McCullers (forearm) threw 10 pitches off flat ground Sunday before tossing an additional 10 pitches off the mound about 1-to-2 feet in front of the rubber, Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle reports.
The second part of the throwing workout barely qualifies as a bullpen session, but the activity marks a step forward for McCullers nonetheless as he works his way back from the forearm injury he suffered during the Astros' 2021 playoff run. McCullers noted that he kept his velocity around 90 miles per hour during the light mound work, but he plans to gradually increase both the intensity and number of pitches he throws in subsequent bullpen sessions. First, McCullers plans to throw off flat ground at 90 feet again Monday before potentially getting back on the mound again later in the week. He still looks to be a month or more away from returning from the 60-day injured list.