knife to address the current issue but it adds another reason for the Astros to be particularly cautious as they navigate any bumps in his recovery process.
McCullers has proven a very effective pitcher when healthy. He owns a career 3.48 ERA in 718 2/3 regular season innings and has a nearly identical 3.47 mark over 72 2/3 postseason frames. He allowed only 2.27 earned runs per nine innings over his eight regular season starts last year. McCullers’ upper mid-rotation form led the Astros to sign him to a five-year, $85MM extension in March 2021. That deal covers the 2022-26 campaigns. He’s making $15.25MM this season and will be paid $17MM annually over the next three years.
His absence is one of a number of rotation issues for the Astros. Houston lost Luis Garcia to Tommy John surgery earlier this month. José Urquidy is battling shoulder discomfort and might not be back until around the All-Star Break. Cristian Javier, Framber Valdez and Hunter Brown have been fantastic, but the injuries have forced Houston to lean on depth options like J.P. France and Brandon Bielak at the back of the staff. There’s virtually no experienced depth in the organization beyond that quintet, so the rotation figures to be a deadline target area for Brown and his front office.
Next one up mentality in Houston. They need offense almost as badly as pitching though.
Next trash can
Flat Earth Society’s favorite player.
Who’s the most likely trade bait for a starting pitcher?
Waivers!
Geez. Reading this, the Stros comes across as a team with poor pitching that is only gonna get worse. I’m a big believer in the ERA stat. As of right now, you’ve got the lowest in MLB. And, it’s no contest. Geez .
The Houston starters are 3rd in ERA and 6th on FIP. They are not hurting by any stretch of the imagination. That is a good staff that needs some innings eaters at the back end
You realize low ERA is better- it’s like golf not bowling . Low score win
You do realize that not everything ERA records is the responsibility of the pitcher, right? That is why FIP is a better indication of how the PITCHERS are doing at preventing runs, not the team as a whole.
Lance McBricked.
Try dropping the ball from a tall building.
Terminal velocity is pretty fast.
Good for you, Lance. Mounds are overrated. No more Bob Gibson, MLB. Let’s free Lance and go back to flat earth, ffs!
Lance will be promoted from flip flips to cleats in a month or two.
I feel another Tommy John surgery coming on
What a hack article. No mention that JP France and Brandon Bielak have done just fine and the Astros lead MLB in ERA. Plus they have organizational depth in AAA ( Ronel Blanco and Austin Hansen) and AA ( Spencer Arrighetti and Colton Gordon). No work done to write this article.
And Lance in my view is a TJ candidate again
This article is about the Astros starters. They are 3rd in ERA. Both Hansen and Blanco are struggling in AAA.
I suspect McCullers is toast. He did not return till September last season. Too bad have no respect for those taking place for Urquidy and Garcia too. They wanted to say Garcia was a minor deal but TJ is not minor. Heard with no days off now might go to a 6 man rotation and use Blanco. Whitley is hurt again. Will he ever amount to anything. Framber and Javier are not pitching great but we are in games most times.
The Astros are saving him for the 9th inning of game 7 of the World Series.
Just watching France and already 4 runs and he has not pitched great. He seemed to look like was but then some wild pitches a lot of balls and such. He needs to start showing better. Bielak has been good but he throws a lot of pitches and lucky for him has been in these games. France so far at MM not impressed. But I hope he turns it around. Brown seems to have after his three games in a row where did not make it through 5. Framber struggled his recent game. Hate to see him get off and out of whack if something does not go as he likes. Javier went 5 as he threw a lot of pitches and Diaz caught him. Granted respectable now but it can balloon. If had to find another who will step up from the minors. Will Blanco fit. Framber and Javier can go 6 to 7. Framber has gone deeper when he is on. Bielak and France. Brown not sure if could be moved up a spot or something. McCullers at this point I feel is done
Astros fans have to assume that McCullers is never gonna pitch again. If he does, it’s a bonus. Sorta the approach I think Nats fans adopted where Stephen Strasburg is concerned.
He’ll be back. Astro fans might have given up but he has heart.
And who other than a McCullers knows that the heart is a lonely hunter?
Grandma Carson?
We basically have
Lance. Good name for a team formerly known as cheaters. Wonder if he bikes to work. He could always sing in a boy band choir if the baseball thing doesn’t work out