Lance McCullers Jr.

Astros manager Dusty Baker says RHP Lance McCullers is uncertain for his next start in Colorado.

Fantasy Impact

McCullers has been dealing with an illness since his disappointing start against the Tigers on Wednesday. There's a real chance that Houston skips his turn in the rotation, so fantasy managers should have a backup plan in place for next week.

Astros starter Lance McCullers had a shaky outing on Wednesday, allowing six runs over the course of 3.2 innings. He also surrendered four hits and three walks while striking out three.

Fantasy Impact

McCullers is now 1-1 this season with a 5.27 ERA. He has 1.24 WHIP and 16 strikeouts over 13.2 innings. The right-hander may have had a tough go of things against Detroit, but he still has plenty of fantasy relevance as the 30th-ranked starter in the latest rest-of-season expert consensus rankings.

Astros starter Lance McCullers Jr. proved to be quite effective on Friday night, allowing just one run on two hits over five innings. He also walked three and struck out six. It was all for naught, though, as the bullpen surrendered five runs and Houston lost to the Athletics, 6-2.

Fantasy Impact

Over 10 innings of work this year, McCullers has been dominant, striking out 10 with a 1.00 WHIP and a strong 1.80 ERA. He has allowed just four hits and six walks. Recently signed to an extension, the 27-year-old right-hander figures to be a key part of the rotation for years to come. He checks in at No. 30 in the latest rest-of-season expert consensus rankings.

In his first start of the season, Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. held the Athletics to just one run, two hits, and three walks over five innings of work. He also struck out seven batters while amassing a respectable 54-41 strikes-to-balls ratio.

Fantasy Impact

McCullers was recently signed to a five-year extension as Houston showed faith in keeping him in the rotation long-term. While they would have liked for him to last longer than five innings, his ability to hold Oakland to just one run should not go unnoticed. He earned the win after setting the stage for the Astros' 9-1 victory. The 27-year-old right-hander checks in at No. 36 in the latest rest-of-season expert consensus rankings.

Lance McCullers Jr. and the Astros have agreed to a five-year, $85 million contract extension.

Fantasy Impact

McCullers and the Astros had been engaged in talks for a few days now, so it's good to see them cross the finish line. From a dynasty standpoint, there are few better places for a starting pitcher to be than in Houston, so the fact that McCullers will remain with the team for years to come is a great development. The move doesn't change anything for redraft purposes, but the fact that the organization is so invested in McCullers speaks to his talent and upside.