This Long-Time Astros Starter Is Primed and Ready for 2026 Opening Day

This long time Astros starting pitcher is preparing for hopefully a bounce back campaign after he returned to the mound in 2025.

Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Ever since Lance McCullers Jr. made his MLB debut back in 2015, Houston Astros fans knew he'd be special. Unfortunately injuries have defined his career, especially over the last three seaons, and limited him to 16 games since 2023.

The Astros were once so confident in him, they gifted him a five-year $85 million contract after his 3.16 ERA, 28-start 2021 season. He's made 21 starts over the four seasons since then.

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McCullers fought through injuries to his forearm, foot, finger, and hand through 2025, and finished the season on a strong note in late September. After all the adversity he's gone through, he's finally healthy and pitching well in spring training.

Lance McCullers Is the Most Healthy He’s Been in Three Seasons

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

McCullers threw a three-inning start on Tuesday against Baltimore and pitched well. Just his second start of the spring, McCullers threw 52 pitches over three innings, allowed two runs, and struck out four batters.

Best of all, he just walked one batter and threw a strong amount of strikes.

"I was super happy with today... majority of the counts I was kind of maybe falling (behind) or getting even counts, was just trying to find the changeup early, that's a part of spring training, but in the third (inning) it was really, really good," McCullers said post-game to reporters, including MLB.com's Brian McTaggart.

Good stuff from Lance McCullers Jr. breaking down his outing and where he stands with Opening Day a little more than two weeks away pic.twitter.com/1DUAMzDDCe

— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) March 10, 2026

McCullers had thrown just one inning in a spring game before Tuesday, but he mentioned that he threw a simulated two innings on back-fields in between the two starts.

It's good to see McCullers fully healthy and pitching well, and it couldn't happen at a better time. After the Astros lost long-time ace Framber Valdez over free agency this offseason, they had to add a starter.

In response, Houston added righty Mike Burrows from the Pirates via trade and signed Tatsuya Imai from Japan to a three-year deal. McTaggart predicts McCullers will be the sixth man in Houston's rotation to start the season, and will compete with Spencer Arrighetti for a spot.

It's hard to put stock in two small spring training outings, but McCullers has out-dueled Arrighetti so far, for what it's worth. Even if McCullers doesn't wind up making the rotation, he could be a long man out of the bullpen and cycle in to start as needed.

No matter where he's used, health is the biggest priority for McCullers who is entering the final season of his long extention. So far, so good for the Astros long-time starting pitcher.