The Houston Astros and Lance McCullers Jr. are done. After a decade together, the team traded the right-hander to the Milwaukee Brewers, closing out one of the more complicated relationships in franchise history.
McCullers didn’t hide his feelings. A few hours after the deal broke, he talked about what Houston meant to him. He also made it clear he’s not done yet.
“I have a job to do in Milwaukee and help them accomplish their goals,” McCullers said. “But no doubt I’ll cherish all my years that I had here in Houston. The things that always stand out to me is just my teammates and how much I care for them and the lifelong relationships that I’ve made here and the city and how they embraced me and how much I genuinely cared about the city of Houston and the fans. I tried to do all I could in the community and left it ten fold out there on the field every time I took the ball, good or bad.”
A Career Full of Highs and Hard Lows
McCullers arrived in Houston as a competitive draft pick back in 2012. He made the big leagues in 2015 and quickly became a guy you wanted on the mound in October. His curveball was nasty. His fastball could light up a radar gun. And when the Astros won the World Series in 2017, McCullers was part of that core.
But injuries kept piling up. Forearm strains. Elbow surgery. He missed the entire 2019 season after Tommy John. Came back. Got hurt again. Fans started wondering if his arm would ever hold up. Still, even when he wasn’t pitching, teammates talked about his presence in the clubhouse like it mattered. He was loud. He cared. He’d scream during games from the dugout.
That kind of stuff doesn’t show up in a box score. But it’s real.
What McCullers Brings to Milwaukee
The Brewers just watched the 2025 season end short of a title. Their rotation is already stacked — Freddy Peralta, Brandon Woodruff, and a deep group of arms. But adding McCullers gives them something else: a veteran who’s done it in big moments and can slide into a bullpen role if needed. That flexibility matters in October.
Milwaukee didn’t give up a ton to get him, according to reports. The Astros were likely motivated to clear salary and open a rotation spot for younger guys. McCullers is owed significant money over the next two seasons, and Houston has some payroll decisions looming.
For McCullers, this is a fresh start in a place that knows how to develop pitchers. The Brewers have a track record of getting the most out of arms with question marks. And McCullers, when healthy, is still capable of dominant outings.
Whether his body holds up is the real question. But he’s betting on himself one more time.
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