With all the exits due to injuries, it's becoming more important for Lance to have an entry strategy.
Let him start the next inning and have someone getting ready if the top of the order gives him troubles
McCullers is now an injury-prone 2 pitcher pitcher (Curve, Slider) without a fastball. He will be very lucky to consistently finish 5 innings. Every time he throws his fastball for a strike he is purely lucky if it doesn’t result in a hit. His only hope (assuming there’s not some miracle possible to restore his fastball) is to work on his changeup to get it to the point he can throw it enough to save his arm. His curve is badass though, even though it’s not as good as it used to be. He could still be a solid #3 SP if he can get his arsenal to where it is: 40% nasty curveballs to get ahead in the count and finish guys off 30% sliders to keep hitters off his curve 20% change ups in the zone to generate soft contact 10% fastballs outside the zone But he probably won’t be healthy for long with that usage.
That sequence to Clarke just now perfectly encapsulates this. nasty curveball to go up 0-1 Weak sinker out of the zone gets chase 0-2 2 changeups outside of the zone 2-2 3 sliders fouled off and out of the zone 3-2 Weak sinker out of the zone gets a lucky chase K Not efficient but effective. Improving the changeup could get some weak contact to save his pitch count. Then he folllwed that up by striking out butler on 4 straight curves. Then gave up a homer on a mistake slider.
