Astros trade Lance McCullers Jr. to Brewers for minor-league outfielder
Houston sent veteran pitcher Lance McCullers Jr., reliever Colton Gordon and cash to Milwaukee in exchange for outfielder Jadyn Fielder as the teams addressed roster needs before the trade deadline.
Houston and Milwaukee completed a trade on July 15, sending veteran starter Lance McCullers Jr., reliever Colton Gordon and cash to the Brewers in return for minor-league outfielder Jadyn Fielder, the son of former Milwaukee player Prince Fielder. The deal also includes a cash component covering McCullers' $17 million salary for the 2024 season, the final year of his five-year, $85 million extension. McCullers has appeared in eight starts this year, totaling 39.1 innings, and has been on the injured list with a rotator-cuff issue since May, although he made three minor-league rehab appearances.
Milwaukee, which leads the National League Central, sought additional starting pitching after Brandon Woodruff was placed on the 60-day injured list with a shoulder injury. The acquisition of McCullers provides the Brewers with a potential starter for the stretch run. Houston, meanwhile, retains only two members of its 2017 World Series roster—second baseman José Altuve and injured third baseman Carlos Correa—following the trade.
McCullers, drafted by Houston in 2012, is remembered for his Game 7 performance in the 2017 World Series and his 2021 season, when he posted a 13-5 record with a 3.16 ERA and finished seventh in American League Cy Young voting before injuries limited his subsequent play.