Lance McCullers Jr.'s Stats, Metrics, Game Logs, Projections & Rankings

Houston Astros right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. (forearm) has been throwing off a mound and has hit the mid-80s with his fastball while adding in some changeups. His next step will be to add in some breaking pitches to build up his pitch count and intensity in the coming weeks. McCullers didn't pitch at all in 2023 after having surgery on June 13 to fix his flexor tendon and remove a bone spur from his right elbow. He had rehabbed to the point that he was close to facing hitters in mid-May of last year, but he had another setback that ultimately led to surgery. It's positive news for the 30-year-old starter, but McCullers still has a ways to go and probably won't start a minor-league rehab assignment for around another month, so fantasy managers in shallow mixed leagues can leave him to the waiver wire for now. In a best-case scenario, McCullers won't be back with Houston until after the All-Star break.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. (forearm) threw 10 fastballs off of the mound's rubber on Saturday. He is expected to return from forearm surgery sometime around midseason after not pitching at all in 2023. The Astros have had terrible luck with injuries to their rotation so far this season, so McCullers would likely jump back into a starting spot when he returns. He is not a priority stash at this point, but fantasy managers with IL space in deeper leagues could scoop him up if he is available.

Houston Astros pitchers Luis Garcia (elbow), Lance McCullers Jr. (elbow), Jose Urquidy (forearm) and Penn Murfee (elbow) all played catch at Minute Maid Park on Monday. Left-hander Framber Valdez (elbow) is scheduled to play catch Tuesday. Garcia, McCullers and Murfee are all currently on the 60-day injured list. Garcia is recovering from Tommy John surgery last May and isn't expected to be an option for the 'Stros until around midseason at least. McCullers, 30, is expected to be out until late June or early July as he recovers from right-elbow surgery. After missing a huge chunk of last season, the 28-year-old Urquidy has now been out almost a month with a right-forearm strain. Barring a setback, he should be the first of this group to return for Houston's rotation.

Houston Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. (forearm) is targeting a "late June, early July" return. He underwent flexor tendon surgery in June, which had a 13-15 month recovery. His goal is to aim for that 13th-month timeline. McCullers hasn't pitched at any level since Game 3 of the 2022 World Series. The 30-year-old posted a 2.27 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and a 50:22 K: BB across 47 2/3 innings in 2022. McCullers will continue to rehab, but it's unclear when he will be cleared and become an integral part of Houston's rotation again. For fantasy leagues with an injured list spot, managers in deep leagues can stash McCullers on the IL and hope he returns to action around the All-Star break.

Houston Astros right-handers Luis Garcia (elbow) and Lance McCullers Jr. (forearm) are on track to return to the active roster in the second half of the 2024 season, according to general manager Dana Brown. Garcia is recovering from Tommy John surgery last May after allowing 12 earned runs with 10 walks and 31 strikeouts in 27 innings over six starts last year. The 27-year-old misses plenty of bats and could still be worth stashing as a late-round flier in deep-mixed fantasy leagues this spring. McCullers missed all of 2023 after having surgery to fix a torn flexor tendon in June. The 30-year-old remains intriguing in fantasy, but keep in mind he hasn't pitched since the World Series in 2022. Fantasy managers will want to temper expectations for both Garcia and McCullers once they return in the second half.