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• Astros' Lance McCullers: No-decision in season finale

  09/28/2025 • By RotoWire

  McCullers did not factor into Sunday's decision against the Angels, allowing one run on two hits and one walk while striking out four across three innings. McCullers was activated from the 15-day injured list Saturday after recovering from a right hand injury. He gave up a solo homer to Mike Trout in the first before keeping the Angels off the board over the next two frames, but he did not return to the mound for the fourth frame after tossing 54 pitches (35 strikes). McCullers will end the 2025 regular season with a 2-5 record across 16 games (13 starts) with a 6.51 ERA, 1.81 WHIP and 61:39 K:BB over 55.1 innings. The 32-year-old right-hander is under contract with Houston through 2026.

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• Astros' Lance McCullers: Starting in season finale

  09/28/2025 • By RotoWire

  McCullers will start Sunday's season finale against the Angels, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports. McCullers was activated from the 15-day injured list Saturday after missing the minimum amount of time with right hand soreness. The Astros have been eliminated from postseason contention for the first time since 2016, so McCullers will likely have a long leash Sunday. He owns a 6.71 ERA over 52.1 innings in 15 appearances and had been demoted to the bullpen in late August before landing on the shelf. McCullers remains under contract through 2026, and with the Astros set to be without all of Hayden Wesneski, Ronel Blanco, Luis Garcia and Brandon Walter for the majority or entirety of next season while the quartet recovers from elbow surgeries, McCullers stands a good chance of being included in the Opening Day rotation coming out of spring training.

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• Astros' Lance McCullers: Activated from IL

  09/27/2025 • By RotoWire

  McCullers (hand) was activated from the 15-day injured list Saturday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports. McCullers will make his return to the major-league roster with just two games left in the regular season. The 31-year-old has been sidelined since Sept. 12 with right hand soreness, and he was at one point described to be "highly unlikely" to return to action in September by general manager Dana Brown. McCullers has posted a 6.71 ERA and 1.85 WHIP with 57 strikeouts over 52.1 innings in 15 appearances, including 12 starts, with Houston this season. In a corresponding move, Nick Hernandez was designated for assignment Saturday.

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• Astros' Lance McCullers: Unlikely to return in September

  09/16/2025 • By RotoWire

  Astros general manager Dana Brown said Sunday that McCullers (hand) isn't expected to return from the 15-day injured list before the end of the regular season, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports. "There's a chance that this is the last that we've seen of him," Brown said. "Is it possible he could get back for the last couple games? There's probably an outside chance, but highly unlikely." McCullers was placed on the IL on Friday due to right hand soreness, and while his injury doesn't appear to be considered serious, he looks like he'll need more than the minimum 15 days to move past the issue. Brown noted that McCullers' "name will come up" in discussions about the Astros' roster for a potential postseason run, but given how the 31-year-old righty performed as a reliever after losing his spot in the rotation in late August, it's difficult to envision Houston turning to him in the playoffs. McCullers was charged with five runs (three earned) on six hits and four walks over four innings across his three low-leverage relief appearances prior to landing on the IL.

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• Astros' Lance McCullers: Placed on 15-day IL

  09/12/2025 • By RotoWire

  The Astros placed McCullers on the 15-day injured list Friday due to right hand soreness, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports. McCullers returned to Houston to be evaluated, and the Astros have recalled Colton Gordon from Triple-A Sugar Land in a corresponding move. McCullers threw two innings out of the bullpen in Thursday's loss to the Blue Jays and allowed one run on two hits and one walk with zero strikeouts. On the season, McCullers owns a 6.88 ERA, 1.85 WHIP and 57:38 K:BB across 52.1 innings.

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