Houston Astros starting pitcher Lance McCullers returned to action after a lengthy absence in 2022 and impressed down the stretch for the team. McCullers had been recovering from a strained flexor tendon injury that had kept him sidelined for the majority of the season. In a shocking admission, McCullers revealed that he was almost forced to miss the entire season and undergo surgery, admitting to Jon Morosi that he “didn't think I was going to make it.”

McCullers sustained the initial injury during the 2021 ALDS against the Chicago White Sox. Morosi noted that McCullers rehabbed the injury through the month of August before returning to the mound this season and throwing 47.1 innings across eight regular-season starts.

Speaking with Morosi after the Astros advanced to the ALCS in an 18-winning win over the Seattle Mariners, McCullers detailed his rehab and just how close he came to missing out on the full season.

“It was a long road. I rehabbed from October through August, and the whole time I was rehabbing there was a high potential of a surgery that may be needed,” McCullers said. “We had a date set on the circled calendar, and as that day was coming closer, I didn't think I was going to make it. We had a lot of hard conversations and a lot of MRIs trying to gauge where I was at because we didn't want to sacrifice too much of next year…”

McCullers revealed that he was anticipating having to undergo surgery to repair his flexor tendon, but in the end the 29-year-old was able to avoid the procedure and return down the stretch for the Astros.

Across eight starts in the regular season, Lance McCullers registered a 2.27 ERA with 50 strikeouts in 47.2 innings. He made one start for the Astros in the ALDS against the Seattle Mariners, throwing six scoreless innings and surrendering just two hits while striking out seven.