Brewers Strike, Acquire Astros 2-Time World Series Champ

The Milwaukee Brewers have a need in the starting rotation and took a step towards filling it on Wednesday.

Milwaukee's rotation is thin, to say the least, due to injuries and in response, the Brewers are reportedly acquiring one-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion Lance McCullers from the Houston Astros, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com.

"Source: The Astros are finalizing a trade to send veteran RHP Lance McCullers Jr. to the Milwaukee Brewers," McTaggart wrote on X on Wednesday.

Source: The Astros are finalizing a trade to send veteran RHP Lance McCullers Jr. to the Milwaukee Brewers.
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) July 15, 2026

The Brewers Made A Great Move

Apr 11, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. (43) jogs off the field during a game against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

McCullers is a 32-year-old starter in his ninth season in the big leagues. Injuries have played a massive role throughout his career to this point, but he's intriguing. He has a 3.85 ERA career ERA in 154 total games.

Over the last few weeks, there's been a lot of speculation about how the Brewers need more pitching. On Wednesday, Milwaukee struck, but not in a way that aligns with any of the speculation out there. Names like Tarik Skubal and Freddy Peralta have been thrown around left and right, but McCullers is an intriguing addition in his own right. The move came out of nowhere on Wednesday. There weren't rumors or speculation about the possibility of McCullers being an option.

The most nerve-wracking part about McCullers is his injury history. Right now, he's on the Injured List due to right shoulder inflammation and hasn't made a start in the majors since May 13. On the bright side, he has been working his way back and has been on a minor league rehab assignment. His last start was on July 7 for the Triple-A Sugar Land Space Cowboys. He pitched four innings and allowed two earned runs. He has made three appearances since June 25, so he should be back in the majors very soon, barring a setback.

Before the injury, he had a 6.86 ERA in eight starts this season. Last year, he made 16 appearances after missing the 2023 and 2024 seasons and had some rust and a 6.51 ERA. From 2015 through 2022, he was dominant, though. He had a 3.48 ERA in 130 total appearances for Houston and was a key component in Houston's dynasty run. Injuries derailed his career, but he's still just 32 years old.

If there's a team out there that can get him pitching at an elite level again, it would be Milwaukee. Look at what the Brewers did with Quinn Priester last year and Kyle Harrison this season. Both were castoffs by the Boston Red Sox, but Milwaukee got both pitching at elite levels.

If McCullers can stay healthy the rest of the season and Milwaukee can get him pitching back at the level he did pre-injuries, he could be a worthy option to slot in behind Jacob Misiorowski and Harrison in a playoff series. This is a guy who has pitched in 19 playoff games and has a 3.47 playoff ERA in 72 2/3 innings of work. If Milwaukee can get him right, this will look like a steal.

Add us as a preferred source on Google