SPRINGER EXPECTED TO MISS TWO WEEKS
Springer to miss roughly two weeks; McCullers to avoid Tommy John surgery
SAN FRANCISCO — A look of relief overtaking his face, Jeff Luhnow climbed the stairs from the visiting clubhouse into the first-base dugout at AT&T Park.
“We dodged a couple of bullets here,” the Astros general manager said.
His team does remain beset by injuries to marquee names. Only one —Carlos Correa — has a somewhat imminent return date scheduled.
But all are anticipated to play again this season, a prognosis that seemed doubtful at the conclusion of Sunday’s 3-2 loss to the Dodgers.
Tests in Houston on Monday concluded neither George Springer (left thumb) nor Lance McCullers Jr. (right elbow) sustained damage to his ulnar collateral ligament after injuries against the Dodgers.
Each of their exits during the series in Los Angeles was gloomy. McCullers departed the mound after tossing a warmup pitch on Saturday and rubbing his right elbow. A day later, Springer squirmed in agony after catching his thumb on Chris Taylor’s glove.
Springer’s injury is slight, just a sprain of his left thumb, which did not involve the UCL. Jed Lowrie tore the ligament in 2015, and Carlos Correa did so last season. Both missed at least six weeks.
Luhnow said Monday the Astros anticipate Springer will miss “about two weeks.”
“It simply is a sprain of the first knuckle on his thumb,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “He avoided surgery, avoided major injury. They think he may even beat the timeline of 10 days. Maybe it’s two weeks, but that’s very, very encouraging.”
McCullers, the 24-year-old righthander who has already set a career high in regular-season innings, sustained a muscle strain in his right forearm.
Hinch acknowledged McCullers will not pitch again this month. It is unwelcome news on the surface but a monumental victory considering Tommy John surgery was a distinct possibility.
“Any time you see a pitcher leave with a potential elbow injury, you worry about UCL, and that’s not what this is,” Luhnow said. “We know he’s going to come back and pitch for us this year — when exactly and in what role is TBD — but he will have an opportunity to help us down the stretch.”
Whether McCullers returns as a starter or a part of the Astros’ bullpen depends on “where we are in the calendar and if we have enough time to build him back up and what our plan would be come postseason,” Luhnow said.
McCullers’ exit from the rotation comes at a somewhat opportune time. A glut of upcoming off days will allow the Astros to keep their healthy four starters on regular rest without adding a fifth.
Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole, Charlie Morton and Dallas Keuchel will throw, in that order, during this weekend’s series against the Mariners. It begins Thursday, after a Wednesday off day. There’s another off day Monday before a two-game series against the Rockies.
An off day after that interleague tilt means that, at the earliest, the Astros would not need a fifth starter until an Aug. 21 game at Seattle.
Options exist within the major league roster. Brad Peacock and Collin McHugh both have proven track records as starters. Cionel Perez started at Class AA Corpus Christi prior to his call-up, too.
Brady Rodgers, the former Astros minor league pitcher of the year, is throwing well following Tommy John surgery. He is on the 40-man roster.
“He’s been back and pitching well, stuff looks good,” Luhnow said. “He’s a guy that we will consider. Beyond that, there’s several non-roster guys that are having big years that have good stuff. Might be an opportunity to give one of those guys a shot.”