Houston Astros Nightmare Deepens After Another Pitching Injury Scare

McCullers was scratched from the lineup against the Minnesota Twins. According to Astros manager Joe Espada, the pitcher was dealing with the issue for quite a while. McCullers has struggled with injuries over the last couple of years. The 2026 MLB season has not been kind to the pitcher.

He struggled on the mound, surrendering 30 earned runs in eight games. McCullers holds a 6.86 ERA.

Lance McCullers Puts The Astros In A Tough Position

McCullers might have been struggling, but he was one of those veteran pitchers Houston had on their terribly injured rotation. The Astros were hoping that he would turn things around for the team soon. However, his latest injury scare could take a while now, leaving the team with a handful of starting pitchers.

Hunter Brown, Cristian Javier, Brandon Walter, Ronel Blanco, and Hayden Wesneski are already out. McCullers will join them, and the Astros are only left with Mike Burrows, Tatsuya Imai, Peter Lambert, and Spencer Arrighetti.

The Houston Astros are currently in a fix. The only way they could move forward is by turning to players from the minor leagues. The 2026 season already seems to be a lost cause. Making the playoffs is going to be tough, and manager Joe Espada’s job is already on the line. Many speculate that the Astros could fire Espada soon for the team’s poor performance.