Houston Astros starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. revealed that he had death threats directed at him and his family after a rough start on Saturday against the Cincinnati Reds.
McCullers made his second start of the year on Saturday and it didn’t go well. He pitched just 0.1 innings and gave up seven earned runs on three hits and three walks. McCullers was pulled in the opening frame as a part of a 10-run Reds inning in a 13-9 victory for Cincinnati.
After the game, McCullers commented on the death threats that he has been receiving, via ESPN.
“I understand people are very passionate and people love the Astros and love sports, but threatening to find my kids and murder them is a little bit tough to deal with,” McCullers said, per ESPN. “So just as a father, I think there have been many, many threats over the years aimed at me, mostly, and I think actually one or two people from other issues around baseball actually had to go to jail for things like that. But I think bringing kids into the equation, threatening to find them or next time they see us in public they’re going to stab my kids to death, things like that, it’s tough to hear as a dad.”
McCullers has missed each of the last two full seasons with injuries to his pitching arm. He last pitched in the World Series in 2022 against the Philadelphia Phillies. He made his return to the mound on May 4, where he pitched 3.2 innings in a loss to the Chicago White Sox. In that game, McCullers did not allow a run despite giving up three hits and three walks, but he was unable to get out of the same jams on Saturday.
Astros manager Joe Espada also addressed the threats after the game.
“There are people who are threatening his life and the life of his kids because of his performance,” Espada said, per ESPN. “It is very unfortunate that we have to deal with this. After all he’s done for this city, for his team, the fact that we have to talk about that in my office — I got kids too, and it really drives me nuts that we have to deal with this. Very sad. Very, very sad.
“Listen, he hasn’t pitched in 2½ years. … It’s going to take a little bit of time to get him going. And that’s fine. But this can’t happen. I’m really upset that this can happen to athletes.”
McCullers’ next regular start would come later next week. The Astros start a three-game set against the Kansas City Royals before playing against the Texas Rangers late in the week.
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