LOS ANGELES — Lance McCullers Jr. will head back to Houston to have his right elbow examined after leaving his start against the Los Angeles Dodgers because of discomfort Saturday night.
The right-hander gave up two hits in four innings, struck out five and walked two before departing with a 1-0 lead. Houston won the game 14-0.
"He came to me after his last inning and said he felt a little something," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "We really didn’t like the look in his warm-up pitches so I took him out of the game."
McCullers will fly out Sunday before the series finale against the Dodgers. The Astros conclude their eight-game trip with a visit to San Francisco.
"I felt some abnormal soreness and stiffness that I wouldn’t feel during the game," McCullers said. "I couldn’t have felt any better to start the game, which is the most frustrating part."
McCullers was back on the mound at Dodger Stadium for the first time since starting Game 7 of last year’s World Series, when the Astros beat Los Angeles.
He has lost three of his last four starts and is 11-7 with a 4.06 ERA.
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