ATLANTA -- Astros starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. was placed on the injured list Friday with right hand soreness, a move which could end his regular season. He reported the injury following his two-inning relief outing in Thursday’s loss to the Blue Jays and headed back to Houston for tests, general manager Dana Brown said Friday.
McCullers wouldn’t be eligible to come off the IL until Sept. 27 -- the penultimate day of the regular season -- so his availability going forward is up in the air. McCullers has a 6.88 ERA in 15 games this season, the last three of which have come in relief.
“We won’t know until we get the full evaluation done, but we’ll try to remain hopeful,” Brown said.
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 while going on the 15-day IL in June with a right foot strain. He was on the IL from July 20-Aug. 22 with a blister.
The Astros moved him to the bullpen after his Aug. 22 start against the Orioles.
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 against the Reds 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.
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.