Whether you’re a fan of the Philadelphia Phillies or a diehard Mets fan, chances are you’ve seen Lance McCullers Jr. in a jersey. During the playoffs, he was sporting the team’s jersey, which had a number of different sizes.

Size differences between his jersey and other jerseys

Despite the Astros sweeping the White Sox in the regular season and winning the American League pennant in the playoffs, Lance McCullers has yet to secure his ring. In fact, he’s been injured in each of his last two starts. The biggest hurdle will be getting his velocity back up to speed. The other major obstacle is figuring out a winning rotation. It’s also a matter of finding the right mix of starters for the bullpen. Regardless, McCullers will have plenty of practice in the postseason. In the long run, he can help the resurgent Astros make it to the World Series if he can continue to improve on his record of putting up big numbers in big games.

One thing that has been a persistent annoyance throughout his career is the lack of a consistent starter. This is a glaring oversight that’s likely to change in the coming years. The good news is that McCullers has a decent chance at being Houston’s opening day starter. That said, it’s a safe bet he’ll start at least two more games. With the Astros making their first playoff appearance since 2014, it’s high time to re-write the history books. Whether or not he’s able to repeat the success is anybody’s guess. Nonetheless, there is no denying that Lance McCullers is a bona fide Cy Young caliber pitcher.

McCullers’ velocity has dropped since returning from a forearm strain

During his last start, Lance McCullers was in the low-80s velocity range. It was the first time he had thrown a pitch over 98 mph since September of 2016. He has not thrown a pitch over 96 mph since the final game of the regular season.

In fact, the sinker velocity of McCullers hasn’t gone over 96 mph in three years. In fact, his sinker has maxed out at 96.2 mph in the ALCS. This is the only time he has thrown a pitch over 96 mPH all season.

The good news for McCullers is that his velocity has increased in the postseason. His four-seamer threw for 94.3 mph in the NLDS and Wild Card Series, which was a huge jump from the 93.8 mph it threw in the regular season.

On the flip side, his cutter has been trending downward since the summer. It has averaged 92 mph this month, and is still well above his 94.4 mph mark in September.

The good news for Houston is that this isn’t a huge problem. The team’s rotation includes Justin Verlander and Luis Garcia, two of the most dominant pitchers in the game. They have also been lights out in the playoffs.

It’s also worth noting that the rest of Houston’s postseason plan will have to work without McCullers. He’s been out for most of the season due to a flexor tendon forearm strain. Hopefully, he’ll be back for the postseason. He may even help the Astros clinch a World Series berth.

In his five postseason starts, McCullers has pitched to a combined 2.45 ERA. In the regular season, he had a 4.28 FIP. His ERA in two playoff starts was 1.46.

McCullers’ sinker maxed out at 96.2 mph in the ALCS

Having a sinker maxed out at 96.2 mph is no small feat. It’s the only time in a season that McCullers topped 96 mph and the only time this year that he’s thrown a pitch that’s even close. He did a solid job, allowing just two runs on eight hits in six scoreless innings. But he’ll probably have to settle for an extra day of rest on top of that.

In general, Lance McCullers’ arsenal isn’t as high-powered as it once was. He’s thrown just nine pitches over 96 mph this season, with the most being the aforementioned sinker. His three other pitches have averaged around 92.8 mph. In fact, this is the first time since his Tommy John surgery that he’s pitched in the postseason.

The most important part is that he’s actually healthy and in a position to contribute to Houston’s latest championship run. The Astros have ruthless in the playoffs and a healthy McCullers could be the key to getting the job done in Game 3 on Saturday. As for now, the Astros are still assessing their next moves. It’s unlikely they’ll start the year off with Lance McCullers at the helm, but it’s a good idea to be ready to go when the big boys come calling.

The Astros have won four World Series in the past six years, so they’ve been the unofficial trendsetters when it comes to four-seam fastballs in the zone. The club has made it a priority to maximize individual pitchers’ talents. They also have a great starting rotation, including ace lefty Dallas Keuchel and righty phenom Gerrit Cole.

Despite a slow start to the season, the Astros have managed to climb back into the World Series picture, and this game will be no different.

McCullers’ reliance on non-heaters

Despite his injury problems this season, Lance McCullers is a quality pitcher and has the potential to be a dependable starter going forward. This is one reason why Houston Astros have recently signed the right-hander to a five-year, $85 million contract extension.

While McCullers has had several injuries over his seven-year career, his arm is still relatively strong. His pitch arsenal is one of the best in the game. He’s been a dependable starter in the past and has shown that he’s capable of stepping up in the postseason.

McCullers has been a force in the playoffs in the past, and he has a good chance to contribute to Houston’s latest title run. However, the 29-year-old isn’t the ace he once was.

As a result, McCullers has become a little more reliant on his non-heaters. In fact, he’s only been able to throw one fastball to a left-handed hitter in his postseason starts.

After taking a couple of weeks off following surgery, McCullers pitched a solid six innings in Game 3. He struck out six, and his curveball was a career-best. He also allowed five home runs.

The Astros are now down 2-1 in the series and must win two games here in Philadelphia to clinch the championship. If they do, they’ll be able to advance to the next round. That means McCullers will have his chance to win another World Series ring.

The team has been shut out in 22 of its last 24 innings. In all, the Phillies have won four of their seven playoff home games. They haven’t gotten home-field advantage in any of their playoff series.

On Tuesday night, the Phillies were waiting for McCullers to start. They had no idea where his pitches were going, and the body language showed it.

McCullers’ performance in Phillies jersey

During Game 3 of the World Series, Lance McCullers Jr. had a disastrous performance. He was the first pitcher to allow five home runs in a single World Series game. He gave up a total of seven runs on six hits in four and a third innings.

In that time, he also walked one. He also threw a cutter, a changeup, a curveball, and a fastball. Those three pitches alone accounted for 82% of his pitches. His average mph was 82 to 89. His curveball was 84.

When he threw the pitch, McCullers kicked his leg up before the ball. It looked like he was trying to get the Phillies to see a soft pitch in the strike zone.

The first run came on a Bryce Harper home run. It hit the fence in left-center field, measuring 443 feet. It marked the most runs he has allowed in a World Series game.

Alec Bohm hit a home run in the second inning and Ryan Howard added a solo shot in the third. The two-run homer gave the Phillies a 4-0 lead. Then in the fifth, Rhys Hoskins hit a slider.

The Philadelphia Phillies swept the Houston Astros in Games 2 and 3. They are back in control of the series. They are two wins away from their first World Series title in over a decade.

In the series, McCullers has had his worst pitching performance of the playoffs. He is now 32-25 with the Astros and has a 3.70 ERA. Unless Baker decides to drop him, he is in line to make his first World Series start in Game 7 on Sunday.

The Philadelphia Phillies are back in control of the Series and two wins away from their first World Series title since 2008. They have a deeper lineup than the Houston Astros, and have been swinging the bats with supreme confidence in the madhouse ballpark.