Houston Astros starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. has hired security after his family received death threats from fans over a poor performance on the mound.
McCullers, 31, has started five games for the Astros this year after injuries kept him off the field for the past two seasons. When his slow start allegedly caused fans to start threatening his family, the righty said he had to explain the situation to his daughter Ava, 5.
“She asked me when I came home: ‘Daddy, like, what is threats? Who wants to hurt us? Who wants to hurt me?'” McCullers told The Associated Press on Wednesday, May 28. “So those conversations are tough to deal with.”
When McCullers contacted the Astros about the threats, team owner Jim Crane stepped in and offered him security.
“You have to at that point,” McCullers said.
McCullers first revealed the threats after a rocky outing on May 10 against the Cincinnati Reds in which he gave up seven runs and retired only one batter.
“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 at the time. “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.”
His manager, Joe Espada, had his back, reminding fans that it’s going to take time for a pitcher who hasn’t been on the mound since 2022 to shake off the rust.
“There are people who are threatening his life and the life of his kids because of his performance,” Espada added. “It is very unfortunate that we have to deal with this.”
Espada also reminded fans that McCullers played a pivotal role on the Astros’ World Series championship teams in 2017 and 2022.
“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,” he said.
Sadly, McCullers isn’t the only MLB pitcher whose family has gone through this in 2025. Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Liam Hendricks revealed after McCullers’ admission that his wife has also received death threats.
The Astros have contacted MLB security and the Houston Police Department regarding the threats to McCullers’ family, according to ESPN. A police spokesperson told the outlet on Friday, May 30 that the investigation is ongoing.
