Lance McCullers DFA'd by Brewers 11 Days After Trade from Astros, Top Potential Landing Spots

Less than two weeks after being traded from the Houston Astros to the Milwaukee Brewers, veteran pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. will have to find a new home.

The Brewers announced on Sunday that McCullers has been designated for assignment after right-hander Garrett Stallings was recalled from Triple-A Nashville.

Now that McCullers is back on the open market, some of his top potential landing spots include the Chicago Cubs, Baltimore Orioles and a return to the Astros.

McCullers had spent his entire major-league career in Houston before being traded to Milwaukee on July 15 as part of a deal for minor-league prospect Jadyn Fielder. He made two relief appearances for the Brewers, compiling a 3.86 ERA and five strikeouts in 4.2 innings pitched.

Before being traded, McCullers made eight starts for the Astros and went 2-3 with a 6.86 ERA and 43 strikeouts. That followed his career-worst 6.51 ERA in 16 appearances during the 2025 season, which was his first year back after a nearly three-year hiatus due to injuries.

It's clear that McCullers is struggling to return to the form that earned him an All-Star appearance and two World Series titles earlier in his career. Still, the 32-year-old should garner interest on the open market for teams in need of pitching help.

At 59-45, the Cubs are leading the race for a Wild Card spot in the National League. Adding pitching depth would bring balance to a potent offensive team that ranks fourth in MLB with 534 runs scored this season.

The Orioles (51-54) are still in the throes of their rebuild, but none of their pitchers have reached the 10-win mark so far this year. The Astros (52-54) are in a similar boat, so either team could choose to pursue McCullers to shore up their pitching staff.