2025 Stats
W-L
1-3
ERA
6.61
WHIP
1.62
K
40
SV
0
Rest-of-Season Projections
2025 Fantasy Outlook
Once a dependable rotation piece for the Astros Dynasty, McCullers spent 2024 rehabbing from flexor tendon surgery and hasn't pitched on a big-league mound since the 2022 World Series (he also made just eight regular-season starts that year while recovering from a similar procedure). He has two years and $35.4 million left on his contract, so the opportunities will be there if he can get healthy. The right-hander had a 3.16 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 185:76 K:BB over 162.1 innings during his last full season in 2021, but he's since undergone multiple arm surgeries that carried complications. McCullers could be worth a flyer if he's able to enter camp in good shape, but there shouldn't be any serious expectations for him in 2025. Even if he looks like his old self, he's likely to have a limited workload. Read Past Outlooks

Roughed up in return
McCullers (1-3) took the loss against the Cubs on Saturday, allowing eight runs on seven hits and four walks while striking out one batter over 3.1 innings.
ANALYSIS
McCullers came off the 15-day IL on Saturday after recovering from a right foot sprain, but he didn't pitch well against a tough Chicago offense. The right-hander walked in a run in the first inning, and after tossing perfect second and third frames, things really fell apart for him in the fourth. The Cubs put seven straight runners on base against McCullers in that inning, and their six hits included three homers and a triple. It was the first time this season that the veteran hurler has given up more than one home run in an outing, and Saturday's start was also his second shortest of the campaign. Discarding two bad blow-ups this season, McCullers has a 2.79 ERA over six starts spanning 29 frames. However, those meltdowns have been really bad -- combined, he's allowed 15 runs across 3.2 innings in that pair of starts. As a result, his season ERA stands at an ugly 6.61.
McCullers came off the 15-day IL on Saturday after recovering from a right foot sprain, but he didn't pitch well against a tough Chicago offense. The right-hander walked in a run in the first inning, and after tossing perfect second and third frames, things really fell apart for him in the fourth. The Cubs put seven straight runners on base against McCullers in that inning, and their six hits included three homers and a triple. It was the first time this season that the veteran hurler has given up more than one home run in an outing, and Saturday's start was also his second shortest of the campaign. Discarding two bad blow-ups this season, McCullers has a 2.79 ERA over six starts spanning 29 frames. However, those meltdowns have been really bad -- combined, he's allowed 15 runs across 3.2 innings in that pair of starts. As a result, his season ERA stands at an ugly 6.61.
Pitching Stats
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2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
Minor League Game Log

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Pitching Appearances Breakdown
Average Pitch Count
84
Last 10 Games
84
Last 5 Games
93
How many pitches does Lance McCullers generally throw?
1-10
11-20
21-30
31-40
41-50
51-60
61-70
71-80
81-90
91-100
101-110
111-120
121+
What part of the game does Lance McCullers generally pitch?
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
Extra
% Games Reaching Innings Threshold
% Games By Number of Innings Pitched
Left/Right Pitching Splits
Since 2023
-36%
BAA vs LHP
2025
-36%
BAA vs LHP
BAA | K | BB | H | HR | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Since 2023vs Left | .194 | 23 | 9 | 13 | 3 | |||
Since 2023vs Right | .303 | 17 | 11 | 20 | 4 | |||
2025vs Left | .194 | 23 | 9 | 13 | 3 | |||
2025vs Right | .303 | 17 | 11 | 20 | 4 | |||
2024vs Left | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
2024vs Right | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
2023vs Left | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
2023vs Right | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
More Splits→ | View More Split Stats |
Home/Away Pitching Splits
Since 2023
-100%
ERA on Road
2025
-100%
ERA on Road
ERA | WHIP | IP | K/9 | BB/9 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Since 2023Home | 11.37 | 2.05 | 19.0 | 12.8 | 7.1 | ||||
Since 2023Away | 0.00 | 1.02 | 13.2 | 8.6 | 3.3 | ||||
2025Home | 11.37 | 2.05 | 19.0 | 12.8 | 7.1 | ||||
2025Away | 0.00 | 1.02 | 13.2 | 8.6 | 3.3 | ||||
2024Home | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
2024Away | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
2023Home | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
2023Away | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
More Splits→ | View More Split Stats |
Stat Review
How does Lance McCullers compare to other starting pitchers?
This section compares his stats with all starting pitcher seasons from the previous three seasons (minimum 120 innings)*. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that stat and it would be considered average.
* Exit Velocity, Barrels/BBE %, Balls Hit 95+ MPH %, and Spin Rate are benchmarked against 2019 data (min 120 IP). See here for more exit velocity/barrels stats plus an explanation of current limitations with that data set.
* Exit Velocity, Barrels/BBE %, Balls Hit 95+ MPH %, and Spin Rate are benchmarked against 2019 data (min 120 IP). See here for more exit velocity/barrels stats plus an explanation of current limitations with that data set.
K/BB
2.00K/9
11.0BB/9
5.5HR/9
1.9Fastball
91.4 mphERA
6.61WHIP
1.62BABIP
.333GB/FB
1.48Left On Base
62.5%Exit Velocity
82.3 mphBarrels/BBE
7.4%Spin Rate
2428 rpmBalls Hit 95+ MPH
34.4%Swinging Strike
10.3%Advanced Pitching Stats
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Defensive Stats
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Stats Vs Today's Lineup
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
Because of ongoing forearm complications, McCullers hasn't pitched at any level since Game 3 of the 2022 World Series, and Astros general manager Dana Brown told reporters this past November that he doesn't expect the 30-year-old right-hander to be back on a major-league mound until July of 2024. McCullers looked like a budding star when he debuted for Houston at age 21 back in 2015, compiling a 3.67 ERA with 509 strikeouts across his first 453.2 big-league innings between that debut date and the end of the 2018 campaign. He had nasty breaking stuff, a mid-90s fastball and strong potential for wins on an always-relevant Astros team. Whenever he does finally return to action, though, it's hard to say which of those elements will remain and what kind of pitcher McCullers will be. Fantasy managers might be in for a frustrating IL-stash experience.
More Fantasy News

Officially reinstated from IL
The Astros reinstated McCullers (foot) from the 15-day injured list ahead of his scheduled start against the Cubs on Saturday.
ANALYSIS
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Will start Saturday
McCullers (foot) will come off the 15-day injured list Saturday and start against the Cubs, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
ANALYSIS
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Could return to start Saturday
Astros manager Joe Espada said Thursday that McCullers (foot) is an "option" to start Saturday versus the Cubs, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
ANALYSIS
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Returns to mound work
McCullers (foot) threw a bullpen session Wednesday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
ANALYSIS
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Resumes throwing
McCullers (foot) played catch Saturday and is scheduled to do so again Sunday, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors

Close to returning to MLB roster
McCullers could make an appearance in the big leagues sooner rather than later for the Astros, according to Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors.
ANALYSIS
McCullers began the season on the injured list as he works back from multiple arm surgeries, but the veteran right-hander looks close to making his first MLB appearance in three years. McCullers tossed 50 pitches in an outing for Double-A Corpus Christi on Saturday, and he could be part of the big-league rotation within the next couple of weeks.
McCullers began the season on the injured list as he works back from multiple arm surgeries, but the veteran right-hander looks close to making his first MLB appearance in three years. McCullers tossed 50 pitches in an outing for Double-A Corpus Christi on Saturday, and he could be part of the big-league rotation within the next couple of weeks.