PHOENIX -- Astros starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. landed back on the injured list Tuesday with a right finger blister, retroactive to Sunday, giving Houston 17 players on the IL, including seven starting pitchers. Astros manager Joe Espada said McCullers was flying back to Houston to be checked out by a doctor.
“He’s been kind of dealing with it for a little bit and it just kind of flared up in that last outing [Saturday in Seattle],” Espada said.
Right-hander Nick Hernandez was recalled from Triple-A Sugar Land to take his roster spot.
McCullers began the season on the IL before returning to the mound in early May, which marked his first game action since the 2022 World Series. He made 11 starts and posted a 6.90 ERA and a 1.74 WHIP, including nine earned runs in 5 2/3 innings across his previous two starts. He was on the 15-day IL in June with a right foot strain.
McCullers last pitched Saturday in Seattle and gave up four earned runs, five hits, three walks and hit a batter in 2 2/3 innings.
The Astros’ rotation currently consists of aces Hunter Brown and Framber Valdez and rookies Colton Gordon, Brandon Walter and Ryan Gusto, who’s pitched out of the bullpen, too. Starting pitchers Spencer Arrighetti, Ronel Blanco, Hayden Wesneski, Luis Garcia, Cristian Javier and J.P. France are also on the IL, though Arrighetti, Javier and Garcia are rehabbing at full-season Minor League affiliates and should return this year.
McCullers, who underwent surgery in June 2023 to repair a flexor tendon and suffered a setback last season, made his long-awaited return May 4 of this season and has had ups and downs. He was rocked for seven runs on three hits, three walks and a hit batter in one-third of an inning in his second start of the season May 10 and then struck out 12 batters in six innings May 28 against the A’s. He threw six scoreless innings June 3 in Pittsburgh and allowed one run in six innings July 4 at the Dodgers before struggling in his past two starts.
McCullers missed the 2019 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, injured his flexor tendon in Game 4 of the ‘21 AL Division Series against the White Sox in Chicago and spent most of the next season rehabbing. He returned to throw at the end of ‘22.