First loss of 2019 painful
McCullers undergoes Tommy John surgery, will miss the season
CARLSBAD, Calif. — Four months after Lance McCullers Jr. rubbed a tight right elbow, summoned a trainer to the Dodger Stadium mound and departed the field beneath a shroud of uncertainty, the Astros’ worst fears were realized.
The 25-year-old curveball maestro and excitable fan favorite underwent Tommy John surgery Tuesday, leaving him out for the 2019 season. His departure coincides with Charlie Morton and Dallas Keuchel’s entrance into free agency, requiring the Astros to replace 500 innings from the best starting rotation in franchise history.
“We’re not going to panic,” general manager Jeff Luhnow said.
McCullers exited his Aug. 4 start in Los Angeles after four innings. He tossed a few warm-up pitches before the fifth inning and grimaced toward the dugout.
Originally, McCullers said he was diagnosed with a forearm muscle strain. He said doctors surmised he suffered the strain while swinging a bat in the interleague game, and he began a twomonth rehabilitation process tailored for an eventual postseason return.
Minor setbacks left inadequate time to build him back as a starter, so McCullers joined the bullpen during the final week of the regular season. He made three scoreless appearances with adequate spin on his curveball and velocity on his fastball — normal enough to warrant inclusion as a reliever on the Astros’ ALDS and ALCS rosters.
McCullers threw five postseason innings. He allowed one run and struck out four. After the season, McCullers revealed he was “pitching through some stuff.”
“I don’t think he did anything during his usage in September and October to make this worse,” Luhnow said. “We were very careful in planning his outings and usage to make sure he was asymptomatic, that he was feeling good, that his bullpen sessions were good. We were extremely cautious. There was nothing that happened in any game or anything like that where it led to this result.
“The reality is every pitcher has some sort of tear in their elbow, and it’s up to the medical team to determine what the best course of action is. And normally when someone is asymptomatic, (it) is to keep competing. That’s essentially why we used him in the postseason.”
Images and evaluation of McCullers’ elbow in August left Luhnow and the organization to believe they could continue deploying the pitcher, as long as he felt no discomfort. For his long-term health, though, commissioning Tommy John surgery was more beneficial. The procedure carries at least a yearlong recovery. Allowing him to come to spring training and deciding to proceed with the surgery in February or March carries the possibility of missing parts of two seasons.
Instead, McCullers projects to miss only next season. How the Astros account for his absence — to maximize the final season of team control for Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole — becomes their foremost offseason question.
Verlander and Cole will front the rotation. Their presence somewhat allays the agony McCullers’ diagnosis brings. Another veteran’s impending addition could do the same.
McCullers’ news increases the probability Collin McHugh — a 19game winner in 2015 — will re-enter the rotation. Thrust into the bullpen this season following Cole’s acquisition, McHugh had the fourth-lowest ERA and WHIP among American League relievers.
“I’d say we have three spots fairly well locked up if we choose to go down the path of putting McHugh back in the rotation,” Luhnow said. “With Lance not being there, it probably increases the odds of that happening.”
Other internal options, albeit less proven, also exist. Josh James and Framber Valdez impressed during September call-ups. Cionel Perez projects as a starting pitcher, too, despite his eight major league relief appearances this season.
First-round picks in consecutive drafts — J.B. Bukauskas and Forrest Whitley — are thriving in the Arizona Fall League after abbreviated minor league seasons. Whitley, the organization’s No. 1 overall prospect, has struck out 23 in 17 innings. Bukauskas has a 2.70 ERA in 162⁄3 frames.
“Both of those guys have got to be on the horizon for potential rotation pieces for us in the next 1224 (months),” Luhnow said.
Luhnow said Tuesday he “hopes” Whitley pitches in the major leagues next season. The general manager then retreated downstairs to the lobby of a golf resort hosting the annual GM meetings, where he continues conversations to gauge the freeagent market.
Free-agent starting pitching is somewhat lean. Patrick Corbin and Keuchel — who owns an Astros qualifying offer — are the most established high-end hurlers available. Morton and Lance Lynn — each with fWARs at or exceeding three last season — sit in wait among the second tier of available arms.
“We’re going to explore every opportunity to continue to build out a rotation to having an elite rotation,” Luhnow said. “We got used to that last year, and we really liked it.”