Astros To Trade Lance McCullers Jr. To Brewers

Astros To Trade Lance McCullers Jr. To Brewers

The Milwaukee Brewers are finalizing a trade with the Houston Astros to acquire right-handed pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. And left-hander Colton Gordon, according to reports from Wednesday, July 15, 2026.

The move comes as Milwaukee grapples with a depleted starting rotation. The team is currently without Kyle Harrison, who is sidelined with left forearm tightness, and Brandon Woodruff, who is on the 60-day Injured List after nine starts. Quinn Priester has not appeared in a game this year and will not pitch in 2026. Further instability hit the rotation when Jacob Misiorowski was unable to start against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday due to arm fatigue and a failure to recover from his previous outing.

McCullers, 32, is a nine-year veteran who has spent his entire professional career in Houston. To facilitate the move, McCullers agreed to waive a no-trade clause, according to Chandler Rome of The Athletic. He is currently in the final year of a five-year, $85 million contract, earning $17 million this season. Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports that the Astros will pay a portion of the remaining salary, suggesting the deal serves as a salary dump for Houston.

The acquisition carries risks for Milwaukee. McCullers has been on the injured list since mid-May with shoulder inflammation and has missed the entirety of the 2019, 2023 and 2024 seasons. His 2025 campaign featured only 16 appearances. This year, he posted a 6.86 ERA and a 5.06 FIP over eight starts, totaling 39 1/3 innings with 43 strikeouts and 22 walks.

However, McCullers brings championship pedigree to the Brewers. A first-round pick (No. 41 overall) in the 2012 MLB Draft, he won two World Series titles with the Astros in 2017 and 2022 and was an AL All-Star in 2017. He was particularly dominant during the 2017 postseason, posting a 2.61 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP across five appearances. Over his nine MLB seasons, he has recorded 904 strikeouts in 8813 1/3 innings with a career 3.85 ERA.

McCullers is currently attempting a comeback via a rehab assignment with Triple-A Sugar Land that began June 25. In three starts, he has allowed three earned runs on nine hits and four walks over 11 innings.

The trade also brings 27-year-old Colton Gordon to Milwaukee. A former top-10 prospect in the Astros organization, Gordon was drafted in the eighth round (No. 238 overall) of the 2021 draft. The 6-foot-4 left-hander has struggled in the majors, posting a 5.95 ERA and a 1.53 WHIP across 95 1/3 innings in 24 starts over the last two seasons. In April 2026, he allowed six home runs in 9⅓ innings, resulting in an 11.57 ERA.

Despite his major league struggles, Gordon has found success in Triple-A. This year, he holds a 6-3 record with a 3.69 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP through 14 games. His most recent outing on July 10 saw him allow no runs and four hits in six innings with seven strikeouts. He utilizes a mix of four-seam fastballs and sweepers, complemented by a sinker and changeup.

Milwaukee's interest in Gordon may outweigh that of McCullers, as the Brewers gain six years of team control over the left-hander, including one remaining option year after this season. Gordon is expected to be a flexible asset for the organization, potentially joining the Triple-A Nashville squad, which has also been hit by injuries and call-ups.

The addition of these two players addresses a critical void in Milwaukee's rotation, where depth is currently limited to pitchers like Brandon Sproat (82 innings) and Chad Patrick (73.1 innings). This move precedes the August 3 trade deadline.