Astros' McCullers shut down from throwing

HOUSTON (SportsRadio 610)- Lance McCullers Jr.'s rehab from right flexor tendon surgery has hit a snag, and he will not throw for the next few days, Astros manager Joe Espada revealed Tuesday.

"He's just not feeling well after his bullpens and his throwing programs," Espada said. "He's going to be a no-throw for a few days until we sit back down and reevaluate how are we going to move forward."

McCullers underwent surgery to repair his flexor tendon and remove a bone from his elbow on June 13, 2023. The Astros hoped he'd be able to rejoin their rotation at some point after the All-Star Break.

Espada described the soreness as general arm soreness.

"We want to make sure that we check him out and (see) why he's not able to bounce back and recover after after his bullpens, so we'll get some specific (information) here and the next day or two."

McCullers, 30, is in the third year of a five-year, $85 million extension that he signed before the start of the 2021 season. He threw 162.1 innings that season, but suffered a forearm injury while pitching on three days rest in the ALDS. He was limited to eight regular season starts in 2022, and missed the entirety of the 2023 season.