Brewers Initially Using Lance McCullers Jr. In Relief

Pat Murphy Shifts Lance McCullers Jr. to the Bullpen

McCullers has not made a major league appearance since May 13. Before the trade, he had made eight starts for the Astros, tagged for a 6.86 earned run average across 39 1/3 innings. He missed two months with shoulder inflammation. While Milwaukee could have given him a starter’s workload, having built up to 77 pitches on a rehab assignment, the club evidently preferred not to disrupt their current rotation. Logan Henderson got the ball for the opener against the Marlins, with Shane Drohan and Robert Gasser slated to round out that series. Following the Marlins, the first two games of next week’s series against the Mets will go to Brandon Sproat and Jacob Misiorowski in some order. Misiorowski was previously scratched from his final start before the All-Star Break with arm fatigue but is good to go for the New York series.

Brandon Woodruff and Kyle Harrison Injuries Force Rotation Changes

The Brewers, who lead the National League Central by five games over the Chicago Cubs, currently own a 3.48 team ERA. Despite that ranking—second in the majors behind only the New York Yankees—injuries to the starting rotation left the club seeking depth. Two-time All-Star Brandon Woodruff is on the 60-day injured list after an MRI exam revealed a new injury to the anterior capsule in his shoulder, which was surgically repaired after the 2023 season. Additionally, left-hander Kyle Harrison was placed on the 15-day injured list on Saturday with tightness in his throwing forearm.

The trade involved financial considerations, as the Brewers will pick up $2.5 million of McCullers’ remaining $6,727,273 salary this season. McCullers is in the final year of a five-year, $85 million contract. Astros general manager Dana Brown stated that the move created flexibility in payroll and the roster, noting, Make no mistakes, we are still trying to improve this team. We are still actively talking about acquiring a [player].

Josh Hader Influenced Lance McCullers Jr.’s Decision to Waive No-Trade Clause

For McCullers, the decision to waive his no-trade clause was solidified by a phone conversation with former Brewers closer Josh Hader. Actually when the Astros had brought up Milwaukee and asked me if I was willing to waive the no-trade, one of the first calls I made was to Josh, McCullers said. Hader, who currently fills the closer role for Houston, played with McCullers in the minor leagues. Nothing but absolute amazing things to say about the organization, the city, the fans, McCullers said, relaying Hader’s advice. He hasn't been here in a few years but enjoyed his time in the city so much and it'll be a great place to go and be for the rest of the year.

McCullers also consulted with other players, including Brett Phillips and Dallas Keuchel. I talked to other guys as well – Brett Phillips, Dallas Keuchel – and everyone just kept saying the same thing, McCullers stated. It's a great organization to play for. They loved the coaching staff, the guys in the clubhouse, the city, the fans. So it made me a little more comfortable to make [the decision].

The Brewers have been described as a team that is hard to predict regarding the trade deadline. President of Baseball Operations Matt Arnold has a history of targeting players who may not check all the boxes of being healthy and established, as the team prefers to keep their top farm system intact. As noted in reporting on the transaction, the Brewers did not get the best farm system in baseball by trading their prospects away; they prefer to keep them whenever possible. The club viewed the acquisition as a way to fortify their pitching staff without giving up significant prospect capital.