The Milwaukee Brewers made one of the summer’s most eye-catching moves at the All-Star break when they landed Lance McCullers in a three-player trade with the Houston Astros. Just 11 days later, they’ve already moved on.
Milwaukee designated McCullers for assignment after only two relief appearances, a stunning turn for a pitcher the club had hoped would bring postseason experience and stability to its bullpen. The Brewers announced the move on July 26, 2026, and Garrett Stallings will take McCullers’ place on the active roster.
Stallings had already been on the Brewers’ 40-man roster, so the transaction creates a valuable opening there with one week left before the midseason trade deadline.
McCullers, a nine-year veteran who spent his entire career with Houston before waiving his no-trade clause to join Milwaukee on July 15, was praised inside the clubhouse for the way he handled the transition. The expectation was that his track record in October would matter for a Brewers pitching staff that lacked that kind of experience.
Instead, his brief run in Milwaukee never really got off the ground. In his first outing, McCullers allowed two earned runs over three innings while striking out four.
His second appearance, against the Colorado Rockies last night, was rougher. He issued four walks in 1.2 innings and helped open the door for Colorado to get back into the game, forcing Pat Murphy to turn to closer Trevor Megill to close it out.
There was some bad luck mixed in, too. Jake Bauers committed a throwing error behind him, and none of the three runs McCullers allowed were earned. Even so, the command simply wasn’t there in a spot where Milwaukee needed him to throw strikes and work efficiently.
The roster move also makes clear that left-hander Colton Gordon, who is currently with the Nashville Sounds, was the key return piece for the Brewers in the deal with Houston. McCullers could technically clear waivers and remain in the organization, but his service time gives him the ability to refuse an assignment to Triple-A and become a free agent, which he will almost certainly do.
A lot of people figured Milwaukee might be able to tap into the version of McCullers who helped Houston win two recent World Series titles. Instead, the Brewers have effectively cut bait after two uneven outings, and the move adds another layer of intrigue to a week that figures to be busy for their roster.
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