With the Houston Astros expected to be involved in the starting pitching trade market, any more injuries to the rotation would sting. Those concerns came to a head before the Astros series against the Athletics, as one of their starters went onto the 15-day injured list.
According to Chandler Rome of The Athletic, the Astros have placed starting pitcher Lance McCullers on the injured list with a right foot sprain, scratching him from his scheduled start against the Athletics.
The Astros have scratched Lance McCullers Jr. from his start tonight and put him on the injured list with a right foot sprain. Ryan Gusto will start in his place. Jason Alexander takes McCullers’ spot on the active roster.
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) June 16, 2025
In place of the injured McCullers, Ryan Gusto will start for the Astros, and Jason Alexander will take McCuller’s spot on the active roster.
This injury is a tough blow for not only the Astros but also for McCullers. He had just returned from a long time away from the game, as his seven starts in 2025 were his first starts since the 2022 season.
In his seven outings, McCullers went 29.1 innings with a 4.91 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP. McCullers also walked 16 batters and struck out 39, going 1-2 in his first time on an MLB mound since the 2022 World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies.
McCullers had made an incredible comeback rarely seen in the MLB, after being away from the sport for over two full seasons. His return in 2025 didn’t go incredibly well before this injury, but with the Astros’ current crop of starting pitchers, he was an invaluable piece.
Now, with McCullers out for at least the next 15 days, the Astros are forced to change plans in the rotation. Gusto, who was scheduled to start against the Athletics on Tuesday, will now start on Monday, June 16th. Meanwhile, Alexander is likely to be the team’s starter on Tuesday, with Colton Gordon rounding out the Athletics series on Thursday.
Houston was already down multiple pitchers, but this latest injury is a huge blow to the team’s rotation. Hunter Brown, Framber Valdez, and Gordon lead the way, with Guston and Brandon Walter as the next two starters for the Astros.
But the news on McCullers is brutal, and adds another starter to the injured list. His placement makes him the seventh starter for the Astros on the injured list, and another issue that the team will have to strongly consider at the MLB trade deadline.
