Houston Astros general manager James Click delivered disappointing news Monday before the team plays their home opener against the Los Angeles Angels. Pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. was transferred from the 10-day IL to the 60-day IL. He will not be eligible for return until the early part of June.

“Nothing significant really changed one way or the other,” said Click. “We just like to delay those as much as we possibly can. We got to the point now where, sitting down talking to Lance, talking to head trainer Jeremiah Randall, talking to Dusty and the pitching coaches, we felt like we weren’t taking anything off the table by making that move right now.”

McCullers last pitched in Game 4 of the 2021 American League Division Series against the Chicago White Sox. He suffered a flexor tendon strain to his forearm during that game, which kept him from participating in the remaining games in the postseason, including the World Series.

The Major League lockout prevented McCullers from rehabbing with team doctors and trainers, contributing to his slow progression even though the Astros were expecting him to be back by Opening Day. He was able to play catch and throw off a flat surface last week, but that was not enough progression for him to return to the starting rotation.

“He continues to throw without any pain, which is the main thing,” Click said to the media. “Right now, the plan is to build him up to get him back to his normal starter workload. And so, when you work that calendar and you think about what spring training normally takes, and not many weeks and things like that, moving him to the 60, it’s always difficult, but at the same time looking at the calendar, it shouldn’t affect his progression at all.”