Astros RHP Lance McCullers Jr. gets death threats after loss

Published: Sunday, May 11, 2025 at 8:01 am

**Astros Pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. Receives Death Threats After Rough Outing**

Houston Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. is facing a disturbing reality after a difficult performance on the mound. Following Saturday's game against the Cincinnati Reds, where he was pulled in the first inning after allowing seven runs, McCullers and his family received death threats via social media.

McCullers, 31, confirmed the threats, expressing his distress over the threats targeting his children. He stated, "threatening to find my kids and murder them is a little bit tough to deal with." This isn't the first time McCullers has been targeted, but the threats against his family have escalated the situation.

The Astros' manager, Joe Espada, also condemned the threats, emphasizing the severity of the situation. Espada expressed his outrage, stating, "It's very unfortunate that we have to deal with this -- after all he's done for this city, for this team."

McCullers, who has been with the Astros throughout his career and was part of the 2017 and 2022 World Series championship teams, recently returned to the mound after missing the 2023 and 2024 seasons due to arm issues. His first outing back was against the Chicago White Sox, where he pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings. His second outing, and first in Houston, was Saturday and was "a tough evening," he said later.

Despite the rough outing, Espada and the Astros organization are standing by McCullers, urging fans to give him time to regain his form. McCullers, a former All-Star and first-round draft pick, is focused on improving and contributing to the team.

Keywords: Lance McCullers Jr., Astros, Houston Astros, death threats, social media, baseball, MLB, Cincinnati Reds, Joe Espada, pitching, sports, threats, violence, family, World Series, 2017, 2022, injury, performance, fans, reaction

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