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The Astros are expecting to be without a member of their starting rotation for a second straight season. Houston right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. is likely to miss the remainder of the season after being shut down from throwing a month ago during his rehabilitation. McCullers had surgery in June 2023 to repair his right flexor tendon and remove a bone spur in his pitching elbow. The 30-year-old has not pitched since 2022, when he was 4-and-2 with a 2.27 ERA through eight starts with Houston.