The Astros’ injury woes are only getting worse.
Houston right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. was scratched from his start on Tuesday and placed on the injured list with shoulder inflammation, adding to a long list of health issues for the club.
Astros manager Joe Espada told The Athletic’s Chandler Rome that McCullers had been dealing with the shoulder injury “a while” despite the last-minute scratch.
Injuries have been a major part of McCullers’ career over the last several years.
After missing the 2023 and 2024 seasons with a flexor strain, McCullers struggled in his return last season, posting a 6.51 ERA across 16 outings.
It didn’t get any better in 2026, having put up a 6.86 ERA in eight starts until hitting the IL.
The McCullers loss is the latest for a ravaged Astros team that’s struggling to stay in the American League playoff race.
Before McCullers went down, Houston was already without starters Hunter Brown and Cristian Javier, who are both on the IL with shoulder strains.
Another trio of hurlers – Ronel Blanco, Brandon Walter and Hayden Wesneski – are still yet to return from Tommy John surgeries a year ago.
On Monday, the Astros lost star second baseman Jose Altuve, who suffered a left oblique strain on Sunday and later went on the IL.
Third baseman Carlos Correa, center fielder Jake Meyers, left fielder Joey Loperfido, and catcher Yainer Diaz and closer Josh Hader are all also sidelined with various injuries.
The bad luck has the Astros, who have finished above .500 in each of the past 10 full seasons, struggling out of the gate.
Heading into Tuesday’s play, they sit at 19-30, which is the second-worst record in the American League.
