Astros face uncomfortable truth after GM's comments regarding Lance McCullers Jr.

The Houston Astros seemed resigned to the fact that Lance McCullers Jr. will be part of their pitching staff next season. And why shouldn't they be? Given his extensive injury history, exorbitant contract, and ineffective performance last season, it's unlikely that even the neediest of teams will be looking at McCullers as a possible trade target.

At the MLB Winter Meetings this past week in Orlando, Astros GM Dana Brown spoke about McCullers and what he expects from the right-hander in 2026. His comments aren't so much surprising as they are depressing.

“He’s got something to prove to the baseball world that he’s still Lance McCullers and he can get after it,” Brown told Chandler Rome of The Athletic “… I’m kind of excited about seeing him in spring training, to be honest.”

The Astros may be relying on Lance McCullers Jr. more than they'd like to in 2026

Obviously, Brown is giving the player the old "I believe in him" bit, and he should. But he also has no alternative. In fact, given how Brown and the Astros front office have attacked their greatest need this offseason — starting pitching — with such ineffectual moves should scare any Astros fan who's watching.

The Astros have gone outside of the United States to find backend starter Ryan Weiss, and are expected to give starting reps to both Nate Pearson and AJ Blubaugh next spring. McCullers is likely to enter that conversation as well, but none of those pitchers can hold a candle to Framber Valdez — the player Brown and his team are attempting to replace.

The Astros have Hunter Brown and Christian Javier at the top of the rotation at the moment, and while they'd love to be in the market for Ranger Suarez, that seems highly unlikely unless they're able to shed Christian Walker's remaining salary.

It's beginning to look like McCullers might actually be part of the Astros' rotation in 2026, which is a bold strategy. His five-year, $85 million extension runs through next season, at which time Houston will finally be able to move past one of their worst contract decisions of the last few years.

While injuries, not necessarily performance, was the biggest factor in McCullers' fall from grace, Astros fans can't ignore the elephant in the room. His contract demands he'll be on the field in 2026, and Houston might not have a better alternative.