AL DIVISION SERIES: ASTROS VS WHITE SOX

October 12, 2021

Lance McCullers Jr.

Guaranteed Rate Field

Houston Astros

Postgame 4 Press Conference

Houston, 10 - Chicago, 1

Q. Lance, can you take us through what happened to you out there in the fourth inning and what your status is for the next round?

LANCE McCULLERS JR.: I just started getting tight at the beginning of the inning. I got out of it. I was fine, but you know, in a 5-1 ballgame especially, 5-1, especially with how they came back on us a few nights ago, I felt like we had the off day yesterday. So our guys were pretty rested up. And I just told them, listen, I'm not 100%.

So, you know, I pitched the whole fourth inning like that. I could probably do it, but I don't think it would be the best idea, and so they went to the pen and did a masterful job.

Q. What about next round?

LANCE McCULLERS JR.: We'll see how I feel moving forward.

Q. Does this feel any similar at all to anything you've had in the past or is it something totally foreign or you have to get some tests?

LANCE McCULLERS JR.: I don't think it has anything to do with my ligament, so, yeah, we'll have to just wait and see how I feel tomorrow and if we're going to get any imaging done, things like that.

I mean, I wouldn't pitch for at least five days. And there's probably an off day mixed in there, so six days, so we'll have to wait and see.

Q. Lance, I'm curious your perspective. I believe you're the only holdover on the pitching staff from '17. To go to five straight ALCSs with a different staff other than yourself is quite the accomplishment. Can you give me your perspective on all of that?

LANCE McCULLERS JR.: A lot of great -- a lot of great players have come through here over the past few years. We do a great job preparing. You know our coaching staff and analytical department, they do a fantastic job, and they put us in chances to succeed. So they have a lot of resilience and a lot of hard work from our hitters and our position players, things like that.

Five straight CSs is pretty crazy when you go back and think on it, being one of the last two teams every year representing the AL trying to go to the World Series. So I think when you are in the moment and you are in the thick of it, maybe those things slip your mind, but I'm sure that we'll look back on it. It feels like a good accomplishment, I guess, I think. You know, we're going to try to win it all.

Q. Could you just speak to the bullpen coming in behind you and really shutting them down, especially after kind of what happened in Game 3 here?

LANCE McCULLERS JR.: Yeah, I mean, what a job by Yimi García being able to bounce back and throw the ball that way today, and then, you know, Phil was pretty brilliant in his -- I believe, it was an inning and two-thirds, just outstanding job. Stanek coming in, Graveman doing a great job, and then Pressly shutting it down. You know, it was a pretty classic Astros win. You know, good pitching, good defense, timely hitting, away from home. Imagine that. Come out with the series win.

Q. It's kind of what I was going to ask you. Maybe not being a hitter, you can answer this now that the series is over. Do you think those guys are fuelled by all that negativity and the latest one Ryan Tepera's comments?

LANCE McCULLERS JR.: No, I really think they don't. I mean, I think they're pretty secure in themselves, who they are, what they have accomplished. You know, I don't think they're going to allow a comment from someone like that bother them.

You know, you got to tip the cap to him as well. He came in and threw the ball well today. We got the run of them. He comes in after saying those things and threw the ball well.

It's a laundry list of people now; media, fans, players. I don't think it's going to stop anytime soon. All we can do is just keep doing our thing, keep winning. We have a close knit locker room. And like I said, a comment from someone like that is not going to matter to them much.