Vetoed trade prevented Brewers' new pitcher Lance McCullers from landing with NL Central rival

Matt Arnold and the Milwaukee Brewers' front office started the trade season early this year by adding two pitchers in a surprise All-Star Break trade with the Houston Astros. Though the two clubs have yet to officially confirm the deal, the Brewers are reportedly adding veteran right-hander Lance McCullers and 27-year-old southpaw Colton Gordon three weeks before the midseason trade deadline.

It's a savvy move from the Brewers' front office, one that appears to mirror a strategy that the club adopted at last year's trade deadline. Milwaukee is reportedly taking on a majority of McCullers' remaining $17 million salary -- the exact dollar figure hasn't yet been confirmed -- and in exchange is receiving Gordon as well. It's similar to how the Brewers added Shelby Miller from the Arizona Diamondbacks at last year's deadline by paying a part of Jordan Montgomery's remaining salary.

The difference, however, between the Montgomery-Miller deal and Milwaukee's 2026 All-Star Break swap is that McCullers, unlike Montgomery, isn't out for the rest of the season. In fact, McCullers, though he is currently on the IL with shoulder inflammation, made three rehab starts for the Astros' Triple-A squad over the last three weeks and is nearing a return to the big leagues, something the Brewers are sure to make use of as Kyle Harrison resides on the IL and Jacob Misiorowski deals with some midseason fatigue.

Though McCullers' last five campaigns have been limited due to a string of injuries, the 32-year-old right-hander, who was a playoff hero for the Astros back in 2017, put together seven strong seasons for Houston at the start of his career. An All-Star in 2017 and a Cy Young candidate in 2021, McCullers has a track record indicating that, if he can just stay healthy, there's potential for a late-career resurgence. However, with an average salary of $17.7 million on a contract that expires at the end of the 2026 season, the Astros, who are ushering in a new era after their recent dynasty, have been trying to shed McCullers' salary for the last two years. According to one MLB insider, they came very close to sending the right-handed starter to the St. Louis Cardinals prior to the 2025 season.

Lance McCullers was reportedly included in the Astros-Cardinals trade for Nolan Arenado that was vetoed by the veteran third baseman

McCullers missed the 2023 and 2024 seasons due to surgery on his flexor tendon, but the Astros were still trying to shop him prior to the 2025 campaign, due to his remaining salary. According to Chandler Rome of The Athletic, McCullers was included in the trade that Houston and St. Louis had in place for Nolan Arenado during the 2024-25 offseason, before the veteran third baseman exercised his no-trade clause and vetoed the deal.

Ironically, the Cardinals were also trying to dump Arenado's expensive contract, and eventually did in a deal with the D-Backs this past offseason, meaning there was more to Houston's offer than just McCullers, but seeing as the deal was vetoed, the trade package the Astros constructed was all for not. It's perhaps an encouraging sign for Brewers fans that St. Louis' front office, which has seen an impressive turn-around under new leader Chaim Bloom, was interested in McCullers last year. If his recent performance during his rehab assignment is any indication, the veteran right-hander could regain his form, especially under the guidance of the Brewers' excellent pitching coach staff.

It's no doubt an interesting trade for the Brewers, who frequently find creative ways to fill needs on their roster. The timing of the deal, three weeks before the deadline, seems to indicate that Milwaukee will still re-evaluate their needs at the end of the month, but will now do so with McCullers and Gordon as depth for their pitching staff.

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