Brewers Designate Lance McCullers Jr. For Assignment - MLB Trade Rumors

What the report says

MLB Trade Rumors reported that the Milwaukee Brewers designated right-handed pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. for assignment on July 26, citing Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Milwaukee also recalled right-hander Garrett Stallings as the related active-roster move, leaving the club with 38 players on its 40-man roster, according to the report.

The move came less than two weeks after Milwaukee acquired McCullers from the Houston Astros on July 15. In that deal, the Brewers received McCullers, left-hander Colton Gordon and cash from Houston in exchange for minor leaguer Jadyn Fielder. MLBTR framed the transaction as one in which Milwaukee effectively took on $2.5 million of McCullers’ remaining salary to add Gordon, a younger pitching option.

McCullers’ time with Milwaukee was brief. MLBTR said he was activated on July 17 and appeared twice in relief, allowing two earned runs over three innings against the Mets on July 20, then walking four batters and giving up three unearned runs in 1 2/3 innings on July 25. The outlet noted that McCullers missed the 2023 and 2024 seasons after procedures related to flexor tendon problems and bone spurs, and that since the start of 2025 he has posted a 6.52 ERA across 99 1/3 innings with a 14.1% walk rate.

The designation matters because Milwaukee, described by MLBTR as leading the NL Central with a strong bullpen, opted against giving McCullers more low-leverage work. Stallings returns as a long-relief option after two scoreless MLB appearances and a 3.70 ERA at Triple-A Nashville.