Astros get thinner; Mccullers hits DL
The Houston Astros placed right-hander Lance Mccullers on the 10-day disabled list with a back problem on Monday, another blow to a rotation decimated by injuries.
His stint on the DL with discomfort in his lower back is retroactive to June 9. General manager Jeff Luhnow said the team doesn’t expect it to lead to a “long absence” for Mccullers but didn’t specify a specific timetable for his return.
“It’s something that was going to keep him from making his start (Tuesday),” manager A.J. Hinch said. “So then we decided to put him on the DL and give him complete rest and hope that he comes back at the end of those 10 days.”
Mccullers joins ace Dallas Keuchel and right-hander Charlie Morton on the 10-day DL. Houston has also been without starter Collin Mchugh, who is on the 60-day DL, all season. There was some good news for the first-place Astros on Monday with righthander Joe Musgrove coming off the DL to start against the Texas Rangers.
Mccullers is 6-1 with a 2.58 ERA in 13 starts this season, providing a potent 1-2 punch with Keuchel at the front end of the rotation as the Astros raced out to a double-digit lead in the AL West.
The injury to Mccullers forced Houston to shuffle its lineup. Brad Peacock will pitch in his spot on Tuesday against the Rangers on three days’ rest. The Astros decided Peacock was the best option to slide into that spot even though he left his last start after struggling early.
Hinch said he would normally be reticent to have a pitcher make two starts so close together, but several factors made Peacock the best option in this situation.
“With Peacock it’s a little bit different,” Hinch said. “He’s got some experience as a reliever. He also came out of the game after three innings and pitches in the 70s the other day. So of the time to send a guy out after three days, this is probably the best-case scenario.”
The Astros will put top prospect Francis Martes into the rotation to make his first major league start on Wednesday. Martes allowed four hits and four runs in 3 2/3 innings of relief on Friday in his major league debut.
■ Orioles: Baltimore third baseman Manny Machado was in the Orioles’ lineup Monday after missing four games because of an injured left hand and wrist.
The three-time All-star is hitting .213 with 12 home runs and 27 RBIS for the Orioles, who came into Monday’s game with four straight losses.
Baltimore also recalled right-handed pitcher Miguel
Castro from Double-a Bowie and optioned right-hander Logan Verrett to Triple-a Norfolk.
■ Red Sox: Boston TV analyst Jerry Remy said on Twitter that he has been diagnosed with lung cancer again and will start treatment in two weeks.
The 64-year-old Remy played for Boston from 1978-84. He has been a popular Red Sox television analyst since 1988. Remy was originally diagnosed with cancer in 2008.
■ Rays: With right-hander Matt Andriese headed back to the 10-day DL, Tampa Bay Rays will recall Jacob Faria to make his second major league start.
Andriese returned Saturday following a stint on the DL with a groin strain. He lasted just one inning against the Oakland Athletics before having what the team described as a “right hip stress reaction.”
■ Reds: Cuban shortstop Jose Israel Garcia will receive a $5 million signing bonus as part of his minor league contract with Cincinnati.
As part of the agreement announced Saturday with the 19-year-old, the Reds will pay Garcia $1.5 million when the agreement is approved by the commissioner’s office and $3.5 million by Nov. 15, payments contingent on his obtaining a U.S. work visa.
■ Mets: New York star outfielder Yoenis Cespedes left a game Monday against the
Cubs because of a sore left heel. Cespedes went 1 for 3 on Monday night before being pulled. On Saturday, Cespedes hit a grand slam at Atlanta in his return from a six-week stint on the disabled list.