McCullers, Blanco deliver scoreless rehab outings on path back to Majors

Two Astros starting pitchers continued to make strides toward their eventual returns to the big league club on Thursday night.

At Triple-A Sugar Land, right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. threw three scoreless innings in his first rehab start. He scattered two hits and did not walk a batter while recording four strikeouts across 42 pitches (28 strikes). McCullers used a five-pitch mix and topped out at 92.2 mph on his sinker.

The 32-year-old has been on the IL since May 19 with what he described as a right rotator impingement. McCullers was originally scratched from his scheduled start on May 19 with right shoulder inflammation. He said that the issue had been bothering him for a few starts, but he was typically able to push through it.

McCullers recorded a 6.86 ERA in 39 1/3 innings across eight starts with the Astros this season.

Meanwhile, at Double-A Corpus Christi, right-hander Ronel Blanco made his second rehab start, tossing 50 pitches in 3 1/3 scoreless innings. Blanco, who is on the mend from Tommy John surgery that he underwent last June, allowed two hits and two walks while striking out two.

Houston’s rotation is starting to look complete again amid the return of ace Hunter Brown, who missed two-and-a-half months with a right shoulder strain. More reinforcements would help the Astros (40-43) stabilize a unit that has pitched to a 4.92 ERA this season, which was fourth-worst in the Majors entering play on Thursday.