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After a successful first start returning from the injured list, Houston Astros fans were excited to see what Lance McCullers Jr. was capable of this season. While he didn't pitch particularly long in his first game back, his stuff passed the eye test and everyone with the Astros including McCullers Jr. was thrilled at the result. Unfortunately, his second start back on Saturday did not go nearly as well.
Against the Reds on Saturday, McCullers Jr. only managed to record a single out as he was ultimately held responsible for seven of the 10 runs that were scored in the first inning. He was so bad that some bottom-dwelling "fans" sent threats to McCullers Jr. and his family. In case it isn't clear, there is no place for that and if you are one of the fans that sends threats to players, you are a toilet of a human being that deserves any and all consequences coming your way.
Despite the existence of these gross humans, McCullers Jr. was not good on Sunday and it does raise some questions as to whether or not he is completely healthy and how much he can help the Astros in the short-term.
Lance McCuller Jr.'s implosion against the Reds raises some questions about his viability in the rotation
Given the severity of McCullers Jr.'s struggles on Saturday, it is fair to wonder if he is healthy and if his first start back resulted in some sort of setback. McCullers Jr. only threw 17 of his 36 pitches on Saturday for strikes. However, both McCullers Jr. and manager Joe Espada just chalked it up to rust while denouncing the threats made against McCullers Jr. and his family.
Again, there is no excuse for that sort of behavior and one hopes that those making those threats of violence get a visit from law enforcement. That said, McCullers Jr. is coming off a long layoff and one of the biggest hurdles for a rehabbing pitcher is bouncing back between starts over the course of a long season. If McCullers Jr. consistently struggles badly every other start or something like that, he can't stay in the rotation, can he?
Right now, this is something that just needs to be monitored. Every pitcher has days where they just don't have it and McCullers Jr. does deserve more grace as he works his way back. However, there is no denying that the Astros really need McCullers Jr. to be a factor this season and right now, there is no guarantee whatsoever that he will be.