Brewers Acquire Lance McCullers Jr. From Astros

[patrickgpe]

Image courtesy of Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Brewers made a trade Wednesday, one that aims to help the team this year with a deep postseason run and in the next handful of seasons.

The Brewers on Wednesday acquired right-handed starter Lance McCullers Jr. from the Houston Astros, according to MLB.com's Brian McTaggart. The Brewers are also getting left-hander Colton Gordon, a 2021 eighth-round draft choice, in the deal. What the Crew sent to the Astros and how much of the money remaining on McCullers' $17.7 million contract was being picked up was not immediately known. McCullers is set to be a free agent after the season.

McCullers, a two-time World Series champion with the Astros who has missed all or significant chunks of four seasons due to injuries, had a partial no-trade clause in his contract as well as 10-and-5 rights, which he waived, according to Chandler Rome of The Athletic. The 10-and-5 rights is a player with 10 years of major-league service, including five years with his current team.

While the 32-year-old McCullers is currently on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation, he was scheduled to make a fourth rehab appearance with the Astros' Double-A team Friday, when the minor-league season also resumes. The Brewers could continue his rehab assignment, which began June 25. McCullers last appeared in an MLB game May 13 and went on the IL shortly thereafter.

In eight starts this season, McCullers has pitched 39⅓ innings with a 5.06 FIP (6.86 ERA) with a 12.8% walk rate and 25% strikeout rate. For his career, McCullers has a 10.3% walk rate and 26.1% strikeout rate (MLB averages are 8.4% and 22%).

While McCullers won't slot near the top of the Brewers' rotation behind right-hander Jacob Misiorowski, what the Brewers covet from the veteran is his postseason experience. McCullers has made 12 starts and seven relief appearances for the Astros, who made trips to the postseason every year except 2016 and 2025 since McCullers made his MLB debut in 2015. That includes starting Game 7 of the 2017 World Series. In the postseason, McCullers has a 4.96 FIP (3.47 ERA).

Injuries are also part of McCullers' story. He had Tommy John surgery following the 2018 season, missing all of 2019 and appearing in only three games of the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign. McCullers didn't make his 2022 debut until August due to a right flexor tendon injury. He had his right flexor tendon repaired in June 2023, then had a setback in July 2024 that kept him out of that entire season.

He came back to make 13 starts and three relief appearances in 2025, posting a 5.77 FIP (6.51 ERA) in 55⅓ innings.

The 27-year-old Gordon had made 24 major-league appearances over the last two seasons with the Astros, including 15 starts. In 95⅓ innings, he has a 5.86 FIP (5.95 ERA) with a 5.1% walk rate and 22% strikeout rate. At Triple-A this year, Gordon pitched in 14 games, all but one a start, with a 4.46 ERA in 70⅔ innings, with a 4.7% walk rate and 18.6% strikeout rate.

 

Thanks to @patrickgpe for starting the thread.

 

View full article

[JoeyWiemerTruther]

Wonder who they sent back. Hopefully just cash

[patrickgpe]

2 minutes ago, JoeyWiemerTruther said:

Wonder who they sent back. Hopefully just cash

i would guess a lottery ticket young player on Wilson. 

[adambr2]

Well hopefully they know what they’re doing here. This guy was good in his heyday but has been injured or disastrous since 2022.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Just now, patrickgpe said:

i would guess a lottery ticket young player on Wilson. 

Depends on how much salary the Astros are picking up. This is 100% a pure salary dump.

[JoeyWiemerTruther]

Guy was crucial in both Astros World Series runs, mainly 2017

[jay87shot]

I cant believe we would give up much of anything and the Astros likely will pay almost all of the salary. I wouldnt be to surprised if he transitions to a reliever. He has a 5 pitch mix, if they could edit that to say 3 and get a mph or two with shorter stints there could be something there.

His fip is just above 5 almost 2 runs less than era. He has good whiff and grounder rates, not much else. Making him a 1/2 inning reliever and getting rid of a problem pitch or 2 can hopefully highlight the good. Also getting a better fielding team should be huge.

[brewerfan82]

It's kind of a head scratcher at this point. He's been injured or very bad for 4 years and is owed $6.672M. Feels like there's gotta be something more to it, like we're getting someone else as well but had to take on McCullers to get the deal done. Otherwise it'd be weird for us to 1.) take on the money for someone that's been so bad recently, or 2.) for the Astros to pick up a bunch of the money and still not get much for him since he's been so bad.

[homer]

I'll always remember him for this:

 

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Apparent

6 minutes ago, brewerfan82 said:

It's kind of a head scratcher at this point. He's been injured or very bad for 4 years and is owed $6.672M. Feels like there's gotta be something more to it, like we're getting someone else as well but had to take on McCullers to get the deal done. Otherwise it'd be weird for us to 1.) take on the money for someone that's been so bad recently, or 2.) for the Astros to pick up a bunch of the money and still not get much for him since he's been so bad.

Apparently LHP Colton Gordon is also coming back in the deal.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Watch the Brewers somehow magically get a 3.40 ERA from McCullers down the stretch.

[Jopal78]

Like when they picked up Dallas Keuchel, they need arms. With Misiorowski having a sore arm Harrison, Woodruff on the IL and a bunch of rookies with injury histories they need someone to take the ball. 

[Bulldogboy]

Out of all the pitchers in baseball this is not someone who I would expect to help at all.  Tobias Meyers is available 

[patrickgpe]

He has made 3 rehab starts and has a 2.45 ERA

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

3 minutes ago, Bulldogboy said:

Tobias Meyers is available 

Which says pretty much everything I need to know about how the Brewers feel about Tobias Myers.

[Turning2]

I'm going to play the "I'll trust the organization on this one" cliche card. 

[MrTPlush]

This would have been exciting a decade ago.

[Brewcrew82]

Brewers taking on McCullers in what amounts to a “salary dump” for the Astros. And I was told Attanasio is the cheapest man alive…

[MrTPlush]

20 minutes ago, JoeyWiemerTruther said:

Guy was crucial in both Astros World Series runs, mainly 2017

Did he bang the trash can between starts?

[JoeyWiemerTruther]

I like this as a buy low move if McCullers can stay healthy he can help this team.

Since they’re also getting Colton Gordon maybe the Brewers are taking on all of McCullers remaining contract $ 

still waiting to see what Brewers gave up. Wouldn’t shock me if it was like Brock Wilken or something 

[Dadbauer]

There's no way we are giving up Brock Wilken for a 27 year old AAA pitcher and 7 million dollars of Lance McCullers. This sounds like a salary dump with a prospect attached so they don't have to pay it.

[JoeyWiemerTruther]

1 minute ago, Dadbauer said:

There's no way we are giving up Brock Wilken for a 27 year old AAA pitcher and 7 million dollars of Lance McCullers. This sounds like a salary dump with a prospect attached so they don't have to pay it.

Brock Wilken is a guy who at most will probably get a cup of coffee in the MLB. He doesn’t have a ton of value anymore. And trust me I am the biggest Wilken fan there is

[patrickgpe]

2 minutes ago, Dadbauer said:

There's no way we are giving up Brock Wilken for a 27 year old AAA pitcher and 7 million dollars of Lance McCullers. This sounds like a salary dump with a prospect attached so they don't have to pay it.

is that the rumored return? I haven't seen that. 

[JoeyWiemerTruther]

Just now, patrickgpe said:

is that the rumored return? I haven't seen that. 

No just my speculation

[TURBO]

12 minutes ago, Brewcrew82 said:

Brewers taking on McCullers in what amounts to a “salary dump” for the Astros. And I was told Attanasio is the cheapest man alive…