McCullers (elbow) faced hitters for the first time this spring, throwing a live batting practice Friday, Brian McTaggart of the Astros' official site reports.
McCullers, who began and ended last season on the disabled list, missed the final month of the 2016 season due to elbow discomfort. The right-hander threw all of his pitches Friday -- the four-seam fastball, curveball, sinker and changeup -- and was pleased with the results. He'll throw two more BP sessions this week before making his Grapefruit League debut. When not on the DL last season, McCullers went 6-5 with a 3.22 ERA in 14 starts.