Five Under-The-Radar Free Agent Pitchers The Brewers Should Consider

[Harold Hutchison]

While many baseball fans in the hot stove league are asking “will they or won’t they” on a Brandon Woodruff return to the Brewers, the free agent market might have some real bargains for the Crew to bolster their major-league pitching staff. The team’s been very successful at finding bargains in the past, like Colin Rea or Julio Teheran. So, who could be the next free-agent bargain for the Crew? Here are some options.

LHP Foster Griffin, Yomiuri Giants (NPB)
Griffin had cups of coffee in MLB in 2020 and 2022, where he mostly handled mop-up duty. He then went to Japan, where he found himself a spot in the starting rotation of the Yomiuri Giants of the Central League. Over those three years, he started 53 of the 54 games he appeared in, pitching 315 2/3 innings with a 2.57 ERA while striking out 9.1 hitters per nine innings while averaging only two walks per nine. Notably, Griffin had a grand total of three wild pitches and 15 hit batsmen during that time.

Griffin has slightly over one year of MLB service time, so the Brewers could have team control for five years. While he made strides in NPB, the Brewers’ pitching lab could refine him into a back-end of the rotation option for the team who can reliably eat innings.

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LHP Brent Suter, Cincinnati Reds
A reunion with “The Raptor” could be a boon for the Brewers bullpen. On November 5, the Cincinnati Reds declined a $3 million team option on Suter, making him a free agent. Over the three seasons since Milwaukee put him on waivers, he’s appeared in 152 games and posted a 3.69 ERA over 202 2/3 innings pitched.

He has done this while pitching half the time in two rather notoriously hitter-friendly stadiums. Suter comes with few question marks, the biggest being his age (36). That said, he’s fit in with the Brewers’ clubhouse before, he has been able to eat 65-70 innings out of the bullpen for each of the last five years, and he could benefit from the Brewers’ pitching lab. He’d slot in as a replacement should Aaron Ashby and/or DL Hall earn spots in the starting rotation.

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RHP Michael Soroka, Washington Nationals/Chicago Cubs
Soroka’s had to come back from multiple Achilles injuries, and may be a candidate for the pitching lab, given his 3-18 record, 4.62 ERA, and 4.57 FIP over the last two seasons. There is some good news: In six games with the Cubs, mostly working out of the pen, he had a dominant stretch that flashed the talent that made him the youngest Opening Day starter in Atlanta Braves history.

Last year, Soroka got a $9 million deal. Between his age and the deal he received, he may end up being one of the more expensive options on this list. That said, this could be a pickup that could pay off big for Milwaukee compared to the expense.

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RHP Adrian Houser, Chicago White Sox/Tampa Rays
Houser is another former Brewer on this list, but like Brent Suter, he may be worth the reunion. After he was released by the Texas Rangers, Houser signed on with the White Sox, where he became their staff ace with a 2.10 ERA in 68 2/3 innings pitched across 11 starts, then added another 56 1/3 innings in 10 starts with the Rays.

Like Suter, there would be little question about his fit in the clubhouse. He’s 33, but his arsenal, with the heavy use of a sinker, according to FanGraphs, would be an excellent match with the Brewers’ infield defense. That’s before he gets in some work with the pitching lab.

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RHP Dustin May, Los Angeles Dodgers/Boston Red Sox
May has had some difficulty with injuries, but when he’s been on the mound he has generally pitched well. Like Houser, he primarily throws a sinker, but his can touch 98 miles per hour. May was reasonably healthy, but was pushed out of the Dodgers’ rotation, and eventually traded to Boston, where he went 1-4 over six games (five starts) with a 5.40 ERA across 28 1/3 innings pitched.

May would make an excellent fit for the Brewers’ excellent defense, being the type of pitcher that could do really well with work in the pitching lab. Like Soroka, he might be a more expensive pickup, but at the same time, he could pay off big time for the Brewers.

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Honorable Mentions
The Brewers may also want to look at bringing back Jordan Montgomery on a deal similar to Brandon Woodruff’s. Montgomery was a very solid pitcher from 2021-2023 and could be similar to a mid-season acquisition after missing all of 2025 with an elbow injury. Nestor Cortes underwent surgery for a flexor injury on October 16, and will be out for nine to ten months, but is another candidate for the Crew if they want to buy low and rehab him.

Do you think any of these free agents make sense for the Brewers? Who do you think they should try to sign in the off-season?

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[Michael Trzinski]

I would be all for bringing back Suter and Houser, but they would have to be on the 26-man, I'm guessing. That might be a problem...

[MattK]

Guessing the way Cortes left, that bridge is burnt.

[Bob K]

All good suggestions but I really would like to see the Brewers bring back Suter. Given what he could bring on the mound and in the clubhouse, $3M would be a bargain…

btw I would also like to see the Brewers open up their checkbook and extend Peralta this offseason.  If anyone deserves to get the bag it’s him. He’s a legitimate ace, in his prime, durable and would likely give the team a hometown discount. 

[Lathund]

I don't know if bringing back Suter is the best decision, performance wise (though he is still a pretty good pitcher), but man I would absolutely love to have the Raptor back. One of my all time favorite baseball players. An entertainer on and off the field, and seemed like both a great teammate and person. 

[GasserFace]

It depends on the definition of below the radar.  I think all of the pitchers mentioned are a bit too risky for this version of the Brewers, from either an age, health or erratic performance history.

I'm curious how much Brad Keller is going to get on the open market this winter.  His velo jumped to 97 last year working from the pen and he was very effective in leverage spots.  I think his sinker / slider mix could be an upgrade over someone like Nick Mears. 

[wiguy94]

51 minutes ago, GasserFace said:

It depends on the definition of below the radar.  I think all of the pitchers mentioned are a bit too risky for this version of the Brewers, from either an age, health or erratic performance history.

I'm curious how much Brad Keller is going to get on the open market this winter.  His velo jumped to 97 last year working from the pen and he was very effective in leverage spots.  I think his sinker / slider mix could be an upgrade over someone like Nick Mears. 

I think Keller will probably be out of the Brewers typical reliever price range but if he isn't I would definitely be down for the Brewers to go after him.

[BrewerFan]

On 11/16/2025 at 11:36 AM, Harold Hutchison said:

The Brewers may also want to look at bringing back Jordan Montgomery on a deal similar to Brandon Woodruff’s.

Sure. I'd bring Montgomery back. Don't think I'd go for basically 17.5 for one season.

1/6 with incentives. Maybe 2-4M in a option, a MO. 

 

On 11/16/2025 at 11:36 AM, Harold Hutchison said:

LHP Brent Suter, Cincinnati Reds
A reunion with “The Raptor” could be a boon for the Brewers bullpen.

It is my deepest hope... that everyone finds someone who looks at you the way Harold looks at Brent Suter!

LOL.. sorry, I'm kidding... a little. I just don't see what he adds to this team. Even if Ashby goes to the rotation, he'd be the 4th best lefty at this point. I'd pass. 

 

On 11/16/2025 at 11:36 AM, Harold Hutchison said:

RHP Dustin May, Los Angeles Dodgers/Boston Red Sox

I'd go 1/6 for him... despite the peripherals. 

There's a lot of upside there. 

I thought he had gotten in trouble, but... guess that was just Urias. 

[Frisbee Slider]

We probably need another reliable veteran to pair with Peralta. It would be peak Brewers to turn Soroka into a something special.

[JohnBriggs12]

On 11/17/2025 at 4:47 PM, wiguy94 said:

I think Keller will probably be out of the Brewers typical reliever price range but if he isn't I would definitely be down for the Brewers to go after him.

Keller will be out of their price range.  

Not that I'm all that sold on Mears as a high leverage reliever either.  But the Brewers have the guy who could be the closer in waiting.  Who's that guy?  Patrick.  All I'm reading is that Patrick is a likely starter.  I can't believe he's not being talked about as a future closer.  With Woody back and presuming Peralta is too that leaves 3 rotation spots.  Priester is the logical number 3.  Misiorowski is penciled in as #4.  That leaves a gaggle of young arms to compete for the 5th spot:  Myers, Gasser, Henderson, Hall and one or two others.

Patrick's stuff played up in relief in the postseason.  Not only that he displayed the gutsiness to handle the pressure.  Sure he could be a starter, and give you 5 innings of decent work, but he could be a star in the pen.