The first deal of the 2026 trade deadline was interesting more than it was important.
On Wednesday, the Astros sent Lance McCullers Jr., Colton Gordon, and cash considerations to the Brewers in exchange for Jadyn Fielder, the son of Prince Fielder. The Athletic’s Chandler Rome described the deal as a “salary dump” for Houston, noting that owner Jim Crane convinced McCullers to waive his no-trade clause to help the team manage its budget and roster. The Brewers were happy to oblige, adding depth and taking on a new pitcher project, parting with the son of a franchise legend to do so.
The deal marks the end of an era in Houston. The Astros drafted McCullers 41st overall in 2012, the same year they took Carlos Correa first overall. He developed right alongside the Astros as they progressed from tankers to titans, often serving as an exemplar for their forward-thinking pitching strategy. Nobody threw a higher rate of curveballs (44%) from 2015 through 2018 than McCullers, even going so far as to throw 24 straight curveballs to close out a four-inning save in Game 7 of the 2017 ALCS.
Unfortunately, McCullers’ career never quite took off the way his early success suggested it might. He made his first trip to the injured list in 2016, and he’s returned every year since, averaging just 68 innings per season. He missed all of 2019 following Tommy John surgery. He eventually returned with his best-ever performance in 2021, posting 3.2 WAR in 162.1 innings — a season good enough to secure a five-year deal. But he missed most of 2022 and all of 2023 and 2024 with various arm injuries. He finally returned in 2025 but pitched poorly between even more IL stints.
McCullers has thrown 39.1 innings over eight starts in 2026. He has not been good. His average fastball velocity is 91.3 mph, which is down about three ticks from his former greatness. The curveball is still effective, but he’s not throwing it as often anymore, now boasting a broader six-pitch mix. His primary offering is a cutter or a sinker, depending on the handedness of the batter. The Brewers are known for preferring variant fastballs to the straight stuff, though neither pitch has been effective for McCullers this year. He’s also currently back on the injured list, this time with a rotator cuff impingement. He was scheduled to pitch in a fourth rehab assignment outing Friday, so he could return to the majors soon.
McCullers has 10-and-5 rights, meaning he had to give the Astros his blessing in order to be dealt. This was no small decision, as he told Rome after the deal was announced. McCullers never wanted to play for a different team, but he agreed to waive his veto rights after talking with Crane. McCullers said he wanted to “leave the Astros in the best situation they could for their goals this year.” He mentioned his love and respect for both Crane and the team several times, and noted that he’s ready for a fresh start.
Still, for the Astros, it’s partially salary dump. They agreed to pay the Brewers $4.2 million of the roughly $7 million left on McCullers’ contract, creating a small salary savings, according to the Associated Press. The Astros are already near the first luxury tax threshold and they’re looking to add at the trade deadline, particularly a lefty-hitting outfielder and a high-leverage reliever. They also have a looming roster crunch, with Hayden Wesneski and Ronel Blanco set to return from the 60-day IL shortly after the break. Clearing McCullers opens a spot on the 40-man roster.
So does trading Gordon, who also goes to Milwaukee in the deal. Gordon is 27-year-old lefty with 95 innings in the majors going back to last year. He has not been good in those innings, to be clear, with a 5.95 ERA and 5.86 FIP, though he has fared better in the minors, with a 3.69 ERA at Triple-A. He throws slow (about as slow as McCullers these days) and is hittable, to put it kindly — his 2.55 HR/9 is the worst in the majors since last year.
The Brewers are the league’s current “what do they know” team. They have a knack for finding success in unlikely places. Matthew Trueblood noted for Brewer Fanatic that Gordon has many of the physical traits they typically favor. He has great extension, great command, and a nice sweeper going for him. Trueblood said Brewers could also have Gordon make a few mechanical changes, such as ditching his crossfire stride in favor of a more direct path from the rubber to the plate. He seems like he could be more of a short-term development project, though with years of remaining team control and another minor league option after this season, there’s flexibility on that score; Gordon isn’t even arbitration eligible until 2029 or 2030, depending on how much more time he sees in the majors this year.
It’s not clear if or when or how the Brewers will use either McCullers or Gordon. Milwaukee is dealing with a string of injuries in its big league the rotation. Kyle Harrison landed on the IL last week with forearm tightness, and Brandon Woodruff returned to the IL earlier in the month with shoulder inflammation; he’s been moved to the 60-day and is now seeking a second opinion. Meanwhile, Quinn Priester is out indefinitely following thoracic outlet surgery in June, and Jacob Misiorowski is dealing with a bit of fatigue and is day-to-day. The Brewers did just get Logan Henderson back from the IL and have several interesting hybrid starter options, so they aren’t quite desperate for either of their new pitchers to join the rotation in the near term. Indeed, it’s possible that one or both of McCullers or Gordon could move to the bullpen. Still, the move bolsters their depth.
The final player in the trade is Fielder, son of Prince, grandson of Cecil. He signed with the Brewers in 2024 as an undrafted free agent and has largely held his own. He has a 125 wRC+ in Single-A this year, with a 18.8% walk rate and a 24.4% strikeout rate. His prospect status is such that we have not written about him to this point, but his performance suggests that could change. At the very least, his name gives this modest deal another notable angle, making multiple generations of people feel old at once. And with it, trade season is here.