Astros get bad injury news on ace Lance McCullers Jr.

Astros ace pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. is unlikely to pitch if Houston advances to the World Series, although the injury appears to be muscular in nature.

Astros ace Lance McCullers Jr. helped the team to deliver during the ALDS against the Chicago White Sox, but the high level of performance cost him his availability in the ALCS.

McCullers Jr. was pulled after the fourth inning of his last outing, when he noticed discomfort in his arm.

“I just started getting tight at the beginning of the [fourth] inning,” McCullers Jr. said after ALDS Game 4. “I got out of it. I was fine, but in a 5-1 ballgame, especially with how they came back on us a few nights ago … I felt like we had the day off yesterday, so our guys were pretty rested up.”

McCullers Jr. told manager Dusty Baker that he wasn’t “100 percent,” and the Astros relied on their bullpen to pull through the game.

After evaluating his arm over the last week, the Astros finally have a clearer idea of when McCullers Jr. can return, but it likely won’t be soon enough.

The injury has officially been described as a flexor pronator muscle strain in his right arm.

Lance McCullers Jr. likely to remain out if Astros advance to World Series

Although McCullers Jr. has been out during the entire ALCS, he has been the ultimate teammate in supporting the dugout during the championship battle.

“It’s been a tough couple of days, but I can help lead this team in more ways than just pitching,” McCullers Jr. said before his team lost in Game 2. “Help the guys with the scouting reports, watching the game, trying to pick up on what I can. I can be there for them in more ways than one.”

While the news is good in that McCullers Jr. hasn’t suffered significant damage, it means the ace pitcher can’t join in when his teammates need him the way they did in Game 2. In Game 3, the resilient Astros bounced back with a seven-run comeback in the ninth inning. McCullers Jr. just wishes he could be a part of it.

“I want to be out there,” McCullers Jr. told ESPN. “I feel like in a way I’ve kind of let the guys down. I know I can’t do anything about it, but it feels that way to me.”