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McCullers pitched for the Quad Cities River Bandits of the Class A Midwest League for the 2013 season when the River Bandits won the Midwest League championship. That’s where the good news ends for the Astros. “I would say I felt good with it early, so I stuck with it,” he said. With a record of 21-19, the Astros are now just three games ahead of the hard-charging Seattle Mariners for second place in the division. Los Angeles Dodgers: Is Dave Roberts’ time at the helm coming to a close? Just working quick. We took him as far as we could take him, especially since he hasn’t been out there throwing much.”. Brian McTaggart has covered the Astros since 2004, and for MLB.com since 2009. Jose Urquidy is fresh off a stay on the injured list himself, though he failed to pitch past the fourth inning in his first start. “Solid effort,” McCullers said. He tossed a four-hit shutout, allowing three walks, with nine strikeouts in a 1-0 win over the Astros at Minute Maid Park. So those are always the best games to be a part of when you're not standing out in the field too long.”. Rangers starter Kyle Gibson, who had allowed 24. Lance McCullers Jr. There is no timeline for how long McCullers will be sidelined. McCullers had to take a little time just to heal. There’s a shot Verlander could return by the end of the season. He’s 3-0 with a 1.82 ERA in four starts at home and 0-2 with a 13.50 ERA in four starts on the road. Verlander, meanwhile, has progressed to the point he’s throwing off the mound, Astros general manager James Click said Sunday during his pregame radio segment on 790 AM in Houston. We'll never pass along your email address to spammers, scammers, or the like. When a pitcher is throwing well and all of sudden gets blown up, you wonder if the reason is injury-related. A four-game series gone awry. One thing is for sure, the Astros are limping across the finish line with a patchwork pitching staff. Lefty Cionel Pérez was recalled from the taxi squad. The Lance McCullers Jr. Foundation has taken off in the Houston area as it invests time and resources into pet adoptions. That’s where the good news ends for the Astros. Brian McTaggart has covered the Astros since 2004, and for MLB.com since 2009. The loss dropped the Astros (24-25) back under .500 and 6 1/2 games back of the A's in the American League West with 11 games remaining. McCullers (neck) to IL; Reddick day to day. Right now the Astros lack the pitching depth to stop a losing streak or have multiple starters who can go deep into games. He was sharp tonight -- really, really sharp. McCullers is coming off a start Friday in Anaheim in which he didn’t record an out while facing five hitters, giving up three runs on two hits and three walks. “Sad that we couldn’t get the team W. That’s what we care about.”. McCullers 'really, really sharp' in IL return, can return to the rotation at season’s end. He faced just five batters, walking three and giving up two hits. Framber Valdez has been inconsistent and now Lance McCullers Jr. is injured. (Photo by Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images). “You know he wants to play against the A’s and I’m sure he’ll do everything in his power to make it on the field tomorrow.”. “I’ll leave that spot in the lineup open until further word from the trainers,” he said. Zack Greinke and Framber Valdez haven’t pitched as well lately, but have had solid seasons. Lefty Cionel Pérez was recalled from the taxi squad. Jose Urquidy is fresh off a stay on the injured list himself, though he failed to pitch past the fourth inning in his first start. Lance McCullers Jr. #43 of the Houston Astros pitches during the game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on August 21, 2020 in San Diego, California. A healthy and effective McCullers would be a huge boost for the Astros in the playoffs. “That’s the best he’s thrown since he had the no-hitter into the fifth inning [on Aug. 10 against the Giants]. The Astros were just swept out of Los Angeles by the Angels. — With pitching coach Brent Strom in attendance, injured Astros reliever Lance McCullers Jr. threw his first flat-ground session since undergoing Tommy John surgery … Rangers starter Kyle Gibson, who had allowed 24 earned runs in 26 2/3 innings in his previous five starts, was even better. Team: Houston Astros (majors) Born: October 2, 1993 in Tampa, FL us Draft: Drafted by the Houston Astros in the 1st round (41st) of the 2012 MLB June Amateur Draft from Jesuit HS (Tampa, FL).. High School: Jesuit HS (Tampa, FL) Debut: May 18, 2015 (Age 21-228d, 18,480th in MLB history) The Padres defeated the Astros 4-3. Next: Joe West continues to be a disgrace There is no timeline for how long McCullers … The game was scoreless heading to the ninth inning when a leadoff single by Leody Taveras on a ball that first baseman Yuli Gurriel misplayed turned into a run. It’s not something that’s going to last forever. Rangers starter Kyle Gibson, who had allowed 24 earned runs in 26 2/3 innings in his previous five starts, was even better. McCullers got nine swings and misses on the curveball. The Astros lost ace starter Justin Verlander after just one start with a right forearm strain and just got Jose Urquidy back Saturday after he missed most of the season following a bout with coronavirus. “Honestly, you almost feel bad because you're trying so hard to just get one run for the guy,” Gallo said. The Astros had two runners thrown out trying to steal second base and never got a runner to third. After the game, McCullers insisted he wasn’t injured and was “dealing with a weird period” after missing all of last season following Tommy John surgery. The team is hoping Justin Verlander can return to the rotation at season’s end after making one start in July, and Jose Urquidy pitched seven solid innings in Tuesday’s win. “I think he’s going to go back [to Houston] to get analyzed and see if we can get to the root of the problem,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said. He’s been up and down since, going 3-2 with a 5.79 ERA in eight starts. Nearly half of Houston's losses (12) have been in one-run games. A two-out, two-strike RBI double by Joey Gallo off Ryan Pressly was the only run Gibson needed. Astros pitchers gave up 32 runs over the weekend. The Astros’ injury-depleted pitching staff suffered another major blow on Sunday when the club announced right-handed starter Lance McCullers Jr. was headed to the 10-day injured list with a neck nerve irritation. With Justin Verlander on the injured list and the bullpen full of inexperienced, young arms, some thought the Astros would make a trade at the deadline. Powered by Minute Media © 2020 All Rights Reserved. Framber Valdez has been inconsistent and now Lance McCullers Jr. is injured. Build your custom FanSided Daily email newsletter with news and analysis on Houston Astros and all your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and more. “Both pitchers pitched outstanding, but it's a fun game. The Houston Astros selected McCullers in the first round, with the 41st overall selection, of the 2012 MLB Draft. McCullers was placed on the 10-day injured list with neck nerve irritation, and the Houston Astros are now left scrambling to find a pitcher who can handle the workload. “It’s a little disheartening,” he said Friday. The Astros’ injury-depleted pitching staff suffered another major blow on Sunday when the club announced right-handed starter Lance McCullers Jr. was headed to the 10-day injured list with a neck nerve irritation.