linkdude said:

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This is a shocker, but makes a lot of sense, between him and Gordon that's two spots that would've been taken up on the 40 man. There's a big crunch coming with a lot of the 60-day IL stints coming to an end (Blanco, Wesneski).

The fact that LMJ approved this move says a lot about him, IMO. Should be a good clubhouse guy for the Brewers if nothing else.

Still remember the friggin' batman cleats his rookie year. Bury Me in the H, one last time!

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Did he have a no trade in his deal? I don't think he had 10-5 rights yet given all his injuries.

Lance is a dude

Loved watching him pitch but injuries put a ceiling on his career. Still even with all the injuries he's stuck around and had a pretty decent career.

Hope it continues even though it's not here.

From Chandlers article, this is interesting...

Quote:

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McCullers is in the final season of a five-year, $85 million contract extension he signed prior to the 2021 season. It is unclear how much of the money Milwaukee will absorb in the deal. The Astros have tried to trade McCullers for most of the past year, according to multiple team sources.

McCullers was, at one point, involved in a package Houston prepared to send to the St. Louis Cardinals before the 2025 season in exchange for Nolan Arenado. Arenado exercised his no-trade clause and vetoed the deal.

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Lance McCullers Jr and Colton Gordon are headed to the Brewers via trade. Adding Gordon helped as incentive for Milwaukee to take on McCullers contract.

He’s owed $17M in 2026, with some of it prorated already

Houston is now about $16M under the CBT. Room for new players

— Michael Schwab (@michaelschwab13) July 15, 2026

EastCoastAgNc said:

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linkdude said:

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This is a shocker, but makes a lot of sense, between him and Gordon that's two spots that would've been taken up on the 40 man. There's a big crunch coming with a lot of the 60-day IL stints coming to an end (Blanco, Wesneski).

The fact that LMJ approved this move says a lot about him, IMO. Should be a good clubhouse guy for the Brewers if nothing else.

Still remember the friggin' batman cleats his rookie year. Bury Me in the H, one last time!

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Did he have a no trade in his deal? I don't think he had 10-5 rights yet given all his injuries.

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He has a no trade clause.

This trade is about two things. One is freeing up 40 man spots. The other is freeing up more money under the luxury tax threshold. That tells me our strategy is going to be to take on a bad contract. Which Giants under performer do you like best?

So what's the return?

Jose Altuve will be the last remaining Astros player who was on the 2017 World Series title team.

— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) July 15, 2026

Carlos says wtf Taggs

tjack16 said:

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So what's the return?

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Probably some 34 year old double A player. This is a salary dump.

tjack16 said:

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So what's the return?

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MaxPower said:

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This trade is about two things. One is freeing up 40 man spots. The other is freeing up more money under the luxury tax threshold. That tells me our strategy is going to be to take on a bad contract. Which Giants under performer do you like best?

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I'll take the combo of Jung Hoo Lee and Robbie Ray.

Farmer1906 said:

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MaxPower said:

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This trade is about two things. One is freeing up 40 man spots. The other is freeing up more money under the luxury tax threshold. That tells me our strategy is going to be to take on a bad contract. Which Giants under performer do you like best?

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I'll take the combo of Jung Hoo Lee and Robbie Ray.

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Have to make sure Joe doesn't use Robbie in relief

If I had to guess, the next move is to dump Abreu's 5.8 M.

EastCoastAgNc said:

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Farmer1906 said:

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MaxPower said:

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This trade is about two things. One is freeing up 40 man spots. The other is freeing up more money under the luxury tax threshold. That tells me our strategy is going to be to take on a bad contract. Which Giants under performer do you like best?

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I'll take the combo of Jung Hoo Lee and Robbie Ray.

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Have to make sure Joe doesn't use Robbie in relief

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Don't worry. Yordan isn't on anyone else's roster.

tjack16 said:

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So what's the return?

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Anyway we can sneak Burrows onto the plane too and hope Milwaukee doesn't notice?

SIAP but I've never heard this story. Really cool

Farmer1906 said:

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MaxPower said:

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This trade is about two things. One is freeing up 40 man spots. The other is freeing up more money under the luxury tax threshold. That tells me our strategy is going to be to take on a bad contract. Which Giants under performer do you like best?

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I'll take the combo of Jung Hoo Lee and Robbie Ray.

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Would be ideal but those guys are good enough and their contracts reasonable enough that you would have to give up something. Do we have enough to outbid other teams?

He will always be an Astros legend just for this.

Always have liked Lance but his days of being a real impact pitcher are long gone imo.

Crane has showed he will try to add players to get the team to the playoffs and I think that's entirely possible. SP is just so bad tho that I can't see a serious run at a title.

So we're buying again? Hope we can at least make the playoffs this year

MaxPower said:

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Farmer1906 said:

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MaxPower said:

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This trade is about two things. One is freeing up 40 man spots. The other is freeing up more money under the luxury tax threshold. That tells me our strategy is going to be to take on a bad contract. Which Giants under performer do you like best?

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I'll take the combo of Jung Hoo Lee and Robbie Ray.

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Would be ideal but those guys are good enough and their contracts reasonable enough that you would have to give up something. Do we have enough to outbid other teams?

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That's the million-dollar question.

Going down their roster, I am not sure who else works.

Devers - too expensive contract wise and we already have a DH & 1B.
Adames - you gotta believe there is a crazy bounceback coming offensively and defensively. But where would you put him? 2B and move Tuve back to LF?
Chapman - One of my favorite players to watch at 3B, but he's 33 and hitting poorly. Plus, we don't have a spot for him.
Webb - LOL I wish.
Arraez - Unless you want to move Altruve, he's not a fit and probably going to be sought after.
Houser - We don't need any more bad SPs
Bader - Injured, but was one of the worst hitters in baseball this year
Mahle - Same as Houser, but cheaper.
Brubaker - The extreme gap in ERA in FIP/xERA scares me. I wouldn't touch him.

SeanDaAg2005 said:

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So we're buying again? Hope we can at least make the playoffs this year

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I think the Astros/Dana/Crane have always been buying. A sell-off is fan talk.

Farmer1906 said:

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SeanDaAg2005 said:

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So we're buying again? Hope we can at least make the playoffs this year

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I think the Astros/Dana/Crane have always been buying. A sell-off is fan talk.

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I'm on the buy (without mortgaging the future) at this deadline… but mini sell in the offseason on vets/guys you wont extend

tjack16 said:

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Farmer1906 said:

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SeanDaAg2005 said:

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So we're buying again? Hope we can at least make the playoffs this year

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I think the Astros/Dana/Crane have always been buying. A sell-off is fan talk.

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I'm on the buy (without mortgaging the future) at this deadline… but mini sell in the offseason on vets/guys you wont extend

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The '26 team hasn't shown me enough to buy. They needed to not let up on the progress they made in May and June. But here we are 4-6 in July.

I would also say, if we do buy, why not now? Why wait another 2 weeks? Every game is important. Get the new additions here sooner to have more impact on games.

One of my favorite Lance McCullers memories: Aug. 3, 2021. First Astros game in LA since the 2017 World Series. One of the most hostile crowds in MLB history. Shut down the Dodgers with 6.2 shutout innings and 9 Ks in a 3-0 win. pic.twitter.com/ZTpNmGks5l

— Nick Scurfield (@NickScurfield) July 15, 2026

Teams to Target at the Deadline:

• Padres
• Nationals
• Athletics
• Reds
• Mets
• Giants
• Angels
• Rockies

These are the bottom 9 teams in Fangraphs playoff odds. All are sub 4% except for the Padres at 11.5%.

Yeah that 2-4 road trip really hurt. Especially the 12-11 loss and the finale in Arlington. It's just 2 games but it would feel ALOT different right now if we won those, (and we'd be .500)

I say make the moves early too. We have some big series coming up in the next 2 weeks that we need the help with.

tjack16 said:

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So what's the return?

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Money for the soda machine in the clubhouse. I can't have my players paying for soda.

This team has a -47 run differential, a losing record at home and on the road, and they are 4-6 in their last 10. And they don't have the assets to buy effectively anyways. Even if we get close on a real difference maker a team like the mariners will just make a better offer. The window is closed and it's time to accept that

I can't disagree with you but even with all of that still only 3 games out of the Division lead . That's what they are looking at.

halfastros81 said:

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I can't disagree with you but even with all of that still only 3 games out of the Division lead . That's what they are looking at.

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If that's true then they shouldn't be in charge. They need to be looking at the big picture rather than just the W-L column. That's stupid.

The problem with "we're only X games out" is that pretty much everyone is in the same boat.

12 of the 15 American League teams are either sitting in a playoff spot right now or within 4 games of it. pic.twitter.com/jARM7wEx44

— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) July 15, 2026

Don't disagree but Dana trying to save his own butt could very well be a piece of the puzzle . If they end the season in 3rd or 4th in the Division and nothing to suggest significant near term improvement he could be unemployed.

If they win the division even with nothing to suggest significant near term improvement that would be a harder move to make.

Smartest move would likely be sell your good players that aren't a part of the future like JP , load up on quality prospects especially pitchers and build toward 2028-2029.

halfastros81 said:

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Don't disagree but Dana trying to save his own butt could very well be a piece of the puzzle . If they end the season in 3rd or 4th in the Division and nothing to suggest significant near term improvement he could be unemployed.

If they win the division even with nothing to suggest significant near term improvement that would be a harder move to make.

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True but it isn't just Dana. Jim has too much ego to admit defeat as well. If Dana told him it's time to sell he'd probably fire him on the spot.

I've already accepted we are trading at least one of Neyens or Alvarez the younger. Hell we'd probably trade half our draft class if MLB rules allowed it.