While professional athletes are often seen as larger-than-life figures due to their fame and success, it remains important to remember they’re still human. Unfortunately, that line was crossed in a disturbing way on Saturday night in Major League Baseball.
In just his second start since 2022 after battling persistent injuries, longtime Houston Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. was subjected to horrific threats on social media following Houston’s 13–9 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. McCullers gave up 7 earned runs in a 10-run first inning and recorded just one out before being pulled from the game.
Astros manager Joe Espada opened his postgame press conference with visible frustration and a strong message about the situation involving his pitcher.
“I want to start by saying something. I just left my office, and it’s very unfortunate that Lance McCullers is receiving threats—toward himself and his kids—because of his performance,” Espada said. “It’s incredibly sad that we have to deal with this. After all he’s done for this city and for this team, the fact that we’re even talking about this… I have kids too, and it really drives me nuts. It’s very, very sad.”
Awful situation in Houston following the Reds 13-9 win:
Astros manager Joe Espada said there were disturbing threats were made against Lance McCullers Jr.’s family and life after his start tonight.pic.twitter.com/OSVGnQQfRZ
— Chatterbox Sports (@CBoxSports) May 11, 2025
McCullers also addressed the media after the game, opening up about the disturbing messages he and his family received:
“Yeah… it’s been a tough evening,” McCullers said. “I understand people are passionate, and they love the Astros and love sports—but threatening to find my kids and murder them is a little bit tough to deal with.”
“There have been a lot of threats over the years aimed at me… but bringing kids into the equation… saying next time they see us in public they’re going to stab my kids to death. That’s tough to hear as a dad.”
Lance McCullers Jr. addressing the threats he and his family received. Courtesy SCHN.
Find this person, lock them up, and throw away the key. pic.twitter.com/tZlSEwhq75
— Jeremy Branham (@JeremyBranham) May 11, 2025
McCullers has been a cornerstone of the Astros organization since 2015, playing a key role in the franchise’s sustained success over the past decade—including their two World Series titles. Despite battling multiple injuries, he has fought hard to return to the mound, compiling a solid career record of 49–33 with an impressive 3.55 ERA.
Unfortunately, incidents like the one McCullers is facing have become increasingly common across all sports. Whether it’s fueled by the rise in legalized sports gambling or the growth of online platforms, the trend of athletes receiving vile and violent messages is very tragic—especially when directed at someone who has devoted over 10 years of his professional career to a single team and city.
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