The Astros are finalizing a trade that will send right-hander Lance McCullers Jr., along with left-hander Colton Gordon, to the Milwaukee Brewers, according to multiple reports Wednesday. McCullers waived the no-trade protection in his contract to allow the deal, and Houston is expected to send some money along with him to help offset what remains of his salary.
The move fills an urgent need for Milwaukee, which has watched its rotation thin out just as the Brewers sit atop the NL Central. Brandon Woodruff was recently shifted from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL with a lingering shoulder issue, and Kyle Harrison has also landed on the IL with elbow soreness. Gordon adds further appeal to the return; he just picked up Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week honors pitching for Sugar Land, giving Milwaukee a controllable, cost-effective arm to pair with McCullers as both potential rotation depth or bullpen help once healthy.
For Houston, the return is less about immediate roster impact and more about payroll flexibility ahead of the August 3 trade deadline. McCullers is in the final season of a five-year, $85 million extension, the largest contract the Astros have handed a starting pitcher, and shedding even a portion of what’s left creates room for the front office to be more aggressive over the next few weeks. It’s also the culmination of a longer-running effort; Houston reportedly explored moving McCullers for much of the past year, including as part of the since-collapsed Nolan Arenado trade that fell through in 2024 when Arenado exercised his no-trade rights.
The numbers tell the story of why moving on made sense for both sides. McCullers carries a career mark of 53-40 with a 3.85 ERA across parts of 12 seasons with Houston, but the version of him on the mound this year posted a 6.86 ERA over eight starts before landing on the injured list in May with a shoulder impingement. Milwaukee is betting that a change of scenery, plus the kind of pitching development track record that’s rehabilitated other arms in the organization, gives McCullers a real chance to be useful again once he’s ready to return from his rehab assignment.
The trade leaves Houston with a reshaped rotation picture as Ronel Blanco and Hayden Wesneski both continue working their way back from Tommy John surgery, and it closes the book on McCullers’ time as the longest-tenured player on Houston’s pitching staff, a run that included two championships and a first-round selection all the way back in 2012.
Heading to Daikin Park soon? Check our complete Astros promotions schedule before your next game.
