(Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Houston Astros right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. hasn’t been able to contribute in the 2023 season due to a right forearm strain.
He was on his way back until last week, when he had a setback.
On Wednesday, Astros fans had to receive some really bad news.
“RHP Lance McCullers Jr. underwent surgery on Tuesday evening on his right forearm to repair the flexor tendon and remove a bone spur, Astros GM Dana Brown announced,” the team tweeted on its official account.
RHP Lance McCullers Jr. underwent surgery on Tuesday evening on his right forearm to repair the flexor tendon and remove a bone spur, Astros GM Dana Brown announced. pic.twitter.com/PTS6stV6U2
— Houston Astros (@astros) June 14, 2023
In the statement, they said that he originally suffered the strain in 2021 and re-aggravated it this year, in February, in a bullpen session.
He still managed to start eight games last year, achieving a very nice 2.27 ERA in 47.2 frames.
They also clarified that this is not a Tommy John surgery because while he will miss the remainder of the 2023 campaign, he is widely expected to return next year.
Had he undergone Tommy John surgery, he would have probably lost most or all of 2024, too.
McCullers, in sheer raw talent, is one of the best pitchers on the Astros roster and not having him healthy hurts their chances in 2023, as the Texas Rangers, the Los Angeles Angels, and the Seattle Mariners become better and more talented.
An important part of the 2017 playoffs run for the Astros, McCullers will have no choice but to rest and rehab with the goal of coming back stronger.
The silver lining is that he will finally shake off the troublesome injury that has plagued him since the 2021 season when he returns.
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