Astros activate RHP Lance McCullers Jr. to face Cubs

The Houston Astros activated right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. from the injured list to start Saturday’s home game against the Chicago Cubs and optioned right-hander Nick Hernandez to Triple-A Sugar Land.
McCullers, who is 1-2 with a 4.91 ERA in seven starts this season, had been out since June 13 with a sprained right foot. He will make his first start since June 10, when he allowed four runs on four hits and four walks with six strikeouts over five innings in a 4-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox.
Prior to that setback, McCullers recorded consecutive quality starts with 19 strikeouts in 12 innings. He made his season debut on May 4 after missing the past two seasons with injuries.
In eight major league seasons since 2015, all with the Astros, McCullers is 50-34 with a 3.54 ERA in 137 appearances (134 starts).
Hernandez, 30, had a 9.00 ERA in two relief appearances. In nine career major league appearances over the past three seasons, he has a 9.00 ERA in 13 innings for the San Diego Padres (2023) and Astros.