Astros See Encouraging Signs in Lance McCullers’ First Spring Start

Houston Astros fans love Lance McCullers Jr. He's a household icon of Houston. With all the experience and pivotal moments he's showcased on the Daikin Park mound, like the postseason, he won't be forgotten in the Astros pitching lore. On the other hand, he's spent nearly half of his career on the injured list, failing to stay healthy enough to be a force on a season-by-season basis.

Up until the 2025 season, when McCullers spent most of the regular season on the IL, most fans began to give up on their beloved Astro, and rightfully so. On a five-year, $85 million extension signed in 2021, he barely pitched a third of a season in two of the four years and was completely out of commission to play baseball in back-to-back seasons of 2023 and 2024 due to full-season-ending injuries.

Even malicious acts such as death threats were thrown at the veteran right-hander. Yet, he still remained on the team. Approaching this spring training, McCullers came into camp with an ultimatum, citing that this would likely be his last year in baseball if his health continued deteriorating.

A Promising Start

Lance McCullers Jr. warms up before the bottom of the first inning tonight pic.twitter.com/WNDf0BJtxF
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) February 27, 2026

He made his first spring training game on Friday, February 27th, and pitched a clean inning, needing just eight pitches. Additionally, his fastball touched 94.6 mph, a promising improvement.

Following the game, the 32-year old talked with reporters on how he felt during his 2026 spring debut:

"I thought it was solid, I was happy with the way I was moving...A quick inning. Need some more of those in my life. "

For McCullers' fastball to top close to 95 mph brings back memories of his high velocity with breakneck movement dating back to 2021, the last time he pitched a full season. He hardly ever used his fastball last season as it sat in the mid-80s, relying heavily on his breaking pitches.

Although a solid slider and curveball, the 2-time World Series Champion became more predictable to hitters, sporting an abysmal 6.51 ERA in 16 games. If he can consistently throw his fastball with decent velocity and stay healthy, it becomes a legitimate weapon in the arsenal and better sets up his signature knuckle curveball.

How McCullers Revived His Fastball

Houston Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

McCullers mentioned his workout process on how he was able to reach close to 95 again, which took a couple of months to achieve. Periodically, he pitched a few bullpens touching the mid-80s, then prepped for spring training, touching the low 90s leading into his start last Friday. He jokingly referred to teammate Hunter Brown, who apparently can hit close to 100 mph with no lengthy preparation:

"You always throw your bullpens in the off-seasons, you get to camp and get to those first lives, not for like Hunter [Brown] who throws 100 mph all the time but for us normal folk you gotta kind of build up."

Two Outcomes For McCullers

The Tampa Bay native will be a free agent after the 2026 regular season. Currently, there are two roads ahead of him. One road leads to a familiar downfall, falling to another possible injury that will yet again keep him from helping the Astros win ballgames. Another injury to their current longest tenured pitcher is a sight fans and the team have been familiar with for most of his career.

The other road could lead to a second wind, a career-defining reinvention of some sorts. Contract years have a way of changing narratives. Lance McCullers' injury history is no question, and a clean inning of work at West Palm Beach isn't a bad way to start changing it.