The Houston Astros will likely be without right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. for the remainder of the regular season, manager Joe Espada told reporters on Sunday. McCullers, 30, will in turn have missed two consecutive regular seasons since he last appeared in a meaningful game, with that coming as part of the 2022 World Series.
McCullers required surgery last summer to both repair a flexor tendon in his throwing arm and to remove a bone spur. He never reached the point of beginning a rehab assignment, and he was reported to have encountered a setback in early July.
McCullers has struggled with injuries throughout his career. He's made 130 appearances since debuting in 2015, amassing a 3.48 ERA (118 ERA+) and a 2.70 strikeout-to-walk ratio. McCullers has been able to clear the 150-inning threshold only once as a big-league pitcher, with that coming in 2021. His next highest inning total was 128, achieved during the 2018 season. He's a one-time All-Star who pitched in a pair of World Series victories, including starting Game 7 of the 2017 Fall Classic against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Astros signed McCullers to a five-year pact worth $85 million prior to the start of the 2021 season. He's under contract through the 2026 campaign, with $34 million total owed to him over the next two seasons.
The Astros have endured numerous injuries to their starting pitchers all season, necessitating their deadline deal for lefty Yusei Kikuchi. Houston did receive some good news on the rotation front on Sunday, however, as Justin Verlander partook in a simulated game as the next step in his return. He's likely to make a pair of minor-league rehab assignments before rejoining the Astros, putting him in line to slot in sometime come the middle of the month.
