Houston Astros right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. is no longer throwing off the mound and is back to throwing on flat ground in his bid to return from a muscle strain in his forearm.
McCullers, who first experienced soreness in the forearm in February, had been throwing bullpen sessions earlier this month. He has yet to pitch in a game this season.
“We have to take it slow with Lance until we know that he’s 100%. That’s where it is right now,” Astros manager Dusty Baker told reporters Monday.
It’s unclear if the setback will impact the team’s estimate of the All-Star break as a landing spot for McCullers’ return.
McCullers missed most of last season with a strained forearm sustained during the 2021 postseason. He went 4-2 with a 2.27 ERA in eight regular season starts and 0-1 with a 5.87 ERA in three playoff starts.
McCullers’ injury absences include the entire 2019 season after he underwent Tommy John surgery.
In 2021, McCullers went 13-5 with a 3.16 ERA in a career-high 28 starts. Overall, he is 49-32 with a 3.48 ERA in 127 starts and three relief appearances over seven seasons.
Source: www.espn.com