Lance

McCullers Jr.

McCullers was awful in his first start back from the injured list against the Cubs. To say he was improved against the Los Angeles lineup is quite the understatement. He did walk four hitters with a mediocre 49-of-87 pitches landing for strikes, but he allowed only four hits and escaped every jam with the only run coming on a solo homer from Will Smith. He’s back on the mound Wednesday against the Guardians.

A rough return, to say the least. McCullers couldn’t find the strike zone early on, and walked in a run in the first. To his credit he held the Cubs scoreless over the next two innings, but he was charged for seven runs in the fourth to make this an ugly first start back off the injured list. McCullers has not pitched particularly well in 2025, and it’d be a mistake to bet on a rebound against the Dodgers on Friday.

The 31-year-old right-hander will make his return to the Astros’ starting rotation on Saturday against the Cubs. Prior to landing on the shelf with a right foot sprain in the middle of June, McCullers had compiled a 4.91 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and a 39/16 K/BB ratio across 29 1/3 innings through his first seven starts.

The 31-year-old right-hander has been sidelined since the middle of June due to a right foot sprain. His return will seemingly bump Ryan Gusto from the Astros’ rotation once again. McCullers returns to a 4.91 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and a 39/16 K/BB ratio across 29 1/3 innings through his first seven starts with the Astros this season.

Brandon Walter is scheduled to start on Friday against the Cubs, and Framber Valdez is scheduled to start on Sunday. The Astros have listed their Saturday starter as “TBA,” but that’s the same day that McCullers is eligible to be activated from the IL. If the Astros do tab McCullers to start that game, we would not use him in fantasy leagues against the Cubs.

McCullers appears on track to make it back to Houston’s rotation at some point in the coming days after hitting the shelf back in mid-June with a right foot sprain.

McCullers is scheduled to throw again Sunday, and if that goes well, the 31-year-old could throw off the mound Monday. The hope is that McCullers will only miss the minimum amount of time on the injured list, so he could be back on the bump before the end of next week.

Espada added that McCullers suffered the injury on Saturday during a “freak accident” in the club’s weight room. The 31-year-old is dealing with a sprain above his big toe and isn’t expected to require a lengthy absence. It’ll be Ryan Gusto taking the ball on Monday night against the Athletics in his place with Jason Alexander coming up to fill his rotation spot on Tuesday evening.

McCullers was supposed to start tonight, and the Astros had never relayed that anything was wrong with him. Ryan Gusto, who was due to start Tuesday, will take his place and start on four days’ rest. The Astros will need someone else to fill in for Gusto tomorrow. It could be Jason Alexander if he’s not needed tonight, or maybe the Astros will bring up A.J. Blubaugh, who would be on four days’ rest.

McCullers tossed a scoreless first inning, then gave up a run on a walk and a double in the second. A double and two walks loaded the bases in the third before Edgar Quero brought two runs in on a base hit. Luis Robert Jr. brought a fourth run in to score on a solo homer in the fourth inning. McCullers would complete a fifth frame and depart at 96 pitches, striking out six. The 31-year-old right-hander will take a 4.91 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and a 39/16 K/BB ratio across 29 1/3 innings into a start against the Athletics in Sacramento on Monday.