Should the Brewers sign a starter?

[Bulldogboy]

Yes. Never have enough. Woody would do if he's good to go.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

44 minutes ago, TURBO said:

I didn't say the Yankees, or anyone for that matter, would pay that kind of a contract, I said IF he was offered that money...

And I didn't say that you did?

[OldSchoolSnapper]

6 hours ago, Trail said:

you're right to a degree, but the expectations are higher now.  We're not the "little engine that could" anymore.  At least for the time being, Brewers are looked upon as an elite team....fans, players, organization all expect a lot.  Going into the season with 3 solid starters and a load of question marks may have been good enough before, but just feels insufficient now.  Odds are against all 3 making it through the year healthy...that's just how baseball is, unfortunately.  Its sort of like the Packers having their starting 5 O-line and not planning for the inevitable injuries (oh...I guess they did that :) )  I want one more solid guy...trade or FA.  

3 solid starters and a bunch of question marks to fill the other starts is probably a very good place to be? I'd imagine that one of Harrison, Woodruff, Priester, Drohan, Crow, Patrick, Sproat, will have a nice year. There will be regression too. Point is, I am not seeing a big need. Over 162 they will find the 3 or 4 they need for October. I'd be more invested in how they get a better version of Miz for the end of the year.

[BrewerFan]

21 hours ago, CheezWizHed said:

Every year these posts come out for a FA signing. People are always hopeful for "going all in" and "pushing our chips into the table". Then posting the Mark A is cheap memes when it doesn't happen... 

But we just saw that the "Brewer Way" worked not once, but our little brother the Rays proved the approach from the AL side too. 

Feel free to pine after the FA SPs... but the reality is we will:

1. Start with Miz, Henderson, Gasser
2. Work with Priester and Harrison on injury recovery
3. Look at trade options that bring in upside improvement candidates (including Gordan from last year). 
4. Continue developing Sproat, Crow, Hardin, and other AAA pitchers.
5. Stash a few MiLB FA pitchers at AAA for depth.

I mean... it's who we are and I don't see that changing. 

No, I think people are looking at the additional money, Bauers reports that he'll turn down the QO(which would leave the Brewers with considerably more money to work with... barring the Brewers giving him ~2/40 or something) and using that as their rationale. 

I said I'd like May back... knowing full well he won't be as even with his performance he'll likely cost 2/34... but if we're just saying what we'd like, I'd like to have not traded for him and then signed him because I think the Brewers could do wonders with him.

But, I love the SPing. 

Harrison was an ace most of the year, he wore down. I think there's reason to expect him to throw better in his 2nd year.
Sproat has a ton of upside. I don't actually expect Burnes, but I think you can at least look at their terrible seasons and their stuff and you knew Burnes was still likely to be a good pitcher and I feel the same way about Sproat. 

Gasser... probably pitched a little over his head in the post-season, but he was also coming back from TJ. 

Drohan was solid, Priester. Hardin could easily be ready next year, Letson could be ready for the team later i the year. He has a big upside. 



Rather than just sign a pitcher to sign a pitcher, I'd like to see some more long term extensions. The one we all want is obvious, but beyond that... there are a couple depending on what they'd take. Turang likely gone(though... I'd certainly rather invest there than Catcher given Contreras age and decline, despite his legendary WS which we'll never forget). 

Either way, we're good. We have trade chips and young arms and arms who got experiance. I don't think we need to make a single move, anything we do is just adding to an already really good team that on paper, should be better next year. 

[CheezWizHed]

19 hours ago, Trail said:

you're right to a degree, but the expectations are higher now.  We're not the "little engine that could" anymore.  At least for the time being, Brewers are looked upon as an elite team....fans, players, organization all expect a lot.  Going into the season with 3 solid starters and a load of question marks may have been good enough before, but just feels insufficient now.  Odds are against all 3 making it through the year healthy...that's just how baseball is, unfortunately.  Its sort of like the Packers having their starting 5 O-line and not planning for the inevitable injuries (oh...I guess they did that :) )  I want one more solid guy...trade or FA.  

Haha... we will always be the "Little Engine that could" (and in fact the Little Engine that DID).  So I think it is foolish to think that we will suddenly change the model that got us there.  

Don't misunderstand me, I'm not saying we shouldn't go get another starter... I just look at our history and think "don't hold your breath", this isn't our MO. 

And I'll go further to predict that if we do sign someone... it will be the wrong person. 😂

@BrewerFan, 2 years $34M for May would make me sad.  He is probably a better pitcher than he was for the Brewers last year... but not someone I really want to invest in.  If we sign someone, the need to slot in (cost wise) to be a long reliever / spot starter.  

After Miz, Henderson, and Gasser, Harrison will get the first shot to start - guaranteed.  He has too much upside to let him rot in the BP again.  They will give him the chance to fail in March, April, and May before they replace him. 

Priester is also going to be a high priority to start again, but I can see that being more of a Spring Training decision based on health.  I could see him also starting in the pen and ramping in.  

Sproat is also going to get another chance at some point.  Again, we need to allow our high-end arms the chance to develop. 

Thus, it would be foolish to sign someone at $17M which would essentially "force" the Brewers to start him over Harrison or Priester (or even Sproat). 

Prior to ST, we will probably get a Brice Wilson or similar type arm, because it makes better business sense. 

If we are at mid-season and those other arms fail... that is when you reach out for another starter (which is how we got May and Priester). 

[Underachiever]

13 hours ago, OldSchoolSnapper said:

 I'd be more invested in how they get a better version of Miz for the end of the year.

LOL. I first read that as you saying they needed to find another pitcher better than Miz and I almost jumped out of my chair.

[BrewerFan]

1 hour ago, CheezWizHed said:

@BrewerFan, 2 years $34M for May would make me sad.  He is probably a better pitcher than he was for the Brewers last year... but not someone I really want to invest in.  If we sign someone, the need to slot in (cost wise) to be a long reliever / spot starter.  

I was absolutely NOT saying the Brewers should give May that type of money! 

I was saying I'd like to bring him back because I am of the belief that he's got really good stuff, the Brewers could get him back to being more of that Groundball pitcher. 

Basically it's as surface level as he's got that good velo that I love AND a history of really good GB rates that makes me think... there's something to work with at his age. 

Definitely not giving him 34M and beyond that, he left immediately, took no part in the parade. I suspect he believes he should have been a larger part of the team. 


If we're going to pay closer to market value for one of the FA pitchers, I'd go with Senzatela for the same reasons as May. Very good GB rate, good velo, I think his stuff would continue to play up away from Coors. 

I'd also be thrilled to get back Romero for 2/12, but he's not signing at that price. 


I love the Starting pitching depth. I've heard people say(via podcasts and the like) the Brewers really like Hardin and believe his stuff will really continue to play up... and we'll have 2-3 MLB caliber starters in AAA. 

[BrewerFan]

On 11/10/2026 at 12:52 AM, BrewCrew8675309 said:

I think he is just a rental guy and honestly was outshined by a 2 or 3 batter Loogy that can only go vs lefties (Go look at JoJo's BRef Splits page if you doubt me). There is moving Ashby as well and stepping up DL into a high leverage role. 

I'm looking and he's been very good vs RHHers the last couple of years. 

He was also used for more than 3 outs regularly, even in the playoffs. 

 

Just vs RHHing

2025-	.220	/.327	/.315	OPS of .642
2026	-.228/	.315	/.346	OPS of .661

This is why he's going to be priced out of Milwaukee anyway. He's just been a very good reliever(worse vs lefties this than righties, so certainly not exclusively a loogy). 

[Underachiever]

2 hours ago, BrewerFan said:

Definitely not giving him 34M and beyond that, he left immediately, took no part in the parade. I suspect he believes he should have been a larger part of the team. 
 

This just isn't correct.

[Lucas O.]

9 minutes ago, Underachiever said:

This just isn't correct.

He even was at a Bucks game with some teammates a couple days after the parade.

[RubenQuevedoFanClub]

I wouldn't mind having D May back.

Gotta cut him some slack for poor vibes/resting b face.  The guy almost bit the dust to some lettuce, that's going to change a man.  

[Underachiever]

Yes, there has been some unfair analysis of D May's body language since he came over. He didn't pitch very well, but I would never suggest motives behind his behavior, or his perceived behavior. 

There's kind of a running joke on Buckyville about making judgment based on a player's body language. 

[thebruce44]

OP noted 3 reliable starters. Lets assume thats Miz, Henderson, and Gasser. What FA could we realistically sign to a 2 year deal who you would feel better about than Harrison, Priester, Patrick, Hall, and Drohan?

If healthy, I could see a rotation of Miz, Henderson, Gasser, Harrison, Priester, and someone like Sproat being the best rotation in MLB.

[tmwiese55]

With the caveat of not knowing all the FA signings of other teams.  I'd say that setup with normal health would be more like the #3 behind NYY, LAD. Difference being that all of ours would be on league min contracts, and those teams pay about 150mil for theirs. Its almost impossible to top them.   But with how we do the bullpen here better than everyone else, it still probably makes them the best overall pitching staff.

[TURBO]

I'd be fine bringing back May providing we don't overpay to get him. 2 at 34 is an overpay imo.

I think that working with the Brewers could possibly unlock a next level for this guy, so I'm open to taking him back.  The interesting part is what will the cost be?  Will someone be willing to overpay him?