 |  | | Astros Honor Lance McCullers Jr.'s Contributions Following Trade | RHP Lance McCullers Jr. leaves Houston as one of the most accomplished pitchers in Astros history after spending parts of nine Major League seasons with the organization. A supplemental first-round pick in the 2012 MLB Draft, McCullers made his Major League debut in 2015 at just 21 years old and went on to compile a 53-40 record with a 3.85 ERA across 154 appearances, helping lead the club to two World Series championships.
In his postseason career, McCullers posted a 3.47 ERA (28 ER in 72.2 IP) over 19 games, including 12 starts. He pitched in 12 postseason series for the Astros, including all six series during both the club’s 2017 and 2022 World Series championship runs. One of the defining moments of his career came in Game 7 of the 2017 ALCS vs. the Yankees, when he earned the save with 4.0 scoreless innings and famously threw 24 consecutive curveballs to secure Houston’s first AL pennant. McCullers also made two starts in the 2017 World Series including starting the Astros clincher in Game 7 and later started two additional series-clinching postseason games: Game 4 of the 2021 ALDS vs. the White Sox and Game 3 of the 2022 ALDS vs. the Mariners.
The Astros thank Lance for his outstanding contributions to the organization and the Houston community throughout his career.
As part of the transaction, Houston also traded LHP Colton Gordon, who made 24 appearances over parts of two seasons with the Astros, to the Milwaukee Brewers. In return, the Astros acquired OF Jadyn Fielder from Milwaukee. |  | | |  | | Yordan Alvarez All-Star Recap & AL Player Of The Week | Yordan Alvarez earned multiple honors during an outstanding first half of the 2026 season. Earlier this month, Alvarez was voted the American League's starting designated hitter for the MLB All-Star Game, which was played July 14 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. The selection marked Alvarez's fourth career All-Star appearance and second time being voted a starter. Alvarez finished the game going 1-2 with a run scored as the AL defeated the NL 4-0.
Alvarez was also named the American League Player of the Week for June 29–July 5, earning the sixth weekly honor of his career and his third of the 2026 season.
Putting together an MVP-caliber first half, Alvarez established himself as one of baseball’s most productive hitters. Through the All-Star break, he led Major League Baseball in OPS (1.059), slugging percentage (.633), on-base percentage (.436), and total bases (221). He also ranked first in the American League in home runs (31) and RBI (70), while sitting second in batting average (.318), just four points shy of the league lead.
Earlier this month, Alvarez launched his third grand slam of the season, which was the most in Major League Baseball at the time. All three of his grand slams came after the start of June, and his seven career grand slams tied the Astros franchise record. | | | |  | | Astros Conclude 2026 MLB Draft | The Houston Astros completed the 2026 Major League Baseball Draft with 22 total selections, including a pair of first-round picks in OF Logan Hughes (17th overall) from Texas Tech University and RHP Jack Radel (28th overall) from the University of Notre Dame. Hughes, a four-time All-American, slashed .375/.510/.735 with 18 home runs, 70 RBI and a 1.245 OPS as a junior at Texas Tech, while Radel, a First-Team All-ACC selection, went 8-3 with a 3.29 ERA and 116 strikeouts in 87.2 innings for Notre Dame in 2026. Overall, the Astros selected 13 position players and nine pitchers, with 18 of their 22 selections coming from the collegiate ranks and 4 from the high school level. The Astros’ 2026 draft class adds talent and depth across the organization, further strengthening the club’s player development system.
| | | |  | | Astros Announce Minor League Players Of The Month | OF Drew Brutcher has been named the Astros Minor League Player of the Month, while RHP Javier Perez earned Astros Minor League Pitcher of the Month honors after standout performances across the organization in June.
Brutcher, 24, batted .387 (29x75) with 20 runs, nine doubles, one triple, four home runs, 28 RBI, 22 walks, one stolen base and a 1.224 OPS in 22 games with Double-A Corpus Christi in June. For the season, he is batting .304 (68x224) with 39 runs, 16 doubles, one triple, seven home runs, 51 RBI, 43 walks, 10 stolen bases and an .899 OPS in 62 games. Brutcher was signed by the Astros as an undrafted free agent on March 25, 2025, out of the University of South Florida.
Perez, 22, went 2-0 with a 3.54 ERA (8ER/20.1IP) in June with Single-A Fayetteville. He also recorded 23 strikeouts, one walk, a 0.84 WHIP and a .213 opponent batting average in four starts during the month. For the minor league season, the right-handed pitcher has recorded a 3.17 ERA (27ER/76.2IP) with 89 strikeouts, 13 walks, a 0.89 WHIP and a .195 opponent batting average. In the Carolina League, Perez ranks first in opponent batting average, first in WHIP, second in ERA, fourth in strikeouts and sixth in innings. Perez was signed by the Astros as a non-drafted free agent on March 19, 2024, from Guasave, Mexico. | |
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