Astros pitcher Lance McCullers gets 24-hour security after he and family receive death threats

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After Houston Astros pitcher Lance McCullers received vitriol on social media, team owner Jim Grane gave him 24-hour security.

McCullers said he and his family recently received death threats following a rough outing from the 31-year-old.

McCullers said his five-year-old daughter overheard a conversation with his wife on the phone about the threats.

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Houston Astros starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. (43) walks off the mound after a pitching change during the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Daikin Park. (Troy Taormina-Imagn Images)

"She asked me when I came home: ‘Daddy, like, what is threats? Who wants to hurt us? Who wants to hurt me?’ So, those conversations are tough to deal with," McCullers told the Associated Press this week.

McCullers, who has two young daughters, took immediate action after the threats and reached out to the team to inquire about what could be done to protect his family. 

The Astros contacted MLB security and the Houston Police Department following the threats to McCullers. A police spokesperson said Thursday that it remains an ongoing investigation.

It was a move McCullers felt was necessary after what happened.

"You have to at that point," he said.

The Astros have uniformed police officers stationed in the family section, a practice that was implemented well before the threats to McCullers and his family. The team also has mental health professionals available to the players to talk about the toll such abuse takes on them and any other issues they may be dealing with.

Lance McCullers Jr. #43 of the Houston Astros reacts to giving up three runs