Injured Houston Astros Ace’s Final Step May Lead to MLB Season Debut
The Houston Astros may not send their oft-injured right-handed starter back to the minors for an important reason.
The Houston Astros have an open spot in their rotation for Wednesday. Lance McCullers Jr. won’t be taking that spot.
But his time could be coming soon.
The oft-injured right-hander, who hasn’t pitched in a Major League game since 2022, due to injuries, will throw a bullpen session on Wednesday, per his manager Joe Espada, and reported by beat writers following the team, including The Athletic.
Based on that bullpen session, the Astros will decide whether to send the 31-year-old back to the minors for one more rehab game or add him to the Major League roster and slot him into the rotation.
Espada indicated that the organization is leaning toward having McCullers make his next start with the Astros.
Whenever he pitches with the Astros, it will be his first regular season start since Oct. 3, 2022. That year he helped Houston win a World Series.
McCullers made his latest injury rehab start with the Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks on Saturday. He put together a quality start. He threw five innings, giving up three hits and one walk while he struck out seven. He didn’t allow a run. He also threw 71 pitches. That was 10 more pitches than he threw in his last rehab start two Saturdays ago.
It’s a good build-up for a Major League pitcher coming off two years of injuries. It could allow him to get through four or five innings in an MLB game.
The Astros start a six-game road trip to Chicago and Milwaukee later this week. It’s possible he could pitch on that trip.
