After missing all of 2023 with injury, Houston Astros’ ace Lance McCullers Jr. appears set to miss at least half 2024 as well.
The bad news just keeps coming on the health front for Houston Astros’ right-hander Lance McCullers Jr.
Per Chandler Rome of ‘The Athletic.’
Scott Boras said today that Lance McCullers Jr. is “certainly going to be pitching next year, no doubt” but did not provide a specific timeline for when he could be back. Dana Brown said yesterday that it could be early July.
McCullers Jr. missed all of 2023 with injury and had surgery on his flexor tendon in June. He also had a bone spur removed.
When he pitches, he’s a vital part of what the Astros do as a pitching staff, but he hasn’t pitched in any game situations since the 2022 World Series.
He has a career 49-32 record with a lifetime 3.48 ERA. He made the All-Star team in 2017 and helped the Astros win the World Series that year, as well as in 2022.
But injuries are unfortunately part of the story for the righty. He underwent Tommy John surgery and missed the entirety of the 2019 season and was only able to make eight starts in that 2022 season.
McCullers signed a five year, $85 million contract extension with the Astros before the 2022 season.
The Astros won the American League West this past season but were beaten in seven games by the Texas Rangers in the American League Championship Series. In addition to McCullers Jr., they also saw Luis Garcia undergo Tommy John surgery and missed Jose Urquidy for a large portion of the season.
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