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Lance McCullers Jr. didn’t earn a win or pitch deep into the game, but simply stepping on a big-league mound again was a victory in itself. After 915 days sidelined by arm injuries and setbacks, McCullers returned to action for the Houston Astros on Sunday in a rain-shortened 5–4 loss to the Chicago White Sox. The 31-year-old right-hander tossed 3 2/3 scoreless innings in his first MLB outing since Game 3 of the 2022 World Series, battling through traffic and a rising pitch count.
“From where I’ve come from the last couple years—especially where I was early this offseason—I would lie to you guys if I didn’t say I was pretty proud of myself just getting back here,” McCullers said postgame.
He allowed three hits, three walks, and struck out four on 87 pitches. Despite the short outing, he showed flashes of the old McCullers, particularly with his sinker and curveball, though he admitted his slider wasn’t where it needed to be.
“I felt like the overall stuff was pretty good,” McCullers said. “Physically, I felt strong through the game. The slider was not, obviously, very good…but overall, I was happy.”
Lance McCullers Jr returns to the mound for the Astros
Manager Joe Espada and general manager Dana Brown flew in specifically to witness the long-awaited return of the veteran, who last pitched in a regular-season game on October 3, 2022. After flexor tendon surgery and a difficult rehab that wiped out his 2023 and much of 2024, his return marked a symbolic moment for both player and club.
Espada noted, “I was really happy, very proud of him. A lot of high-stress moments there, but I think he pitched out of them.”
McCullers worked around early jams, stranding runners on second and third in the first and escaping a bases-loaded situation in the second. He threw a clean third inning before getting pulled in the fourth after a borderline full-count curveball was called a ball, his pitch count climbing too high to continue.
While the velocity wasn’t quite back—his sinker averaged 91.8 mph, down slightly from 2022 levels—McCullers was encouraged by how his body held up and is confident the stuff will sharpen over time.
“I know I need to make strides and continue to get my feet under me,” McCullers said. “But I also feel proud of getting back to this point.”
With a taxing 17-game stretch ahead, the Astros will shift to a six-man rotation, and McCullers will be a key piece of that plan. His next start is expected to come at home against the Cincinnati Reds. Whether he regains the form that once made him a postseason weapon remains to be seen. But for now, just having him back—and healthy—is a major step forward.
