LANCE MCCULLERS NEWS

Getting MRI on Friday McCullers (forearm) will get an MRI on Friday after reporting discomfort Thursday, Julia Morales of AT&T SportsNet Southwest reports.

Impact McCullers had been on target for a mid-July return before being shut down from throwing off a mound May 29. His new timetable remains unclear, but the Astros are hoping to have a better idea once McCullers' results come in early next week. The 29-year-old righty has been shelved all season with a right forearm stain.

JUNE 8, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Lance McCullers Jr.'s setback amplifies Astros' need for starting pitching depth McCullers' setback highlights that the Astros have work to do to reinforce their patchwork starting rotation.

JUNE 1, 2023 • THEATHLETIC.COM

No longer throwing off mound Astros manager Dusty Baker said Monday that McCullers (forearm) is no longer throwing off a mound, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports. "We have to take it slow with Lance until...

Impact McCullers started throwing bullpen sessions in early May, but he wasn't looking overly sharp and was apparently still not feeling totally healthy. The right-hander had been aiming to return from the 15-day injured list around the All-Star break, but his timetable is very much up in the air now.

MAY 29, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Return likely around All-Star break General manager Dana Brown said Sunday that McCuller's return timeline is "probable somewhere closer to the All-Star break, or after," Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Impact The 29-year-old played catch on flat ground Sunday instead of throwing a bullpen session as previously expected, and it appears the Astros don't expect him back from the injured list until sometime in July. Dusty Baker said earlier in the day the change of plans didn't indicate a setback for McCullers, but the lengthy return timeline certainly appears to represent a halt in his progress.

MAY 21, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Throws from flat ground Sunday Astros manager Dusty Baker told reporters before Sunday's game against the Athletics that McCullers (forearm) played catch on flat ground instead of throwing a bullpen, Brian McTag...

Impact Baker told reporters that even with the change of plans that this should not be considered a setback for McCullers, Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle reports. The right-hander is still in Houston to work out, but he could join the team at some point during their upcoming road trip. McCullers has missed all of 2023 with his forearm strain, and he has a chance to return to the Houston rotation in the early portion of June.

MAY 21, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Set for another bullpen session McCullers (forearm) is expected to throw a bullpen session before Sunday's contest with the Athletics, Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Impact McCullers has slowly been working his way back from the forearm injury he suffered in February and Sunday's session could be his last before launching a rehab assignment. Once healthy, the 29-year-old will be a welcomed addition to Houston's rotation as Luis Garcia (elbow) underwent Tommy John surgery Friday.

MAY 20, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Nearing live batting practice McCullers (forearm) threw another bullpen session Tuesday and could be cleared for live batting practice this weekend, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.

Impact McCullers threw 37 pitches in Tuesday's session, touching 92 mph with his fastball and 88-89 mph with his cutter, per Rome. It's the first time during his bullpen ramp-ups that he's incorporated the cutter. McCullers appears to be feeling well but would seem to still have a little work to do from a velocity standpoint. If he does face hitters this weekend, a rehab assignment would be right around the corner.

MAY 16, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Continues bullpen work McCullers (forearm) threw another bullpen session Saturday, Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Impact McCullers has been out all season while working back from a strained forearm. He's thrown multiple bullpen session but is not yet at full strength. His velocity sat 89-91 mph in Saturday's session, down significantly from his average of 93.3 mph last season. He's also still only throwing four-seamers, changeups and sinkers, with cutters expected to follow Tuesday and his breaking pitches following sometime after that.

MAY 13, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Throws another bullpen Tuesday McCullers (forearm) threw 25 pitches in a bullpen session Tuesday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Impact McCullers reportedly reached 91.6 mph with his fastball during the bullpen session. The next step will be for the right-hander to mix in some breaking balls in his next bullpen work, and that will likely take place before Saturday's game against the White sox in Chicago. McCullers will then need to rebuild his arm strength and likely go on a lengthy rehab, but the latest positive developments give him a chance to join the rotation in the early part of June.

MAY 10, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Chandler Rome: Lance McCullers Jr. threw another bullpen... - The Athletic Lance McCullers Jr. threw another bullpen session at Angel Stadium today. He reached 91 mph and mixed in four-seam fastballs, two-seamers, c...

MAY 9, 2023 • THEATHLETIC.COM

Throws bullpen session Saturday McCullers threw a bullpen session in Seattle on Saturday, reportedly hitting 90 mph twice, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Impact McCullers has been out since February as he's been nursing an injured right forearm, so Saturday's session is certainly encouraging. The 29-year-old will continue to slowly ramp up his activity over the next few weeks, including an inevitable rehab assignment, which will likely be multiple starts. That being said, once healthy, McCullers will help fill the void left in the Astros' rotation by Luis Garcia's season-ending elbow injury.

MAY 7, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Chandler Rome: Lance McCullers Jr. (forearm strain) is... - The Athletic Lance McCullers Jr. (forearm strain) is scheduled to throw his first full bullpen session off the mound tomorrow at T-Mobile Park.

MAY 5, 2023 • THEATHLETIC.COM

'The most criminally underrated player in baseball:' Kyle Tucker comes out of his shell “You put this guy in a different uniform, other places, he would be one of the faces of the game," teammate Lance McCullers Jr. said.

APRIL 27, 2023 • THEATHLETIC.COM

Chandler Rome: Lance McCullers Jr. threw about 20 pitches off... - The Athletic Lance McCullers Jr. threw about 20 pitches off the slope of the mound today at Tropicana Field. All went as planned. The hope is that he cou...

APRIL 25, 2023 • THEATHLETIC.COM

Throws from front of mound McCullers (forearm) threw 20-30 pitches from the front of the bullpen mound at Tropicana Field on Tuesday, Brian Murphy of MLB.com reports.

Impact Assuming he bounces back with no issues, McCullers might be ready for a normal bullpen session next. The veteran right-hander has been brought along slowly since his nagging forearm issue flared up on him again back in mid-February. He'll need multiple rehab starts before rejoining the Astros' rotation, so McCullers is still several weeks away.

APRIL 25, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Chandler Rome: Lance McCullers Jr (forearm strain) plans to... - The Athletic Lance McCullers Jr (forearm strain) plans to throw off the slope of the mound on Tuesday at Tropicana Field. It’s not a full-fledged bullpen...

APRIL 24, 2023 • THEATHLETIC.COM

Nearing mound work McCullers (forearm) threw long toss Sunday and could begin throwing off a mound before the end of April, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Impact The right-hander has been throwing mostly fastballs but is also close to integrating his offspeed pitches. McCullers doesn't have a clear timetable to be activated from the injured list, but his return to mound work will be a significant step in his rehab progress.

APRIL 16, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Ahead of schedule McCullers (forearm) said Tuesday that he's been throwing at 90 on back-to-back days at "high intensity" and considers himself ahead of schedule, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Impact A timetable for McCullers' return has never really been established, so it remains unclear when he might be available to pitch for the Astros. Nevertheless, the news is encouraging and it would appear he should progress to mound work soon. McCullers missed all of spring training with a strained forearm injury which has bothered him off and on dating back to the 2021 playoffs.

APRIL 4, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Robert, Moncada power White Sox past Astros 6-3

Luis Robert Jr. and Yoán Moncada homered, Mike Clevinger threw five shutout innings and the Chicago White Sox defeated the Houston Astros 6-3

APRIL 2, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Vaughn's double lifts White Sox over Astros 3-2 in opener

Andrew Vaughn’s tiebreaking, two-run double in the ninth inning lifted the Chicago White Sox to a 3-2 win over the defending World Series champion Houston Astros in their season op...

MARCH 31, 2023 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Heads to 15-day IL McCullers (forearm) was placed on the 15-day injured list Thursday, retroactive to March 27.

Impact Astros GM Dana Brown said earlier this week he wasn't sure if McCullers would begin the season on the 60-day IL, but the club is apparently content to put him on the 15-day IL for now. The right-hander is dealing with a low-grade forearm strain and isn't expected to be ready for game action until May, at the earliest.

MARCH 30, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Could begin year on 60-day IL Astros general manager Dana Brown told reporters Tuesday that he was unsure if McCullers (forearm) would begin the year on the 60-day injured list, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chr...

Impact The Astros are going to have to make some roster moves in order to get both Cesar Salazar and Corey Julks on the Opening Day roster, as both are not currently on the 40-man at this point. McCullers is dealing with a low grade strain and isn't expected to be ready until May at the earliest, and if the club believes it will be closer to June they could put the right-hander on the 60-day IL to open space. One way or another, managers shouldn't expect to see McCullers making starts for Houston in the month of April.

MARCH 29, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Says he has low-grade strain McCullers revealed Tuesday that he's dealing with a ""strain of the forearm muscle, very low grade," Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Impact McCullers added that doctors "were hesitant to even call it a strain." While a bit comforting that the right-hander's strain is minor, it's nonetheless worrisome that he's dealing with it again this spring after it bothered him for much of last season and during the playoffs in 2021. McCullers will play catch again at low intensity Wednesday as he's ramped back up slowly. It seems a safe bet that he'll miss at least the first month or so of the season.

MARCH 14, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Throws again Monday McCullers (forearm) threw for the second time Monday in the batting cage, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Impact Manager Dusty Baker said Monday that McCullers was once again throwing Monday, his second throwing session in three days as he works back from muscle strain he suffered in his right arm last month. The right-hander is expected to miss the first couple weeks of the season, but is he keeps progressing, it's reasonable to expect him to return to the mound by the end of April. McCullers has struggled with the injury bug over the past couple seasons, only appearing in eight games in 2022 after nursing a forearm injury he sustained in the 2021 playoffs.

MARCH 13, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Starts up throwing program McCullers (forearm) resumed playing catch Saturday, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Impact McCullers threw off flat ground approximately 30 times in what marked his first throwing activity since a Feb. 14 bullpen session in which he experienced arm soreness. He was later diagnosed with a small muscle strain in his right forearm, and after being shut down from throwing for the past three weeks, he won't be on track to open the season with the Astros. The fact that McCullers is now playing catch again can be viewed as a positive sign, however, and if he continues to avoid setbacks in what will likely be a month-long buildup program, he could be ready to slot back into the Houston rotation at some point in the second half of April.

MARCH 12, 2023 • ROTOWIRE