Houston Astros right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. is set to start Sunday against the Chicago White Sox. It will mark his first appearance on the mound since Game 3 of the 2022 World Series.
“I’m really excited to have him on the mound on Sunday,” Astros manager Joe Espada said to reporters on Wednesday. “He’s worked his tail off to get back to this point, and this whole entire team and this city should be excited to get Lance back.”
McCullers missed the entire 2023 season after undergoing surgery on his right flexor tendon and to remove a bone spur. He attempted a comeback last summer but suffered a setback, ending his season with minimal rehab outings. This year, McCullers has made four appearances, including two with Triple-A Corpus Christi.
Lance McCullers Jr. Returns After Nearly Three Years Away
McCullers missed the 2019 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, injured his flexor tendon in Game 4 of the 2021 American League Division Series and spent most of the next season rehabbing.
“Obviously, it’s been a long layoff for me and there’s probably going to be things I have to work through and kind of get my feet back under me and things of that nature,” McCullers said to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com “I feel like I’m in as good of a spot as I can be coming out of rehab games and I’m excited for Sunday.
Since signing a five-year, $85 million contract extension before the 2021 season, McCullers has thrown 210 innings, posting a 2.96 ERA and a 142 ERA+, showcasing how effective he can be when healthy. He is one of only two players remaining from the Astros’ 2017 World Series championship team. The right-hander played a key role in Houston’s pennant run that year, striking out six New York Yankees to close out Game 7 of the 2017 ALCS.
Lance McCullers Jr. on his return: “It’s a day I’ve been waiting for a long time.”
He hasn’t pitched in a big league game since the 2022 World Series. pic.twitter.com/CL0as9EWye
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) April 30, 2025
Astros Have More Depth with McCullers’ Addition
The return of McCullers bolsters a Houston rotation led by Framber Valdez, Hunter Brown, and Ronel Blanco, adding much-needed depth. Houston is pushing back Hayden Wesneski’s next start, who was originally scheduled to start Sunday. Spencer Arrighetti is on the injured list with a broken thumb.
In the meantime, the club called up AJ Blubaugh for his major league debut Wednesday against the Detroit Tigers. He allowed two earned runs on five hits over four innings, striking out six and walking one. Blubaugh was optioned back to Triple-A Sugar Land after the game in anticipation of McCullers’ return.
As a team, the Astros enter May with a 3.23 ERA, ranking third in the AL. Their rotation has shown consistency, with opponents hitting .212 against Houston starters and the staff averaging just 8.1 strikeouts per nine innings. McCullers’ return offers both stability and upside as the team looks to climb back into contention.
Main Photo: © Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
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