Astros' Lance McCullers says he feels ready to return

After throwing a bullpen session Tuesday afternoon at Minute Maid Park, Lance McCullers said he feels ready to rejoin the Astros rotation.

"It's been a long time since I've pitched. October was a while ago," he said. "I'm excited."

The Astros have yet to announce when McCullers will make his first start, but it likely will come this weekend when the team is in Boston to play the Red Sox. Dallas Keuchel and Collin McHugh are in line to start Thursday and Friday's games, respectively, so Saturday appears the likeliest day on which McCullers could make his season debut.

"(Wednesday is) a big day in terms of recovery," manager A.J. Hinch said before Tuesday night's game against the Indians. "We've built this up as this every day is a test for him to see if he's going to feel well enough to rejoin us. All signs are pointing that way but there won't be an announcement until (Wednesday)."

McCullers said his bullpen session Tuesday was "great." The 22-year-old righthander said he focused on fastball location for 95 percent of the session. He feels his curveball and slider are exactly where they need to be as he readies to begin his sophomore season in the big leagues.

The start to McCullers' season was set back in spring training because of shoulder soreness. His original rehab assignment was stalled in mid-April because of lingering issues recovering between outings. He resumed building up his arm in extended spring training and then with five scoreless innings Saturday with Class AAA Fresno in El Paso.

"There were some abnormalities that I was dealing with," he said. "It was more of just we didn't want to push it. That's what spring training's for, to try to work those kinks out. But it wasn't working. I needed more time.

"It was frustrating for me because of the work I put in in the offseason and I felt so ready to go and then my body just kind of held me back for a little while. But hopefully we're getting out of the woods here, and things can kind of just go back to normal."

McCullers needed only 64 pitches to get through his five-inning rehab start Saturday. His fastball velocity ranged from 91 to 96 m.p.h. His catcher that night was Max Stassi, who joined the Astros on Tuesday when Jason Castro went on paternity leave.

"Typical Lance. He was filthy," Stassi said of McCullers' last outing. "It was pretty fun catching him down in extended (spring training), too. He just dominates guys."

The Astros will be thrilled to have him back, as his power right arm changes the complexion of their rotation.