Ronel Blanco - Houston Astros : Qwiket: Integrated Sports Knowledge

Houston Astros

Ronel Blanco

NFL

NHL

MLB

NBA

IN-FOCUS

Go To Full MLB Digest

September 2, 2025

Lance McCullers Jr.: Astros bullpen role will be 'an adjustmet'

Matt Kawahara

Houston Chronicle

Lance McCullers Jr.: Astros bullpen role will be 'an adjustmet'

Lance McCullers Jr. shifted to a bullpen role for the Astros, his first relief appearance since 2018, as Houston tries to reenergize a bumpy return from a lengthy rehab.

Houston framed the move as short-term, designed to sharpen command and buy McCullers innings in tight spots, with the group around him—Framber Valdez, Cristian Javier, Hunter Brown, and Spencer Arrighetti—providing depth as they navigate a crowded rotation while injuries linger.

With McCullers in relief, what’s the realistic fantasy impact on his upside for wins, holds, and strikeouts the rest of the season?How should dynasty or keeper leagues treat McCullers’s move—could this alter his long-term ceiling versus his pre-injury projections?Which Astros pitchers are most affected by McCullers’s shift, and what does it mean for their fantasy value and innings in the short term?What are the odds McCullers returns to a starting role this season, and what would it take for that transition to happen?

Mentions:

Baltimore Orioles | MLB

@Cristian Javier | Houston Astros | MLB

@Framber Valdez | Houston Astros | MLB

@Lance McCullers Jr. | Houston Astros | MLB

Los Angeles Angels | MLB

Los Angeles Dodgers | MLB

Oakland Athletics | MLB

@Ronel Blanco | Houston Astros | MLB

@Spencer Arrighetti | Houston Astros | MLB

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/astros/art..