Lance McCullers Jr. returned to the mound Friday night at Camden Yards, but the outing offered little reassurance for a Houston Astros rotation under mounting pressure. Despite a 10-7 win over the Baltimore Orioles, the veteran lasted just four innings, continuing a pattern that’s become familiar this season.
Making his 12th start of 2025, McCullers allowed three earned runs on five hits and five walks while striking out four across 87 pitches. He briefly touched 94.5 mph with his sinker, but control issues quickly unraveled his outing. A long fourth inning—set up by back-to-back walks—led to key hits and another early exit. Eight of McCullers’ 12 starts this season have lasted fewer than five innings.
His season ERA now sits at 6.89 with a 1.80 WHIP over 38.1 innings. He’s walked 34 batters while recording 54 strikeouts—numbers that reflect ongoing struggles with command and efficiency.
After the game, McCullers spoke with The Athletic’s Chandler Rome and reflected on his struggles.
“It’s frustrating,” McCullers said after the win. “You have all week, and you feel nails in the bullpen. You feel nails in the catch play. You feel great in (the) pregame bullpen, and you’re like, ‘Today’s the day I turn it around.’”
One of the night’s turning points came in the fourth inning, when Cam Smith, a converted infielder in his first year playing the outfield, misplayed a routine fly ball in right field. The ball dropped out of his glove, allowing two runs to score. While it wasn’t ruled an error, the play highlighted the Astros’ patchwork defense and the growing challenges of relying on inexperienced players in unfamiliar roles due to injuries.
Despite another rocky outing on the mound, Houston’s offense came alive for the second straight game, delivering timely hits to support a taxed pitching staff. Jeremy Pena led the charge with a three-run homer and an RBI double, while Christian Walker added his own three-run blast to break things open. In the eighth, Victor Caratini came through off the bench with a clutch pinch-hit two-run double. The offensive surge marks a sharp turnaround after a four-game stretch in which the Astros managed just two total runs.
McCullers’ outing adds to a growing list of questions surrounding the rotation. Framber Valdez has also struggled recently, posting a 5.76 ERA in August. His start Wednesday against the Detroit Tigers was his roughest of the month, allowing seven earned runs over five innings. Through four starts this month, he owns a 7.33 ERA, raising concerns about his reliability down the stretch. With only Hunter Brown providing consistent length, and Luis Garcia nearing a return with no set timetable, Houston's rotation depth remains a serious issue heading into the final stretch of the season.
With 33 games remaining, the Astros maintain a two-game lead over the Seattle Mariners in the AL West, but that gap could close quickly if the rotation doesn’t find stability. For now, the offense is heating up, but the strain on the pitching staff is starting to show.
