Lance McCullers Injury: Updates on Astros Pitcher's Elbow and Return

Houston Astros pitcher Lance McCullers left Tuesday's start against the Toronto Blue Jays early with an elbow injury. He was placed on the disabled list Wednesday, and it's unclear when he will return.

Continue for updates.

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McCullers Placed on DL

Wednesday, Aug. 3

The Astros announced pitchers Brad Peacock and James Hoyt will join the major league roster to replace McCullers and Doug Fister, who was placed on paternity leave.

Losing McCullers for significant time would be a difficult blow for a Houston team that has World Series aspirations. He started the season on the disabled list because of shoulder soreness and may have to miss more action after the latest setback.

Thus far, he is 6-5 with a 3.22 ERA and 106 strikeouts in 81 innings pitched.

McCullers was impressive as a rookie in 2015 when he tallied 22 starts and 125.2 innings pitched for the Astros. He posted a 3.22 ERA, a 1.19 WHIP and 129 strikeouts as an important part of a starting rotation that was eighth in the big leagues in ERA.

While Astros fans were hoping McCullers would turn the corner in 2016 with additional experience under his belt, the team will have to rely on the rest of its solid starting rotation until he returns.

That means 2015 American League Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel will have to continue to be one of the best pitchers in baseball. Elsewhere, Collin McHugh is a reliable secondary option who finished with a sub-4.00 ERA in each of the last two seasons for Houston.

The Astros have enough pitching to survive a setback to McCullers, but they could use him if they plan on fulfilling expectations in the AL West.