Astros GM Shares Update on Brantley, McCullers
Before the world champion Houston Astros took the field on Opening Night against the Chicago White Sox, new Astros general manager Dana Brown provided an update on multiple injured Astros stars.
Brown said that outfielder Michael Brantley will miss at least three weeks of game action. He was shut down last season after playing just 64 games and a season-ending shoulder procedure.
When he does come back, he'll play some left field and some designated hitter, and he'll be a big boon to an already excellent Astros offense. He's a career .298 hitter across 14 seasons and owns an excellent lifetime .356 on-base percentage.
In four years with Houston, Brantley has been better than those averages, hitting .306 with a .368 on-base percentage.
As for starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr., Brown didn't give an update on his exact timeline, but he did say that the righty is pain free. He's on the injured list with a right elbow strain.
At the start of the season, Houston is going with Framber Valdez, Luis Garcia, Christian Javier, Jose Urquidy and Hunter Brown in the rotation.
McCullers, 29, only made eight appearances last year, going 4-2 with a 2.27 ERA.
For his career, he's 49-32 with a 3.48 ERA. He helped the Astros win both the 2017 and 2022 World Series titles.
The Astros are among the favorites again this year to win the World Series. They lost on Opening Night to the White Sox, 3-2, after Andrew Vaughn hit a two-RBI double in the top of the ninth inning.
The two teams will meet again Friday at 8:10 p.m. ET.
