Houston Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. (43) reacts to striking out New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) to end the top of the eight inning of Game 7 of the ALCS at Minute Maid Park, Satuday, Oct. 21, 2017, in Houston. ( Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle )
Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle
From being part of the Houston Astros‘ core that won two World Series rings to his “Bury me in the H,” proclamation, it’s hard to imagine an athlete who represented his adopted hometown more than Lance McCullers.
The 32-year-old right-hander’s time with the Astros came to an end Wednesday when the team he’s been with for 12 years worked to finalize a trade that will send him to the Milwaukee Brewers.
He’ll head to Milwaukee carrying pieces of Houston with him, literally. In 2022, McCullers made his Houston love permanent in the form of tattoos. His left triceps features an astronaut and the World Series trophy with the bottom of the astronaut morphing into a dripping, upside-down depiction of Houston’s skyline. Below that are the words “Be Someone,” a recreation of the city’s iconic bridge graffiti.
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On the field, Houston will never forget his clutch postseason performances, and off the field, there are countless stories of him and his wife Kara stepping up to help those in need, especially the community’s stray and homeless dog population.
Here are 10 moments that stand out in Lance McCullers’ Houston Astros’ career …
24 straight curveballs
Houston Astros starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. (43) and catcher Brian McCann (16) celebrate as the Houston Astros beat the New York Yankees 4-0 in Game 7 of the ALCS to head to the World Series at Minute Maid Park Saturday, Oct. 21, 2017 in Houston. ( Michael Ciaglo / Houston Chronicle)
Michael Ciaglo/Houston Chronicle
This goes down as one of the most legendary performances in Astros history. After starting Game 4 of the 2017 American League Championship Series against the Yankees, McCullers was asked to come out of the bullpen for Game 7 for just the second time in his big-league career and he did it on three days’ rest. McCullers entered in the sixth inning with a 4-0 lead and closed out the game with four scoreless innings, allowing just two baserunners. However, the part that is etched into Astros’ lore is that McCullers had the guts to throw 24 straight curveballs to Yankees hitters, daring them to hit it. They couldn’t. The Yankees swung and missed at 10 of McCullers’ 41 breaking pitches that night as he recorded six of his 12 outs by strikeout.
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“(Astros manager A.J. Hinch) told me yesterday, ‘You’re gonna get the ball. Show me you want to keep it, and I’m not gonna take it from you.’ I did not want to give him a single glimpse that I didn’t want to keep that ball,” McCullers said in a champagne-soaked clubhouse celebrating the franchise’s first World Series trip since 2005. “I would’ve pitched 20 innings tonight if I had to. I felt great. And I’m healthy. That’s all that matters.”
Game 7 of 2017 World Series
The Astros dugout celebrates starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr.’s (43) RBI ground out that allows Brian McCann to score during the second inning of Game 7 of the World Series at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2017, in Los Angeles. ( Michael Ciaglo / Houston Chronicle )
Michael Ciaglo/Houston Chronicle
After getting a win in Game 3 of the 2017 World Series, McCullers was given the ball five days later for the biggest game in franchise history: Game 7 at Dodger Stadium. McCullers didn’t pitch his best — in fact he set a record for any postseason game by hitting four batters — but he worked out of trouble to throw 2 ⅓ scoreless innings and left with a 5-0 lead in the third inning. Part of that lead could be credited to McCullers’ bat, which delivered an RBI groundout in the second inning. Brad Peacock, Francisco Liriano, Chris Devenski and Charlie Morton finished off the night on the mound to help deliver the Astros their first World Series title.
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Key playoff start in 2022 title run
Houston Astros starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. reacts after striking out Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez to end the fifth inning of Game 3 of the American League Division Series on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, in Seattle.
Karen Warren/Staff photographer
Forgotten a bit in the Astros’ 2022 championship run is Game 3 of the American League Division Series in Seattle. The Astros swept the meeting against their division rivals, but every game was agonizingly close, especially the clincher that went 18 innings before Jeremy Peña broke a scoreless tie with a home run. The game never would have made it that far had McCullers not gotten things started by throwing six scoreless innings, striking out seven.
Giving it his all in 2021
Houston Astros starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. pumps his fist after striking out Chicago White Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal to end the first inning in Game 4 of the American League Division Series Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021, in Chicago.
Karen Warren/Staff photographer
The 2021 Astros looked primed for another possible World Series title and a lot of that optimism was based on McCullers’ resurgence. He had bounced back from injury and undoubtedly was the team’s ace, going 13-5 with a career-best 3.16 ERA to go along with a career-high 186 strikeouts in 162 ⅓ innings. He kept it going in the playoffs, dominating the White Sox in the American League Division Series, throwing 10 ⅔ innings of one-run ball over two starts. However, it was his start in the series-clinching Game 4 that led to his demise, leaving after four scoreless innings with forearm tightness. Carlos Correa, who was in McCullers’ same draft class, said his friend was devastated by an injury that would keep him out of action until August of the next year.
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Correa said McCullers texted him after the injury, “Sorry, I couldn’t keep going for you guys.’ I was like ‘There’s nothing to be sorry about. You battled your ass off for so many years for this organization. It’s just something you can’t control. We’re going to try to go out there and win for him.”
Without a key piece of their starting rotation, the Astros still made it to the World Series, but lost in six games to the Atlanta Braves.
‘Bury me in the H’
Houston pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. celebrates with his family after the Astros won the World Series over the Philadelphia Phillies at Minute Maid Park on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, in Houston.
Jon Shapley/Staff photographer
When the Astros lost Carlos Correa to free agency in 2022 after watching the likes of Gerrit Cole, George Springer, Dallas Keuchel and Charlie Morton also leave, a fan replied to McCullers on social media, asking him to never abandon Houston. McCullers gave an epic response: “(I’ll) be here as long as they will have me. Bury me in the H.” Those final five words became immortalized on T-shirts and on social media.
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2022 World Series speech
Houston Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. with the trophy during the Houston Astros World Series parade downtown on Monday, Nov. 7, 2022 in Houston.
Karen Warren/Staff photographer
McCullers played a role on the field in the 2022 championship run, but then he also delivered an epic speech in the clubhouse after finishing off the World Series against the Phillies at home, detailing the team’s postseason run through Seattle, New York and Philadelphia.
“First, before I get a little rowdy. I don’t want anyone to take this for granted,” McCullers told his teammates while holding a giant bottle of champagne. “Runs like this, what we’ve been able to do in this clubhouse, it doesn’t come around very often. This is special.
“When we started this f— journey, they sent us out West, we f— unplugged the Electric Factory. Then, they sent us up Northeast and we had to remind everyone who the real f— savages are. Then, they sent us to Red October, left them in a pool of blood. Ring the f— ball, because we’re the World Series champions.”
Debut with Batman cleats
Houston Astros Pitcher Lance McCullers shows off his Batman cleats while delivering a pitch in his Major League debut during the Athletics-Astros game on May 18, 2015 at Minute Maid Park, Houston, Texas.
Icon Sports Wire/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty
When McCullers made his big-league debut in 2015 at just 21 years old, he wasn’t shy about it. McCullers was flashy by pitching in cleats adorned with a black and yellow Batman logo. McCullers pitched well, giving up just one run in 4 ⅔ innings, but caught some grief for his choice of footwear.
“I was talking to (George) Springer, and I said something about the cleats, and he said, ‘Wear them, man. Go out there and do what you’ve been doing,’” McCullers said after his debut. “I love Batman. I have the trilogy, and I have some other stuff. I think I saw some people getting on me (online), but it’s all right.”
As it turns out, the Batman logo was against MLB rules and McCullers wasn’t allowed to wear his favorite spikes again.
Ready to fight in 2023 ALCS
McCullers missed the entire 2023 season with an arm injury, but that didn’t mean he didn’t have his teammates’ backs. When things got hectic in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series against the Texas Rangers, McCullers showed he’s a real ride-or-die. After Bryan Abreu hit the Rangers’ Adolis Garcia with a pitch in the eighth inning, both benches cleared, but McCullers was the first one out of the dugout trying to get his hands on Garcia. He was fined for the incident and not allowed to sit in the dugout for the remainder of the series, which the Rangers won in seven games.
‘Something nice for Penny’
Houston Astros starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. hugs Penny Boyle before the start of an MLB baseball game at Minute Maid Park, Tuesday, April 3, 2018, in Houston. ( Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle )
Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle
When McCullers saw a social media video of a 4-year-old girl from East Bernard claiming she was going to grow up and marry the Astros pitcher, McCullers reached out. He invited little Penny Boyle and her family to a game and got them on the field during batting practice. Penny turned out to be a little shy meeting her favorite player in person, but still got a hug. When approached by reporters about the moment, McCullers said, “I didn’t do this for the media or anything. I just wanted to do something nice for Penny.”
Stepping up for another kid
Fans react as Astros Lance McCullers signs autographs before a charity softball match at Minute Maid Park in Houston on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021. Travis Scott and his Cactus Jack Cactus Jack Foundation presented the inaugural Fall Classic Softball Game featuring an all-star lineup of athletes and entertainers in support of Scott’s Cactus Jack Foundation and the City of Houston.
Elizabeth Conley/Staff photographer
When McCullers heard that an 11-year-old from Angleton had his baseball equipment — including a glove autographed by the Astros’ pitcher — stolen out of his father’s truck, he made it right. Shortly after the theft, a package arrived at the boys’ home. There was no note and no explanation, just McCullers’ glove with his autograph on it. It was another moment McCullers didn’t publicize, but when asked about it, he said, “It’s just an opportunity to make a kid’s day, and I think a lot of guys on our team are always looking for opportunities to do that. I knew the glove would bring him a lot of happiness, so I got it signed and sent it out to him.”