Lance McCullers Jr. may need to transition to a relief role if he cannot regain his past form as a starter. With uncertainty surrounding his performance upon return, the Astros could leverage their surplus of starting pitchers to fill gaps in the bullpen, making the potential trade of Ryan Pressly more feasible.

Lance McCullers Jr. is recovering from elbow surgery, contributing to the Astros' current pitching challenges.

Lance McCullers Jr. is one of the injured pitchers for the Houston Astros as they seek pitching help to start the season without key players.

Houston Astros will be without Lance McCullers Jr. due to flexor surgery until midseason at the earliest.

Lance McCullers Jr., currently recovering from flexor surgery, will not be back in the Houston Astros rotation until midseason at the earliest, adding to the team's pitching challenges for the 2024 season.