Overview
- Lance McCullers Jr. will make his first major-league appearance since Game 3 of the 2022 World Series, pitching Sunday in Chicago.
- The 31-year-old has been sidelined for 915 days due to a flexor tendon injury sustained in the 2021 ALDS, followed by surgery and multiple setbacks.
- McCullers completed four minor-league rehab starts in April 2025, allowing four runs over 12 2/3 innings, with 16 strikeouts and six walks.
- Astros manager Joe Espada expressed excitement about McCullers’ return, emphasizing the pitcher’s hard work and potential to bolster the team’s rotation.
- McCullers, a 2018 All-Star, holds a career record of 49–32 with a 3.48 ERA and aims to contribute to the Astros’ postseason aspirations in 2025.