Astros Hope Not-So-Secret Weapon Delivers Healthy 2026 Season

After missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016, the Houston Astros have a not-so-secret weapon who they're hopeful all the injuries will be behind him in 2026.

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By no means were the Houston Astros a bad team in 2025, despite missing out on the playoffs for the first time since the 2016 season. They ranked well as a team with their pitching, collecting a 3.86 cumulative ERA, 1,504 strikeouts (2nd-best in MLB), and an opposing batting average of .232.

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Despite their pitching success, things didn't click last season for Houston, even with winning 87 games. Going into the new season, the pitching staff looks to pick up where it left off, and one way to do so is by banking on a full, healthy season from former first-round pick Lance McCullers Jr.

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McCullers' career with the Astros started as well as it could. From 2015 to 2018, McCullers held a 3.67 ERA with 509 strikeouts and a 29-22 record with a 5.2 WAR in 453.2 innings pitched. When Houston won its first World Series championship in 2017, McCullers had a 2.61 postseason ERA.

Following 2018s campaign, McCullers missed the 2019 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, but returned in 2020 and picked up where he left off. Fast forward a few seasons, McCullers underwent surgery in June 2023 to repair a flexor tendon, missing 2023 and 2024 due to setbacks.

Making his return this past season, the injury recovery showed in his 2025 performance. With an ERA of 6.51 last season through 16 games pitched, McCullers is the biggest bounce-back candidate for the Astros to succeed in 2026.

What 2025 Meant to McCullers

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While McCullers was on the injured list a handful of times last season, this offseason is a big step in the right direction for the former All-Star. His return campaign wasn't what he wanted production-wise, but it was everything he wanted mentally.

“Overall, my stuff is there,” McCullers said to MLB.com. “I can gain a little bit of velo. That should hopefully come back. It takes guys some time after major surgeries and I've had a couple, so just continue to put the work in and understand that it's still there, just have to find a way to be just a little bit more consistent.”

Going into the final season of his contract extension and set to hit free agency at season's end, McCullers has a ton riding on this season. When he's healthy, he's dominant, which makes him stand out as a secret weapon that might've been forgotten about.

Pairing McCullers with Hunter Brown and Christian Javier, as well as newly acquired Tatsuya Imai, the Houston rotation is promising, and if the pitching staff replicates its success against the league, the Astros should still be a feared team in the American League.

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