The Milwaukee Brewers gave Lance McCullers Jr. exactly two appearances before cutting him loose. The team designated the right-handed pitcher for assignment on Sunday, just days after acquiring him from the Houston Astros in a trade.
McCullers made his Brewers debut on Friday and then pitched again on Saturday. That second outing was rough. He lasted only 1.2 innings and walked four batters before getting pulled. Milwaukee decided that was enough.
The corresponding move: the Brewers called up Garrett Stallings from Triple-A Nashville. Stallings is a 27-year-old righty who has spent most of the season in the minors, and he gives Milwaukee another arm for a bullpen that has been stretched thin lately. The team made the announcement on their official X account.
What Happened with McCullers in Milwaukee
McCullers is a veteran with name recognition and a track record that includes a World Series win with the Astros. But his control issues in that last appearance were hard to overlook. Four walks in less than two innings is not going to keep you on a big league roster, especially when the team needs reliable innings down the stretch of a playoff push.
The Brewers have been playing solid baseball recently. They won two of three heading into Sunday’s series finale against the Colorado Rockies. But the front office clearly felt McCullers was not the answer.
According to Bleacher Report’s Doric Sam, McCullers now hits the open market. Sam pointed to the Chicago Cubs, Baltimore Orioles, and a possible return to the Houston Astros as his most likely next destinations. A reunion with Houston would make some sense. The Astros know him, he knows their system, and they have a need for experienced arms if they make the postseason.
Another Arm on the Way for the Brewers
There’s also this: the Brewers might have made room for someone else in the rotation. Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that lefty Kyle Harrison is expected to begin a rehab assignment this week with the Timber Rattlers, Milwaukee’s Single-A affiliate. Harrison is targeting Thursday as the start date, and he told Hogg he expects to be ready for the next homestand after five or six innings of work.
Having Harrison back would give the Brewers a much-needed boost. The team has been patching together its pitching staff all season, and any reliable arm at this point is valuable.
As for McCullers, he will clear waivers or get claimed in the coming days. The Astros are worth watching. Sometimes going back to where you had your best years is the right move. And sometimes it just makes for a good story.
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