‘I May Not Be Able To Do It’ – Astros’ Lance McCullers Jr. Admits Crushing Mental Toll of 2-Year Injury Hell
Houston Astros All-Star and two-time World Series Champion Lance McCullers is finally back pitching in the Major Leagues — 913 days later.
Lance McCullers Returns to Astros Rotation After 29-Month Absence
When the afternoon of May 4 rolls around, McCullers will take the mound for the first time since Nov. 1, 2022. That night, the Philadelphia Phillies launched five home runs off him in a World Series game. The following spring, issues with the elbow flexors flared up.
Those injuries — and the surgeries that followed — cost him two full seasons. Now 31, the right-hander is set to return Sunday against the White Sox in Chicago. He’ll look to build on a career record of 49-32 with a 3.48 ERA, 800 strikeouts, and a 1.25 WHIP in 718 career innings pitched. He’s already contributed to Houston’s two recent World Series championships.
Did McCullers Think About Walking Away?
Pitchers take on risk with every pitch. That power comes with a cost — a delicate balance between strength and the wear on a throwing arm. McCullers missed the 2019 season after Tommy John surgery but returned strong. After his latest setback, questions about retirement began to arise.
Houston Chronicle reporter Leah Vann asked McCullers if he ever considered stepping away. He responded in this tweet:
“Well, I don’t think quitting would be the word. Yeah, I definitely felt at times that my body wasn’t going to be able to handle the necessary volume to get back to this point. I’ve had Tommy John, and sometimes guys, if they do come back, don’t come back very long. I was very successful after my first one and had another one with a full flexor. It’s been a long road for me.”
The odds may not be in his favor, but there’s precedent. Left-hander Nathan Eovaldi had two Tommy John surgeries nine years apart. Since his return in 2017, he’s won World Series titles with the Red Sox (2018) and Rangers (2023) and made two All-Star teams. McCullers hopes to follow a similar path.
McCullers heads into his start with solid rehab numbers. In four minor league outings — two each with Double-A Corpus Christi and Triple-A Sugar Land — he posted a 2.84 ERA and struck out 16 batters in 12.2 innings. Though he went 0-1, the results were promising.
Lance McCullers has built a reputation for perseverance. His upcoming start is the latest chapter in his effort to bounce back — again — and prove there’s still more in the tank.
He’ll be joining a 16-14 Astros team in second place in the American League West.
