Lance McCullers Jr.’s 14-year run with the Astros organization came to an end this week when he accepted a trade to the Brewers on Wednesday.
But waiving his no-trade clause was not a sure-fire decision.
A talk with Astros owner Jim Crane, however, made the call easier.
McCullers, in a sit-down with The Athletic, explained that the idea of playing for a different team was a mental hurdle he had to clear.
“I didn’t want to ever wear another team’s uniform,” McCullers said. “This organization took a chance on me when I was an 18-year-old kid. This has been my home ever since. My daughters were born here. This is where my wife and I will live forever. I never thought about playing somewhere else or being somewhere else, but I think all things, obviously, have to come to an end.”
The Astros, sitting at 47-51 and three games back in a relatively weak American League West, decided an offer to send McCullers and lefty Colton Gordon for prospect Jayden Fielder — the son of former All-Star Prince Fielder and grandson of Cecil Fielder — was the right call for all sides.
In the end, the 2012 Astros first-round pick knew it was time to move on. McCullers said Crane made him understand that now was an opportunity for a fresh start with a Brewers team that’s five games in front in the National League Central.
“I spoke to Jim Crane on Monday and we both thought — he thought — that this was going to be a good opportunity for me and that it would leave the Astros in a good situation leading up to the deadline and for the rest of the year,” McCullers said. “I have a lot of respect for Mr. Crane. And out of that love and respect, I told him on the phone that I would waive it.”
McCullers played a critical role in several deep postseason runs by the Astros, famously recording the final 12 outs of the 2017 ALCS against the Yankees en route to Houston’s first World Series win.
He signed a five-year, $85 million extension with the Astros in 2021, but injuries have largely kept him off the field. He’s only thrown 94 2/3 innings since the end of 2022, 39 1/3 of which have come this season.
McCullers is hopeful things will work out for both Houston and Milwaukee.
“Ultimately, I think it’ll be a good decision on both sides,” he added.
