Astros starting pitcher Lance McCullers, Jr. is working his way back from surgery on his right forearm and believes his new passion project has helped him attack his rehab.
“For me chasing down this dream alongside my rehab has reinvigorated me,” said McCullers, Jr. “I go to the field excited; I have a lot of new support with a lot of new friends and business partners that make me want to be great, and for me it allows me to give the best of myself to my rehab.”
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McCullers is partnered into Rex Hospitality Group, which opened Maven Coffee and Cocktails Wednesday in the Thompson Hotel off Allen Parkway. McCullers, and his business partners Juan Carlos Martinez de Aldecoa and Nico Baizan de Aldecoa want to give Houstonians varied options based on the time of day. In the morning, Maven is a full-service coffee shop, delivering customers java after they order. In the evening, it turns into a happy hour place with craft cocktails.
“I like our attention to detail,” said McCullers, Jr. “Everything’s in house, everything’s hand-made like herbs for our drinks, our coffee is craft coffee. In the evenings, we have an amazing staff that does real mixology.”
As McCullers realizes the dream of his coffee shop, he’s targeting a July return to the Astros, which would put him at the 13-month mark after his surgery. McCullers noted the range for his surgery is 13-15 months.
As for what’s next, McCullers recently threw off the slope of the mound, with bullpens off the mound coming within the next few days.