McCullers Jr. Injury: Astros Place Pitcher on IL
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Lance McCullers Jr.’s Injury History and 2024 Return
Table of Contents
A look at the Astros pitcher’s repeated setbacks and his performance upon returning to the mound.
Recent Performance and Injury Background
Houston Astros starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. has experienced a challenging path back to the mound. After missing the remainder of the 2023 season due to a flexor tendon injury, and a previous setback last season, he made his return on May 4, 2024.
His 2024 season has been marked by inconsistency. On May 10th, McCullers struggled against the Cincinnati Reds, allowing seven runs on three hits, three walks, and a hit batter in just one-third of an inning. However, he demonstrated his potential on May 28th, striking out 12 batters in six innings against the Oakland Athletics. He followed this with six scoreless innings on June 3rd against the Pittsburgh Pirates and allowed only one run in six innings on July 4th against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Past Injuries and Surgeries
McCullers’ injury history includes significant time away from the game. He missed the entire 2019 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. he then injured his flexor tendon in Game 4 of the 2021 American League Division Series against the Chicago White sox and spent much of the 2022 season rehabilitating before returning to pitch at the end of that year.
Career Injury Timeline
| Year | Injury | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Tommy John Surgery | Missed entire season. |
| 2021 | Flexor Tendon Strain | Occurred during ALDS Game 4 vs.White Sox. |
| 2022 | Rehabilitation | Returned to pitch at the end of the season. |
| 2023 | Flexor Tendon Injury | Missed the remainder of the season. |
| 2024 | return from Injury | Returned May 4th, performance has been inconsistent. |