McCullers focused on his fastball and changeup Sunday, when he allowed one run on four hits and one walk while striking out five over 3.2 innings against the Mets, Jerome Solomon of the Houston Chronicle reports.
McCullers was burned once with the fastball as Yoenis Cespedes took a 1-1 heater over the left field wall in the first inning, but other than that, the right-hander was good. "During the season I'm not going to throw a 1-1 challenge heater down the middle, but that's what spring's for," McCullers said. "I'm trying my new pitches out, trying my new grips out. I'm trying to see what has movement and where I'm locating pitches the best." Two of his five strikeouts were the result of his fastball. McCullers won't grow as a pitcher if he's leaning too much on his curveball, which is considered one of the best in the majors.