Astros starter Lance McCullers Jr. had a setback in his rehab from a forearm strain, general manager Dana Brown told reporters this evening (relayed by Chandler Rome of the Athletic and Matt Young of the Houston Chronicle). He’ll head for an MRI tomorrow and the team is expected to provide an update next week.
It’s an ominous development for a pitcher who has had an unfortunate series of arm issues over the past few years. McCullers underwent Tommy John surgery in late 2018 and missed the entire subsequent season. He was healthy and effective for most of 2020 and ’21 but suffered a flexor strain in his forearm during the latter postseason. That kept him out until the following August, limiting him to 11 combined starts between the regular season and the club’s World Series run.
McCullers’ latest issue arose over the offseason. He was diagnosed with a muscle strain in his forearm and shut down for a few months. His ramp-up process hit a snag in late May when continued soreness led the club to scale him back from bullpen sessions to flat-ground work. According to Brown, even those throwing sessions were causing McCullers discomfort, necessitating further imaging.
It’s too soon to know whether McCullers will need to go back under the knife. He and the organization are surely hopeful they’ll be able to avoid surgery. Yet it’s clear that McCullers’ return won’t be imminent. Brown acknowledged this development could play into their approach to the trade deadline.
“Even if (McCullers) could come back, we would have to build him up and it’s going to take a little while to do that, so we have to get our mind set and keep the thought process of strengthening the rotation,” the GM told the media (relayed by Young). “If there’s a deal that we can do, we’ll entertain it. But at the end of the day, our top three guys, make no mistake, are really good.”
Each of Cristian Javier, Framber Valdez and Hunter Brown has a sub-4.00 ERA with a strikeout rate north of 26%. Valdez and Javier are both allowing fewer than three earned runs per nine innings and have multi-year track records of top-of-the-rotation production. The rookie Hunter Brown isn’t quite as proven, though he’s a former top prospect who has hit the ground running with a 3.05 ERA, 28.1% strikeout rate and 54.9% grounder percentage over his first 88 2/3 MLB innings.
The Astros could feel comfortable running any member of that trio out for a postseason start. The rest of the staff has taken a number of hits over the past few months. Luis Garcia was lost for the season to Tommy John surgery. McCullers’ status is in question. José Urquidy is unlikely to be back before the All-Star Break due to a shoulder issue. Brandon Bielak and J.P France have stepped into the starting five and pitched fairly well themselves, though neither player misses many bats nor had much MLB starting experience before this season.
Houston enters play Thursday at 36-26. They’re in possession of a Wild Card spot but 4 1/2 back of the Rangers as they look to defend their AL West crown. Losing McCullers, Garcia and Urquidy certainly hasn’t helped their cause in trying to hold off a scorching Texas club, but the rotation has more than held up its end of the bargain. Astros’ starters rank third in the majors with a 3.23 ERA and fourth with 350 2/3 innings pitched.
The offense, on the other hand, has been uncharacteristically middling. Houston is tied for 13th in runs and ranks 20th in on-base percentage (.316) and 17th in slugging (.399). Dana Brown unsurprisingly acknowledged the front office was open to ways to addressing the offense on the trade market. Which positions the club targets could be determined by how things play out over the next seven weeks.
First base, catcher and whichever of left field or designated hitter hasn’t been manned by Yordan Alvarez have been their biggest problem areas. There’s at least some question about whether they’d upgrade at all three spots, though. The Astros love Martín Maldonado as a defensive presence behind the dish and have tolerated lackluster offense at the position for years. They just signed José Abreu to a three-year free agent deal last winter; benching him a few months into that contract would be a tough pill to swallow, though he’s now sitting on a ghastly .212/.273/.261 line. Michael Brantley could be an option for left field/DH at some point. He has yet to play this season as he recovers from last summer’s shoulder procedure, but Brown noted today that he’s hitting in batting practice and throwing in drills.
If we were classmates then I’d write “see you next year in ’24, amigo!” in his yearbook.
Yordan is also day to day, according to ESPN. I have him on my fantasy team to hedge real life. I also have Phil Maton and Hector Neris. Strangely, since I got them, the Astros keep winning, and those guys keep performing terribly.
I think McCullers is done with Houston. Weather needs TJ again he would be out till probably 25. But not sure would still be with Houston. They could put on 60 day IL I think but not totally sure what Houston can do with him. Not sure of his contract even. Abreu I agree is an issue. LF guess do not like Julks. Brantley myself for 2nd half of season as LF or DH not sure fully there. Starting pitching and bullpen need change as well. See Framber imploded again tonight. He has got to control his temper it showed tonight in the 5th. Maldy and pass ball did not help. Houston is 4 and a half out. Could be five. Changes need to be made now or even at deadline. Yordan looks to maybe be out the Cleveland series. Just was not expecting this kind of a season and the Rangers hot start
McCullers is signed through ‘27. He isn’t going anywhere.
Damn! Looks like Yordan will miss a lengthy amount of time to. That’s a even bigger blow.
I wish everyone would stop calling him Yordan and just call him Jordan.
Damn! The Astros cheated by the baseball gods. What are the odds?
Oh give it a rest. It’s been 6 years FFS
Speaking of rest, looks like someone needs a nappy nap
Just give him Thomas John already and get it over with. You know he needs it. I’m sure Astros fans are tired of this
Did he hurt practicing his trash can drumming technique?
This joke is so FUNNY!!!! I’ve never heard it before in my LIFE!!! My friend, you must be a comic prodigy of the first order!!!! I just fell off my bed laughing again. !!!! HHAHAHA! OH MY!
I’m done with McCullers. I doubt he’ll ever be healthy again. I don’t think the OF is a need. Maldy and Diaz have the catcher position covered. The weakness is 1B. Abreu is terrible. I loved the signing, but he’s terrible. The Astros are stuck with him though because Dusty is loyal, but I just wish he was hitting 8th. If Abreu just had an 800 OPS, the Astros probably have three more wins.
Saying Abreu has been terrible is almost an understatement. I’ve never seen a collapse like his before. Did somebody in the mob tell him not to hit or else?
You’re right. His drop is baffling.
McCullers seems to be heading down the same path as Stephen Strasburg. Injury after injury after surgery after setback, and on and on. I could see the medical staff shutting him down from all physical activity at some point hoping for a complete reset.
I always think of his dad, but his career has certainly outperformed his pop’s.
Very sad. His father’s career ended over blood clots.
He is always hurt cut bait let him go
Aren’t too many guys as fragile as Lance. I don’t know how the Astros continue to fill the holes that they have, but they seem to be doing just fine without him or JV. Speaking of JV, looks like they chose wisely there.
To their credit the FO made the absolute right choice in letting JV walk. Who would have thought that a 40-year-old would ever hit a wall? Verlander’s last ST start told the tale about how his season was going to go. First of all he ended up hitting the IL after that game, but during the game the Marlins were zeroed in on him like nobody’s business. He got hit on the foot and the leg on two come-backers, and he was getting irritated. The Mets announcers started whining about how he’s just out there to get his work in, and Marlins’ hitters were purposely teeing off on him.
I think McCullers should have had TJ last year. He came back after rehab, pitched with guile during the regular season, and not well in the playoffs. He went from 96 mph to 92. That was the telling tale. Worst case the surgery should have been in the off-season. Now he will miss rest of 23 and probably most of 24. Very fragile like DeGrom.
Was there any report on the MRI?