Houston Astros starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. (Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports)
The Houston Astros were dealt a huge blow when they had to leave pitcher Lance McCullers off their ALCS roster. Can they cope without him?
The key to any deep postseason run is pitching. So how much should the Astros be sweating right now?
Houston will start their ALCS series on Friday night against the Red Sox without ace pitcher Lance McCullers.
Lance McCullers Jr. injury update: Pitcher left off ALCS roster
In fact, McCullers won’t be available for the entirety of the series. He was left off the Astros’ ALCS roster after leaving Game 4 of the ALDS with forearm soreness.
The good news is the injury doesn’t involve structural damage. Dusty Baker said it was a strained muscle but there has been no indication of his availability for a potential World Series appearance, per Brian McTaggart.
The bad news is McCullers won’t be able to help Houston get to the World Series in the first place. They’ll have to get by the Red Sox without him.
Can they do it? Of course, they can. They arguably have a better rotation than the Red Sox, especially if Chris Sale continues to look shaky in the postseason, and their battling lineup can make up the difference.
The real question is who will step up for both sides. That’s what will make the difference between an ALCS exit and a World Series trip.
McCullers’ absence makes the margin for error much smaller for Houston, since he would have been the best pitcher for either side going into the series. It’ll be that much more important for Astros batters to put runs on the board. That’s exactly why you employ players like Jose Altuve and company. It’s on them to make sure McCullers gets the chance to pitch again this postseason.
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