WAITING IS THE HARDEST PART
For McCullers and the Astros, this one hit different
Jun 4, 2025, 12:15 pm
McCullers is finally back in the win column. Composite Getty Image.
Lance McCullers Jr. finally got some peace of mind on Tuesday night.
The Astros right-hander pitched six scoreless innings to get his first win since Sept. 21, 2022, as Houston beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-0. McCullers missed the 2023 and 2024 seasons because of injuries and had not won in five starts this year since being activated from the injured list on May 4.
Lance McCullers Jr.'s stuff was nasty tonight 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/ZjzZTDJZkl
— MLB (@MLB) June 4, 2025
McCullers (1-1) struck out seven and walked one while outdueling Pirates ace Paul Skenes, who gave up one run — on a solo homer by Christian Walker in the seventh — in eight innings.
“It took a while, but we got there,” McCullers said of getting the win. “I’m just happy that I’m kind of back in the mix with the guys, and I’m able to give them legitimate opportunities to win.”
McCullers was also happy to have a difficult off-field situation behind him.
A drunken bettor who made online death threats aimed at McCullers’ family lives overseas and told Houston police he was sorry for what he had done, a department spokesperson said Monday.
McCullers received the threats on social media directed at his children after a poor start against the Cincinnati Reds on May 10 in which he allowed seven runs while recording only one out.
The Astros said Houston police and MLB security were notified. McCullers and his wife Kara have two young daughters. Astros owner Jim Crane hired 24-hour security for them.
Police public information officer Erika Ramirez said the man who made the threats was identified during an investigation. Because no charges have been filed, police are not disclosing his identity or where he lives.
“I don’t want to keep on about it, but a lot of thanks go to the Astros, the Astros security, Jim Crane, MLB security, my teammates, the HPD,” McCullers said. “Having resolution is nice. Not being close to Houston is nice. The fans are super supportive, too, and I appreciate that. It’s good that it’s behind us and our family feels safe again.”
The man told police that he would like to apologize to McCullers for the threats. McCullers said he would accept.
“As a follower of Christ and called to love our neighbor and forgive, I would be open to that,” he said.
Houston Astros shake things up trying to halt the spiral
Jul 29, 2025, 4:13 pm
Houston ace Framber Valdez expressed frustration about the defensive positioning on a play in the sixth inning Monday night that led to the only run he allowed in the Astros’ 2-1 loss to the Washington Nationals.
There were two outs in the sixth when Valdez walked Josh Bell. Nathaniel Lowe’s groundball double to the right field corner scored Bell and tied the game at 1.
Valdez wasn’t happy that right fielder Taylor Trammell was shifted halfway to center field instead of in right field on the play.
“I saw the right fielder playing center field and, you know, we have a center fielder for that,” Valdez told reporters in Spanish through a translator. “I feel like the right fielder should have been playing right field. I was uncomfortable with that.”
Valdez was asked if he addressed the positioning with the coaching staff.
“I don’t have to ask the coaches about that,” he said. “I feel like baseball is a game of common sense. With me as a lefty pitcher, they don’t hit a lot of fly balls against me.”
Valdez allowed three hits and a run while tying a season high with 12 strikeouts in six innings to become the 10th pitcher in franchise history to reach 1,000 career strikeouts (1,007).
You can see where the right fielder was positioned in the video below.
hi lowe pic.twitter.com/6hKlolMnTU
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) July 29, 2025
Riley Adams hit a solo homer in the seventh inning to give Washington the win and extend Houston’s skid to a season-high five games.