Houston Astros Star Pitcher Hits Notable Speed on Radar Gun, Throwing 'Without Pain'

After an injury-riddled recent couple of years, the Houston Astros star pitcher is feeling healthy ahead of his return to the mound.

Mar 28, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. warms up before the game against the New York Yankees at Minute Maid Park. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Houston Astros are headed into the 2025 season with some holes to fill in their pitching staff. The good news is Lance McCullers Jr. is feeling healthy heading into the year.

McCullers was the 41st pick in the 2012 MLB draft out of Jesuit High School in Tampa, Florida. He pitched a few seasons in the minor leagues before he was promoted to the bigs in 2015. He enjoyed a solid rookie year and he has pitched well for Houston when healthy.

Healthy is the key word when it comes to McCullers.

The right-hander has not pitched a full season since 2021. Along with that, the one-time All-Star has not pitched in professional baseball since the 2022 campaign. He had UCL surgery in 2019 and surgery to fix his right flexor tendon 2023. While rehabbing from the procedure in 2023, McCullers suffered a setback and was not able to pitch last year.

The good news is McCullers has been throwing and he is feeling healthy.

Dana Brown says Lance McCullers Jr has hit 90 mph on the gun and is throwing without pain right now.

— Will Kunkel (@WillKunkelFOX) February 4, 2025

If the right-hander can maintain his health this season, he would be a massive asset for the Astros.

In his career, the 31-year-old has thrown 718.2 innings, struck out 800 and he has a 3.48 ERA. In 2021, McCullers made 28 starts, went 13-5, had a 10.3 K/9 and he finished seventh in the AL Cy Young race.

The Tampa native has pitched very well in the postseason for Houston, as well.

In his playoff career, McCullers has made 19 appearances, including 12 starts. The former first-round pick has a postseason ERA of 3.47 and 80 strikeouts through 72.2 innings pitched. In those years, he has helped the Astros win two World Series Championships (2017, 2022).

Houston lost Justin Verlander to free agency this winter and they traded Ryan Pressly to the Chicago Cubs. Additionally, Yusei Kikuchi has signed elsewhere and Cristian Javier will miss all of 2025.

McCullers has history of both starting and relieving, so he could fill both roles for the Astros as needed.

It might be a little bit too early to get the hopes up for Houston, but him throwing without pain is a huge step in the right direction.

He will most likely not pitch too much until the end of Spring Training, if at all since he's not expected to be ready for Opening Day.

Nonetheless, if McCullers is healthy, he has the ability to make a big difference for Houston in 2025.