The Houston Astros nearly made it back to the World Series in 2023, but they did it without one of their best arms in Lance McCullers Jr. He missed the entire campaign with a forearm injury. That being said, the righty is on the mend and provided a positive update on his rehab on Saturday.

Via Chandler Rome:

“Lance McCullers Jr is throwing from 80 feet on flat ground and said he feels good. A late summer return seems feasible, McCullers said.”

It does appear McCullers Jr will miss a lot of the upcoming season as well, but he's optimistic about possibly returning a couple of months before the playoffs. That's good news for the Astros.

McCullers Jr on Josh Hader signing

The Astros just signed Josh Hader to a five-year deal worth $95 million. The electrifying lefty was a member of the Houston organization from 2013-15 before he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers and McCullers Jr played with Hader in the minor leagues prior. After speaking about his injury recovery, McCullers Jr shed light on his relationship with the southpaw and what he could bring to the table for the Astros.

Via Brian McTaggart:

“Yeah I know Josh really well, I played with him in the minor leagues in High-A and Double-A together. Our Double-A season, I got called up and he got traded to the Brewers so I know we've been trying to get him back for a long time, we had a bit of seller's regret. You know, it's nice that he's coming back and he's very happy. Looking forward to making a big run with him at a World Series. Jim Crane and this front office continue to commit to this fanbase and let them know we're continuously going for it.”

Hader is an absolute stud and will likely take over the closer role for the Astros. Ryan Pressly may become their set-up man instead, although Hader is capable of pitching a variety of roles.

While McCullers Jr has only pitched 47.2 innings across the last two seasons, he's still nasty when healthy and will undoubtedly give the Astros rotation a boost when he's at 100% again.