Astros' Lance McCullers Jr. placed on disabled list

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Already without ace Dallas Keuchel and middle-of-the-rotation starters Charlie Morton and Collin McHugh, the Astros were dealt their latest injury blow Monday.

Lance McCullers Jr. will miss at least Tuesday's start because of what the team described as lower back discomfort. The major league-leading Astros placed their No. 2 starter, who's amid a breakout season, on the 10-day disabled list, from which he will be eligible to return June 19, the date of what would be his next turn in the rotation.

Brad Peacock will start Tuesday night against the Texas Rangers on three days' rest in McCullers' place. Top pitching prospect Francis Martes, who struggled in Class AAA and in his major league debut in relief last Friday, will make his first major league start Wednesday. He represents the team's last healthy starting option on the 40-man roster. The season is only two months old.

Astros manager A.J. Hinch said McCullers reported feeling soreness in his lower back to the team during Sunday afternoon's loss to the Los Angeles Angels. McCullers wasn't available for comment Monday. According to a team spokesman, the 23-year-old righthander was advised by the team's medical staff to stay home from Minute Maid Park on Monday.

"It was something that was going to keep him from making his start (Tuesday), so then we decided to put him on the DL, give him complete rest and hope that he comes back at the end of those 10 days," Hinch said.

Coming into Monday's games, McCullers ranked fourth among qualified American League starters in ERA (2.58) and strikeouts per nine innings (10.45) and second in groundball rate (63.0) behind only Keuchel (67.4). The reigning AL pitcher of the month pitched seven innings of one-run ball in last outing Thursday at Kansas City, arguably the best of his 13 starts this season.

"He said that (the soreness) started to be gradual when he was playing catch (Sunday) and then as the game got underway it was something that he wanted to report," Hinch said. "I know he's had this before, in the past, in the minor leagues, in which he's missed a couple days. And we've all had back soreness, so it's kind of self explanatory what he feels like and what he's going through.



>>Click through the gallery to see the injuries suffered by Astros pitchers this season ... Astros starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. is going on the disabled list with lower back discomfort.

>>Click through the gallery to see the injuries suffered by Astros pitchers this season ... Astros starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. is going on the disabled list with lower back discomfort. Photo: Karen Warren, Houston Chronicle Photo: Karen Warren, Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 50 Caption Close Astros' Lance McCullers Jr. placed on disabled list 1 / 50 Back to Gallery

"If he can't perform at an optimal level, then we were going to make sure that we DL'd him as a precaution and hope that this is a short stint for him."

McCullers is the fifth Astros starter to require a DL stint this season and one of four currently on the DL. Keuchel, who has a major league-best 1.67 ERA, is out with a pinched nerve in his neck and isn't expected to resume throwing until this weekend at the earliest.

Morton (lat strain) resumed throwing only Friday. McHugh (elbow impingement) has been throwing for a couple of weeks but isn't expected back until after the All-Star break.

Mike Fiers is the only member of the Astros' opening day rotation who hasn't gone on the DL this season. Joe Musgrove returned to pitch Monday after missing his previous two starts because of shoulder inflammation.

"It is what it is," Hinch said. "I know everybody wants the 'frustrating' quote or the 'woe is me' or 'the sky is falling.' The reality is we've got a really good team and we're going to have to absorb this or else.

"There's no more pressure on us. There's no more anxiety on us. It is what it is. We're tough enough to deal with it. We've got guys who are in the rotation for the foreseeable future, and the better they pitch the better we'll be."