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41 articles
HOU • Pitcher • #43
3 days ago
McCullers gave up six hits but just three hard-hit balls tonight, albeit against a Triple-A lineup. His upside isn’t nearly what it was and the chances of him making 25-30 starts are pretty slim, but the Astros will be content if he’s just an average starter when he’s able to take the mound. He’s expected to face the Red Sox next week in his first outing.
HOU • Pitcher • #43
11 days ago
McCullers had an impressive 36 percent whiff rate, but he also only threw 53 percent of his pitches for strikes on the day. Hes trigged to get ahead in the count with his four-seamer and had to go to his changeup often to begin at-bats. However, his changeup looked good, and his sinker took some pressure off his four-seamer and allowed a fair amount of weak contact. McCullers threw 58 pitches in this one and could be up to around 75 pitches in his first start of the season, which keeps him on the fringe of fantasy relevance.
HOU • Pitcher • #43
18 days ago
Both runs came on a two-run home run by Coby Mayo; however, McCullers did allow five hard-hit balls in just three innings, which isn’t great. He did post a 27 percent whiff rate and 35 percent CSW and threw 65 percent strikes, so it wasn’t all bad. McCullers also sat 93.2 mph on his four-seam fastball, which is up over one mph from what he averaged during the season last year. He also held the velocity through all three innings, which is a good sign. We can’t say how long McCullers will stay healthy, but he does appear to be healthy right now heading into the season.
HOU • Pitcher • #43
28 days ago
The 32-year-old right-hander needed just eight pitches to retire CJ Abrams, Jacob Young and Dylan Crews in succession. He worked exclusively out of the stretch in this one and averaged 94.0 mph on his fastball, a big jump from the 91.5 mph that he averaged during the 2025 season. It remains to be seen if he’ll be given an opportunity to start or if he’ll be utilized out of the bullpen to open the season. Either way, a return to relevance from a fantasy perspective seems unlikely.
HOU • Pitcher • #43
6 months ago
He struck out four. The run came on a Mike Trout homer. McCullers missed the previous two weeks with hand soreness. He’ll end this season healthy after missing both 2023 and ’24 with elbow woes, but there wouldn’t seem to be a whole lot to be encouraged about with his 6.51 ERA and a 61/39 K/BB in 55 1/3 innings over 13 starts and three relief appearances. His fastball was down about two mph from where he was before the elbow injuries. As he enters the final season of a five-year, $85 million contract, the Astros still figure to give him every opportunity to win a rotation spot next spring.
HOU • Pitcher • #43
6 months ago
The 31-year-old hurler had been shelved since September 12 due to soreness in his right hand. He’ll give the Astros an option for length out of the bullpen behind AJ Blubaugh as the Astros need to win to keep their postseason hopes alive on Saturday night. McCullers holds an uninspiring 6.88 ERA and 1.85 WHIP across 52 1/3 innings on the season.
HOU • Pitcher • #43
7 months ago
That will unfortunately end the 31-year-old right-hander’s 2025 season. He finishes the year with a disappointing 6.88 ERA, 1.85 WHIP and a 57/38 K/BB ratio over 52 1/3 innings in 15 appearances (12 starts).
HOU • Pitcher • #43
7 months ago
The runs came in his second inning of work. With one run already in, Luis Rengifo hit a dribbler down the first base line and then ran on the grass, causing McCullers to make a bad throw to first for a single and an error. Rengifo really should have been called out on the play, but hitters usually are able to get away with it. It’s currently unclear if McCullers will get a chance to go back into the rotation next weekend. He came into today with a 6.89 ERA in 12 starts.
HOU • Pitcher • #43
7 months ago
McCullers is also an option to start Monday’s game against the Angels according to Espada. Some of that might depend on if the team needs to use McCullers, some of that may depend on if Luis Garcia Jr. (elbow) is ready to go. McCullers was not good Friday against the Orioles, and the right-hander shouldn’t be under fantasy consideration no matter what role he pitches in.
Source: Chandler Rome
HOU • Pitcher • #43
7 months ago
This was a vintage McCullers start, and not in a good way. More than two-thirds of his total pitches were either sliders or knuckle curves and his command was dreadful with each. They mostly either missed the zone by a wide margin or in the heart of it and were clobbered. It’s hard to expect him to pitch deep in a game or just be effective at all with such a breaking ball heavy profile when he can’t command them. He’s scheduled to face the Angels at home next time out if he sticks in this rotation with Luis Garcia Jr. due back soon.
HOU • Pitcher • #43
7 months ago
The 31-year-old hurler will make his return to the Astros’ rotation on Friday evening against the Orioles. McCullers has been sidelined since July 20 due to a blister on his pitching hand. Before landing on the injured list he had registered a 6.90 ERA, 1.74 WHIP and a 50/29 K/BB ratio across 44 1/3 innings in his first 11 starts on the season.
HOU • Pitcher • #43
7 months ago
McCullers has been out since late July working his way back from a blister on his right finger. His return bumps journeyman Jason Alexander from Houston’s rotation mix.
Source: Brian McTaggart
HOU • Pitcher • #43
8 months ago
No word yet on the severity of the blister, which will determine how much time McCullers winds up missing. The 31-year-old righty was slated to take the ball for Thursday’s series opener against the Athletics. The timing of the break should allow him to iron things out away from the spotlight after being hit hard in three of his last four starts.
HOU • Pitcher • #43
8 months ago
McCullers couldn’t find the strike zone again, as he issued three walks and threw just 41-of-75 pitches for strikes. The former fantasy stalwart now has an ugly 6.90 ERA, and outside of a couple of outings, he’s looked borderline unusable in 2025. McCullers will have a chance to rebound Thursday against the Athletics.
HOU • Pitcher • #43
9 months ago
McCullers gave up six hits, walked two and struck out five. The 31-year-old right-hander made an admirable return from injury this season, but his production hasn’t been close to years prior. McCullers takes a 6.48 ERA into the All-Star break. He’s not someone fantasy managers want to rely on down the stretch of the season.
HOU • Pitcher • #43
9 months ago
McCullers told reporters after firing six innings of one-run ball on Friday evening at Dodger Stadium that his left foot “went numb for a little while” after being struck by a line drive from Shohei Ohtani, but added that he managed to avoid serious injury. The 31-year-old should be ready to make his next start on Wednesday against the Guardians.
Source: Matt Kawahara
HOU • Pitcher • #43
9 months ago
McCullers told reporters after firing six innings of one-run ball on Friday evening at Dodger Stadium that his left foot “went numb for a little while” after being struck by a line drive from Shohei Ohtani, but added that he managed to avoid serious injury. The 31-year-old should be ready to make his next start on Wednesday against the Guardians.
Source: Matt Kawahara
HOU • Pitcher • #43
9 months ago
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.
HOU • Pitcher • #43
9 months ago
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.
HOU • Pitcher • #43
9 months ago
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.
HOU • Pitcher • #43
9 months ago
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.
Source: Matthew Kawahara
HOU • Pitcher • #43
9 months ago
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.
Source: Chandler Rome
HOU • Pitcher • #43
9 months ago
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.
Source: Chandler Rome
HOU • Pitcher • #43
9 months ago
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.
Source: Brian McTaggart
HOU • Pitcher • #43
9 months ago
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.
Source: Matt Kawahara
HOU • Pitcher • #43
9 months ago
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.
Source: Chandler Rome
HOU • Pitcher • #43
9 months ago
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.
HOU • Pitcher • #43
10 months ago
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.
HOU • Pitcher • #43
10 months ago
There’s nothing wrong physically with the 31-year-old right-hander, the Astros simply want to give him some extra rest. Astros manager Joe Espada told reporters that he’ll name Sunday’s starter prior to Saturday’s game, though the return of Brandon Walter seems to make the most sense.
Source: Matt Kawahara
HOU • Pitcher • #43
10 months ago
McCullers gave up a 384-foot shot to Andrew McCutchen that would have been a homer in 24 ballparks, but PNC wasn’t one of them. That was one of nine hard-hit balls McCullers surrendered, yet most of them were routine flies and he allowed just two hits before leaving with a 1-0 lead in the matchup against Paul Skenes. This makes back-to-back very positive starts for him, so he’s definitely reemerging as a mixed-league option. He’ll probably make his next start Sunday in Cleveland.