Lance McCullers has yet to see any action in the 2023 MLB regular season but he appears to be on the right track. The 29-year-old pitcher remains without a timetable for return, but the good news is that he is said to be “ahead of schedule,” per Brian McTaggart of MLB.com.

“Meanwhile, McCullers threw long toss today and his throwing program is going well and ahead of schedule,” McTaggart tweeted. “His next step is mixing in offspeed pitches in with mound work before the end of the month, if all continues to go well.”

Lance McCullers sustained a mild elbow strain back in Spring Training and has since been sidelined by that upper-body issue. In 2022, McCullers went 4-2 in eight starts and came away with a 2.27 ERA and 1.24 WHIP across 47.2 innings.

It is perhaps fair to expect to see Lance McCullers making his first appearance of the season before the end of April. That means he can toe the rubber for the first time this year during any of the upcoming Astros series against the Toronto Blue Jays, the Atlanta Braves, and the Philadelphia Phillies.

Even without Lance McCullers, the Astros' starters have been decent so far, ranking fifth in the majors with a 3.43 ERA as a group. Nevertheless, Houston can certainly use some help from McCullers, who signed a five-year deal worth $85 million with the Astros back in 2021.

The Astros, who are coming off a 9-1 win over the Texas Rangers on Sunday, will look to sustain their momentum and aim for a three-game win streak when they welcome the Blue Jays this Monday.