The Astros placed Lance McCullers Jr. back on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to July 20. The veteran righty is now dealing with a blister. Reliever Nick Hernandez is up from Triple-A Sugar Land to take the vacated active roster spot.
This is the third IL stint of the season for McCullers. He began the season on the shelf after multiple years of battling elbow and forearm issues. He was knocked back out in June for a couple weeks with a sprained right foot. A blister shouldn’t be a major concern, but it’ll cost him at least another couple weeks.
It’s the latest speed bump in a brutal first season back for McCullers. He has an earned run average approaching 7.00 across 11 starts. He has a league average 23.1% strikeout percentage while walking a career-worst 13% of batters faced. While McCullers had huge ground-ball numbers before the series of injuries, that’s down to a middling 42.3% clip. The 91.5 MPH average velocity on his sinker is well down from the 93-94 MPH range at which he sat in 2022. Each of Cristian Javier, Spencer Arrighetti and Luis Garcia are on minor league rehab assignments. It’s tough to envision McCullers holding his rotation spot much longer even if he returns from the blister after a minimal stint.
Manager Joe Espada also provided a concerning update on third baseman Isaac Paredes, who went on the 10-day IL over the weekend with a right hamstring strain. Espada told reporters (including Matt Kawahara of The Houston Chronicle) that it’s a “pretty significant” strain that will sideline Paredes for an extended stretch. Mauricio Dubón is getting most of the third base playing time, keeping Brice Matthews, Zack Short and Taylor Trammell in the everyday lineup.
So they’ll bring up Blubough when it’s McCullers’ spot in the rotation? Asking for a fantasy friend.
Blue Balls?
Can’t fool me, that was a famous pirate, not a baseball player.
No its Nick Hernandez. Righty reliever. Doing a good job in AAA – lots of strikeouts and a sub 2.00 ERA
I thought he pitched for Cincinnati
You’re thinking of Nick Martinez.
Did you read the article ?
Sugar land! Like candy land but straight sugar! If that’s not a fantasy friend idk what is
Last start he reminded me of a Marco Gonzalez blow up special when he just couldn’t throw strikes and would get shelled. You wonder if “it’s time” for Lance.
Are you saying that he is going to be cared for at a nice farm where he can run around and play and be well taken care of since our house and yard just isn’t big enough?
McCullers was once thought of as an up and coming next big thing in Houston. Then again 2017 was a long time ago. He’s never been fully healthy the potential was always there. He’s got another year on contract what are the chances he gets traded?
The Astros have 17 players on the IL and the Dodgers have 14 on the IL, but no one will complain about that…
Except the Houston and LA fan base.
Remember the outrage over the Yankees’ torpedo bats early in the season? That sure was fun.
Imagine if Cal Raleigh used one….oh wait a minute….
😊
People barely know the Mariners exist. The Yankees are a global business and forever trend. That will always explain the difference.
I have been an Astros fan since 1974 and can honestly say it’s time for him to go! I have nothing against him, but I don’t think he will ever be the pitcher they need.
Don’t know why this posted twice! Sorry!
Good!
that was insensitive of me. Get well soon Lance.
Because this is the Astros medical staff, I’m going to assume Paredes will be out the rest of the season.
The Astros could save time and editing space by just re-naming their injured list the “Lance McCullers Jr”
Better hope he doesn’t have a contusion.
I akin Lance to Cole Hamels. They have a couple of really brilliant moments and you want to believe it’s Iike that all the time, but in totality they are just good but not great pitchers.
I was just about to respond to @ih8te with:
You need to use the comparison tool on baseballreference to see there is no valid comparison between McCullers and Cole Hamels.
Hamels started 300 more games, had 2,000 more innings pitched, had 1,700 more strikeouts, as well as all the awards and accolades that you mentioned.
Hamels’ ill fated comeback attempts with the Braves were unfortunate, but don’t tarnish a stellar career.
Lance has a blister that will require Tommy John surgery. Great guy….dad was a hell of a pitcher also but he has been nothing but a man with a broken pitching arm. I’ve had enough of him for this year and hope he just takes the rest of the year in Florida figuring out how to keep his pitches both in the strike zone and ballpark.
Maybe he should go to the pen or just retire.
This guy should be the first opponent on Mike Tyson’s Punch Out
Dude lives on the injured list more than he does his own home
Might have to have Danny O’Shea give him a talk about going on the Injured list so often and the Implications it’ll have on his athletic career (you will get this reference if you’re a 90s kid lol)
Mucho bad WHIP and ERA