Astros Banking on Bounce Back Season From Right-Handed Starting Pitcher

There are questions surrounding the Houston starting rotation this season and they are counting on a right-handed pitcher to have a bounce-back 2026 season.

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Going into the 2026 season, there are a lot of questions surrounding the Houston Astros' starting pitchers. Framber Valdez is likely gone in free agency, and after Hunter Brown, there are right now more questions than answers.

Dylan Cease has signed with the Toronto Blue Jays in free agency and the next top two pitchers on the free agent market are Michael King of the San Diego Padres and Ranger Suarez of the Philadelphia Phillies. Signing either of them feels like a stretch for general manager Dana Brown.

After a quiet Winter Meetings, Houston still has work to do with their roster for 2026. As far as pitching goes, it appears that Brown and the Astros are putting a lot of faith in Lance McCullers Jr. next season and banking on his health being better.

Astros Counting on Lance McCullers Jr. in 2026

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Chandler Rome, the Astros beat writer for The Athletic (subscription required), reported McCullers Jr is "locked in" for the final year of his five-year, $85 million contract extension.

“He’s got something to prove to the baseball world that he’s still Lance McCullers and he can get after it,” Brown said. “ … I’m kind of excited about seeing him in spring training, to be honest.”

It's not surprising to see McCullers Jr. locked into Houston's plans for spring training, but it is a big risk to count on him given his injury history. Since signing his current contract, McCullers Jr. has made just 52 appearances for the Astros, which included a move to the bullpen in 2025.

“I think he’s capable of doing anything,” Espada said back in August as McCullers Jr. was moved to the bullpen. “I think Lance is a really good pitcher. We’re trying to find opportunities to get him going, and maybe pitching out of the bullpen for an outing or two can get him going.''

Last season, he made 13 starts and 16 appearances with a 2-5 record in 55.1 innings pitched and a 6.51 ERA with a -1.1 WAR. He struck out 61 and walked 39 with a 1,81 WHIP.

McCullers Jr. missed the 2023 and 2024 seasons with injuries, but when he signed his current deal, you can't deny how well he was pitching, and he looked like a key piece of Houston's rotation in their championship window. It hasn't worked out that way because of injuries.

One takeaway from Brown's comment is that they are hoping that McCullers Jr. can return to his form before his injuries, which would be something the Astros desperately need. It's a big risk, but one Houston has to take given the current state of their rotation.