Brewers reportedly finalizing trade for Astros' injury-prone starting pitcher

The recent placement of Brandon Woodruff on the 60-day IL, paired with both Jacob Misiorowski and Kyle Harrison experiencing fatigue during the final week of the first half of the 2026 campaign, has increased the Milwaukee Brewers' need to acquire starting pitching ahead of the August 3 trade deadline. With names like Tarik Skubal and Joe Ryan potentially available, Brewers fans are dreaming of what their playoff rotation could end up looking like with an uncharacteristically aggressive deadline from the team's front office.

However, before those blockbuster deals are considered as the deadline draws nearer and teams like the Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins, both of whom are very much alive in the AL playoff picture, decide whether or not they want to sell off their veteran pieces, the Brewers simply need rotation help in the near term. Harrison is out until at least July 24, and that would mean a minimum stay on 15-day IL, while Misiorowski will not throw in the first series of the second half, as reported by Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

As a result, the Brewers have reportedly swung a somewhat shocking deal to acquire 32-year-old right-hander Lance McCullers from the Houston Astros, as first reported by Brian McTaggert of MLB.com.

The Brewers are also acquiring left-handed reliever Colton Gordon in the deal, as reported by Jon Heyman of the New York Post. No report on what the Brewers are giving up has surfaced at this time, but it's highly likely that Milwaukee's willingness to cover a small part of McCullers' remaining salary is what they are "giving up" in this trade.

Brewers reportedly acquiring right-handed starting pitcher Lance McCullers from Astros

It's a surprising deal for a number of reasons. For one, McCullers has had trouble staying healthy over the last five years, including two lost seasons in 2024 and 2025. He's logged just 142.1 total innings since the start of the 2022 season. Additionally, in each of the last two seasons, McCullers, when healthy, has sported an ERA north of 6.00. His velocity has been down a couple of ticks since his flexor tendon surgery back in 2023, and his walk rate has jumped up. Additionally, McCullers is on the final year of a five-year, $85 million contract, giving him a $17 million salary for the 2026 season that the Brewers certainly won't be paying much of.

However, for as frustrating as the last five years have been for McCullers, there's still a reason for Brewers fans to be excited about this morning's surprise addition: McCullers was dominant during his first seven seasons in the majors. He was a staple in the Astros' rotation during Houston's dynasty over the last decade, posting a 3.48 ERA in 127 starts from 2015-22 despite losing the 2019 campaign to Tommy John surgery. His best season, 2021, saw him post a 3.16 ERA in 28 starts and finish seventh in AL Cy Young voting.

Currently on the shelf with inflammation in his right shoulder, McCullers has completed three rehab starts in Triple-A since June 25, and posted a combined 2.45 ERA in 11 innings with 11 strikeouts. He could probably be available for the first series out of the All-Star Break should the Brewers need him to cover a start this weekend.

Gordon, meanwhile, is an interesting get for the Brewers, so long as you look past his ugly 11.57 ERA in nine innings this year. The 27-year-old southpaw sports a five-pitch mix that grades out decently when it comes to movement metrics like Stuff+. He has excellent command of his pitches and seldom issues free passes. Gordon has two minor league options remaining, so he will serve as valuable depth for the Brewers' bullpen while also having the ability to go back and forth between Triple-A.

It's a surprising trade for the Brewers in the midst of the All-Star Break, but one that should offer some relief to their pitching staff over the next two weeks. In theory, this move shouldn't prevent Milwaukee from still being big players at the 2026 trade deadline, but with two new arms on their 40-man roster, the Brewers' pitching staff is starting to look rather crowded. More to come on this developing story.

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