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  • Milwaukee Brewers Free Agent & Trade Rumors, Notes, & Tidbits

    The latest Milwaukee Brewers free agent and trade rumors, along with notes and tidbits about the team.
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    Steve Drumwright
    While the Milwaukee Brewers await a more definitive diagnosis, they are losing a key outfielder.
    Brandon Lockridge was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right knee laceration and contusion, while fellow outfielder Blake Perkins was promoted from Triple-A Nashville. Lockridge sustained a deep laceration to his right knee during Friday's game when he slid while trying to catch a foul ball and his knee slammed into the cement wall just underneath the protective padding.

    When asked about Lockridge's status, Brewers manager Pat Murphy said: "It’s going to be a while."
    The swelling in Lockridge's knee must subside before he can undergo an MRI exam to determine the extent of the injury. An X-ray did not reveal any breaks, but Murphy said the laceration went down to the bone.
    Since coming over at last year's trade deadline from the San Diego Padres for left-hander Nestor Cortes and shortstop Jorge Quintana, Lockridge has fit right into the Brewers' style and quickly made himself a fan favorite with his speed and aggressive pursuit of foul balls. Only this time, this one cost him.
    In 28 games this year, Lockridge has a slash line of .294/.368/.341 with no homers, 12 RBIs and five stolen bases. He made the Opening Day roster over Perkins, who had been the starting center fielder most of the second half of 2025 after returning from an injury.
    Perkins was sent down this week following the return of superstar outfielder Jackson Chourio from his fractured hand. Perkins came up when Chourio went on the IL the morning of Opening Day. While a standout defender, Perkins has struggled mightily at the plate with a .109/.212/.174 slash line.
     
    Steve Drumwright
    Left-hander Angel Zerpa won't be pitching again for the Milwaukee Brewers until 2027.
    The reliever will undergo Tommy John surgery on his left elbow Monday. Tommy John surgery is typically a 12- to 15-month recovery, making an early target for Zerpa's return the All-Star break of next season.

    Zerpa was a big offseason acquisition, coming over in a trade from the Kansas City Royals for outfielder Isaac Collins and right-handed reliever Nick Mears. Zerpa showed out in the World Baseball Classic for Venezuela, pitching 5⅓ scoreless innings over six appearances, allowing three hits with two walks and eight strikeouts.
    That performance raised expectations going into his first season with the Brewers as another potential late-inning weapon. Zerpa didn't allow a run in his first four appearances covering 4⅔ innings, walking two and striking out three. He then allowed runs in three straight and six of his next eight before hitting the 15-day injured list last week.
    Zerpa has a 5.35 FIP (6.39 ERA) in those 12 games with 10.9% walk and 14.5% strikeout rates, both worse than his career numbers (7.2% and 19.4%).
     
    Steve Drumwright
    Despite a weekend scare, Jackson Chourio is also returning to the Milwaukee Brewers' offense.
    Chourio, an outfielder, and first baseman Andrew Vaughn were activated from the 10-day injured list Monday and were in the lineup for Monday's series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals. Outfielder Blake Perkins was optioned to Triple-A Nashville and outfielder Greg Jones was designated for assignment to make room on the 26-man roster. Also, right-handed starter Quinn Priester was pulled from his rehab assignment while still remaining on the 15-day IL. The return of Chourio and Vaughn, who hit in the top half of the batting order, is a much-needed boost for an offense that has been missing a spark.

    Chourio was a surprising IL placement on Opening Day. He sustained a fractured left hand while playing for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic, but the injury didn't appear to bother him as he continued to play after sitting out two games. The injury popped up during the Brewers' final exhibition games just days before Opening Day.
    Chourio then fouled a ball off his left ankle Saturday during a rehab assignment game for Nashville, which put his expected return Monday in doubt. But he went through running drills and was deemed fit enough to be activated.
    Vaughn joined Chourio on a rehab assignment last week as he recovered from hamate surgery in his left hand.
    Perkins was returned to Nashville, where he started the season. The defensive-minded center fielder has been the odd man out with a healthy Garrett Mitchell able to patrol center field and the emergence of Brandon Lockridge. But the switch-hitting Perkins mustered a measly .109/.212/.174 slash line in 19 games.
    Jones was a minor-league free-agent signing this offseason and appeared in 11 games since coming up April 14. He also struggled at the plate, going 2-for-21 (.095). If he passes through waivers, he could return to Nashville.
     
    Steve Drumwright
    Logan Henderson is back. And this time, it will be more than just a spot start.
    The Milwaukee Brewers called up Henderson, a right-hander, from Triple-A Nashville in order to start Sunday's series finale vs. the Washington Nationals. Right-handed reliever Easton McGee was sent back to Triple-A.

    Henderson figures to be the replacement for right-hander Brandon Woodruff, who was injured in his start Thursday against the Arizona Diamondbacks and went on the 15-day injured list Friday with right shoulder inflammation. Henderson slotting in Sunday pushes everyone in the rotation back a day.
    This is the second call-up this year for Henderson. He started the second game of the April 4 doubleheader against the Kansas City Royals, going just two innings, giving up two runs on three hits and a walk with three strikeouts in an 8-2 loss. He was called up specifically as the extra player for the doubleheader and went back to Nashville the next day.
    But with Woodruff down, Henderson joins the rotation for a more extended stay. Henderson made five starts for the Crew in 2025 before a strained right flexor ended his season in August. He was very good in three call-ups, putting together a 3.02 FIP (1.78 ERA) in 25⅓ innings with an 11.1% walk rate and 33.3% strikeout rate. Henderson had an elbow issue in spring training that knocked him out of the rotation battle.
    This year at Nashville, he made five appearances (three starts), walking nine and striking out 26 in 17⅔ innings.
    McGee, in his second brief call-up this season, pitched one scoreless inning Friday against the Nationals, allowing a walk.
     
    Steve Drumwright
    The Milwaukee Brewers are losing a key member of their bullpen.
    Left-handed reliever Angel Zerpa was placed on the 15-day injured list Wednesday with left forearm tightness. Left-handed reliever Brian Fitzpatrick had his contract selected from Triple-A Nashville and will be making his MLB debut. The Brewers had an open spot following outfielder Luis Matos being designated for assignment.

    Following a strong performance for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic, Zerpa emerged as another late-inning weapon out of the Brewers' bullpen. He started the season with four scoreless outings, but has allowed runs in six of his last eight appearances for a 6.39 ERA in 12 games. In his most recent outing, Saturday vs. the Pittsburgh Pirates, he allowed three runs (one earned) on one hit and a walk with a strikeout in two-thirds of an inning. It was the third consecutive outing Zerpa allowed a run.
    Fitzpatrick was a 10th-round selection by the Brewers in the 2022 draft out of Rutgers. In 10 appearances at Nashville this year, Fitzpatrick has not allowed a run in 10⅓ innings, with two walks and 11 strikeouts. In his five minor-league seasons, Fitzpatrick has appeared in 81 games, including 15 starts, and posted a 3.49 ERA with 3.6 walks and 9.9 strikeouts per nine innings.
    The Brewers also formally sent outfielder Jackson Chourio and first baseman Andrew Vaughn to Nashville to begin their rehab assignments. Also, Matos went unclaimed on waivers and was outrighted to Nashville.
     
    Steve Drumwright
    The Luis Matos experiment is over. It is now Tyler Black's opportunity.
    The Milwaukee Brewers called up Black, a first baseman, and left-hander Shane Drohan from Triple-A Nashville on Friday. Matos, an outfielder, was designated for assignment for the second time this season, while right-hander Carlos Rodriguez was optioned to Triple-A.
    The 25-year-old Black was one of the Crew's top hitters during spring training, posting a crazy .550/.522/1.000 slash line with one homer and 14 RBIs in six Cactus League games. The trouble for Black, who is known for his bat and not his glove with a .270/.399/.441 career minor-league slash line, is hitting when given the chance at the MLB level.
    In 23 games with the Brewers, Black has a .211/.357/.263 slash line with no homers and three RBIs over 70 plate appearances. At Nashville this season, Black has a .282/.378/.410 slash line with one homer and six RBIs.
    The addition of Black, a left-handed hitter like Jake Bauers, could mean that Bauers sees more time in left field with Black getting chances at first base. The Brewers have been looking for ways to get more out of their offense with three starting position players, outfielder Jackson Chourio, designated hitter Christian Yelich and first baseman Andrew Vaughn, on the injured list and this could be a way. This is Black's first call-up this season after not making the Opening Day roster due to the presence of Bauers and Vaughn at first base.
    Matos was a possible solution for a bit of offense when Chourio began the season on the IL. The Brewers picked Matos up in a March 30 trade after he was DFA'd by the San Francisco Giants after not making the Opening Day roster there. But in nine games with the Crew, Matos had a slash line of .200/.238/.200 with no homers or RBIs and seven strikeouts in 20 at-bats. If Matos goes unclaimed on the waiver wire, he could be assigned to Nashville or released.
    Drohan is back for his second stint with the Brewers after getting a spot start April 8 vs. the Boston Red Sox, his previous team. Acquired in the six-player Caleb Durbin trade, Drohan lasted just 2⅔ innings, allowing three hits and four walks with two strikeouts. Barring a rotation move, Drohan is likely to fill Rodriguez's spot as a long man out of the bullpen.
    Rodriguez did well in his two relief appearances since being called up last weekend. He pitched two innings in mopup duty against the Miami Marlins on Sunday and the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday, allowing one run on five hits and no walks with five strikeouts.
     
    Steve Drumwright
    Milwaukee Brewers prospect Frank Cairone's comeback from a serious vehicle collision in early January took another monumental step.
    According to an Instagram post, the 18-year-old left-hander taken in the second round last year by the Brewers has been cleared medically to rejoin the organization. The post said Cairone was reporting to the Brewers' complex in Phoenix this weekend.

    Cairone, who has yet to make his professional debut, has been working out at the Baseball Performance Center near his hometown in New Jersey. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound left-hander will continue to get back into baseball shape under the watchful eye of the Brewers' medical staff.
    During spring training, Brewers players showed their support for Cairone by wearing T-shirts bearing his initials. Cairone was the 68th player taken in last year's draft and signed with the Crew for a $1.1 million bonus instead of accepting a scholarship to Coastal Carolina.
     
    Steve Drumwright
    Coleman Crow will have to wait to follow up his impressive MLB debut.
    The Milwaukee Brewers sent Crow back to Triple-A Nashville on Saturday and promoted right-hander Carlos Rodriguez from Triple-A.
    Crow looked very poised and unleashed his dazzling curveball during his debut Friday against the Miami Marlins, going 5⅓ innings, allowing two runs on four hits and a walk with four strikeouts. The Brewers won 7-5 in 10 innings.
    He was called up to make a spot start with left-hander Kyle Harrison needing a few extra days after a slight injury to his left wrist in Sunday's start. Harrison is scheduled to have a bullpen session Saturday and return to the rotation in the next series against the Detroit Tigers.
    Rodriguez, a starter, will add length out of the Brewers' bullpen. He has made seven appearances, including three starts, over the last two seasons with the Crew, posting a 6.95 ERA. In three starts at Nashville this year, Rodriguez has an 8.71 ERA, allowing 10 runs on 16 hits and 10 walks with 12 strikeouts.
     
    Steve Drumwright
    Coleman Crow's much-anticipated MLB debut is happening.
    The right-hander was called up from Triple-A Nashville by the Milwaukee Brewers and will start Friday's series opener on the road against the Miami Marlins. Right-handed reliever Easton McGee was sent back to Nashville.

    The 25-year-old Crow, the No. 23 prospect by Brewer Fanatic, was acquired by the Crew from the New York Mets for right-hander Adrian Houser and center fielder Tyrone Taylor in December 2023. At the time, he was recovering from Tommy John surgery. It was the second time the Crow had been traded that year. Originally a 28th-round draft choice of the Los Angeles Angels, the Mets acquired him and another minor-leaguer for third baseman Eduardo Escobar. He underwent Tommy John surgery shortly thereafter.
    Crow did not pitch again until representing the Brewers in the 2024 Arizona Fall League, then made his organizational debut in 2025, appearing in 10 games for Double-A Biloxi and two for Nashville. In those 10 starts at Biloxi, he had a 2.51 ERA and a 0.907 WHIP with eight walks and 52 strikeouts in 43 innings.
    In three appearances (two starts) at Nashville this year, Crow had a 4.02 ERA with 18 strikeouts and five walks in 15⅔ innings.
    It remains to be seen if this is a spot start for Crow or if he will be up longer. Left-handed starter Kyle Harrison has been dealing with a wrist issue since his falling during his last start.
    McGee appeared in just one game with the Brewers, pitching a perfect ninth inning a week ago Friday in a 7-3 loss to the Washington Nationals.
     
    Steve Drumwright
    Easton McGee was the casualty when the Milwaukee Brewers made a last-minute trade for fellow right-handed reliever Jake Woodford with the Tampa Bay Rays. Woodford took the last bullpen spot on the Crew's Opening Day roster, with McGee sent to Triple-A Nashville.
    Now, McGee gets to join Woodford in the Brewers' bullpen. The Brewers called up McGee from Nashville to fill the spot vacated by left-handed starter Shane Drohan, who was optioned Thursday to Triple-A after making his MLB debut Wednesday.
    McGee made nine appearances for the Crew in 2025, with a 3.27 FIP (5.52 ERA), striking out 13 and walking five in 14⅔ innings. In four appearances for Nashville this year, McGee has a 9.53 ERA with three walks and five strikeouts in 5⅔ innings.
     
    Steve Drumwright
    Shane Drohan's first stint in MLB didn't figure to be a long one—and it wasn't.
    The Milwaukee Brewers' left-handed starter, who made his MLB debut Wednesday, was sent back to Triple-A Nashville, MLB.com's Adam McCalvy reported Thursday. The Crew will have to make a corresponding move before opening this weekend's series vs. the Washington Nationals on Friday.
    Drohan's debut did not go well. Facing the Boston Red Sox, the team that traded him to the Brewers in the Caleb Durbin deal this spring, at Fenway Park, Dohan lasted just 2⅔ innings, walking four and allowing three runs and three hits while striking out two. Drohan made the spot start due to the doubleheader Saturday against the Kansas City Royals following Friday's rainout.
    Right-hander Chad Patrick was originally scheduled to start Wednesday, but that would have come on short rest. Patrick, who started the opener of the doubleheader, will start Friday against Nationals right-hander Jake Irvin.
    As for possible call-ups, right-hander Craig Yoho could be a candidate. Yoho is on the 15-day injured list with a strained right calf and is eligible to be activated. His stay on the IL, which began March 22, was projected to be a short one.
    Steve Drumwright
    In the first injury news of the regular season affecting the Milwaukee Brewers' pitching staff, left-handed reliever Jared Koenig was placed on the 15-day injured list Monday with a sprained UCL in his left elbow.
    To replace Koenig, the Crew called up left-hander Shane Drohan from Triple-A Nashville. Drohan will make his MLB debut when he appears in a game. In a bit of ironic timing, Drohan will be active for the three-game series vs. the Boston Red Sox that begins Monday. Drohan was one of three players the Brewers acquired from the Red Sox in exchange for third baseman Caleb Durbin and two other infielders. Koenig is expected to be out two to four weeks.

    Drohan, once a well thought of prospect, had nerve decompression surgery shortly after the Chicago White Sox selected him in the Rule 5 draft following the 2023 season. The procedure was one reason why the White Sox returned him to the Red Sox the following season. Drohan had a 2.27 ERA in 14 appearances at Triple-A last season in 15 appearances, all but one a start. He appeared in one game for Nashville this season, striking out six, walking four and allowing two runs in 3⅓ innings.
    Right-hander Chad Patrick had been scheduled to start the finale of the Red Sox series on short rest Wednesday, but that spot is now listed as TBA, possibly an opening for Drohan if he doesn't pitch in relief in the first two games.
    Steve Drumwright
    After a tremendous 2025 regular season in which they had MLB's best record, the Milwaukee Brewers won't have a lot to work with regarding a 2026 draft bonus pool.
    But when has that ever mattered to the Crew?
    The Brewers were informed that they will have $8,042,900 in their pool this year, which ranks 25th among the 30 MLB teams. They also have the No. 25 pick in the draft, which moved up due to four teams being penalized for eclipsing the second competitive balance tax threshold.
    The slot value for the Crew's top pick is $3,696,000. Last year, when the Brewers picked 20th and selected corner infielder Andrew Fischer, their pick had a value of $4,268,100.
    The top bonus pool belongs to the Pittsburgh Pirates at $19,130,700, while the smallest pool goes to the Los Angeles Dodgers, one of those four teams who had their top pick moved back 10 spots as a CBT penalty.
    The Chicago White Sox hold the No. 1 pick, which has a slot value of $11,350,600. They also have the No. 3 bonus pool of $17,592,100. Each slot value went up 2.5% based on increased MLB revenue.
    2026 MLB Draft bonus pools
    Pittsburgh Pirates: $19,130,700 Tampa Bay Rays: $19,009,300 Chicago White Sox: $17,592,100 Minnesota Twins: $16,929,600 St. Louis Cardinals: $16,612,300 Kansas City Royals: $15,954,000 Atlanta: $15,870,800 Colorado Rockies: $15,557,600 San Francisco Giants: $14,080,400 Athletics: $13,840,300 Houston Astros: $13,712,700 Arizona Diamondbacks: $13,603,100 Baltimore Orioles: $13,114,000 Cleveland Guardians: $12,573,900 Washington Nationals: $12,278,300 Miami Marlins: $11,960,100 Los Angeles Angels: $11,755,400 Cincinnati Reds: $10,758,500 Texas Rangers: $10,219,200 Chicago Cubs: $9,644,100 San Diego Padres: $9,479,000 Detroit Tigers: $9,165,100 Boston Red Sox: $8,219,200 Seattle Mariners: $8,218,200 Milwaukee Brewers: $8,042,900 Philadelphia Phillies: $7,773,000 New York Yankees: $7,342,800 New York Mets: $6,730,900 Toronto Blue Jays: $5,543,100 Los Angeles Dodgers: $3,951,900
    Steve Drumwright
    Not that the Milwaukee Brewers are hurting for outfield bodies, but that position just got a little deeper.
    The Brewers on Monday picked up outfielder Luis Matos from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for cash. Matos had been designated for assignment on Wednesday after not getting a spot on the Giants' Opening Day roster. To make room on the Brewers' 40-man roster, minor-league left-handed reliever Sammy Peralta was designated for assignment. Peralta will now hit the waiver wire and will either be claimed, traded, or outrighted to Triple-A Nashville.
    Matos is out of minor-league options, so a corresponding move to put him on the 26-man roster is needed. He is expected to join the Brewers on Tuesday. So, unless there is another injury, that could mean center fielder Blake Perkins returns to Nashville. Perkins was called up on Opening Day when star outfielder Jackson Chourio went on the 10-day injured list with a fractured left hand. Another option would be sending catcher Jeferson Quero back down after three days up for his MLB debut.
     
    The 24-year-old Matos, a native of Venezuela like Chourio, catcher William Contreras, and left-handed reliever Angel Zerpa, has played in 178 games with the Giants over the last three seasons and put up a .231/.281/.369 slash line with 15 homers, 61 RBIs, and seven steals.
    A right-handed hitter, Matos started 2025 on the Giants' Opening Day roster, but was on the plane to Triple-A three times and had an MLB slash line of .221/.266/.424 in 59 games, hitting eight homers, driving in 22 runs, and stealing four bases. In 36 games at Triple-A Sacramento last year, Matos slashed .293/.327/.510 with seven homers, 29 RBIs, and six stolen bases.
    Before the 2022 season, Matos was a consensus top-75 prospect.
     
    Telemachus Rafaelidys
    Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that Jeferson Quero will be called up to the Brewers today. To make room for Jeferson Quero, Andrew Vaughn will be placed on the IL with a hand Injury sustained on Opening Day.
    Quero has been touted as a top 100 prospect in baseball the last three winters, but an unfortunate shoulder injury during the first game of the 2024 season waylaid his ascent to the majors. Quero has not had the same success at or behind the plate since his injury, but the Brewers will bring him to Milwaukee for his first big league opportunity. Quero is already on the 40-man roster and has an option allowing the Brewers to return him to the minor leagues if and when the team wants to make that move. For now, it appears Pat Murphy will have three catchers on the team with Quero joining All-Star starter William Contreras and veteran backup Gary Sanchez.
    The Brewers will be without Vaughn for an indeterminate amount of time. He left the first game of the season in the sixth inning for a pinch-runner, and the Brewers have not announced the nature or seriousness of the injury. With Vaughn out, Jake Bauers looks to be the starter at first base against all right-handed pitching. Bauers started the season with a home run in the opening game, a good first step toward validating last season's improvements and his league-leading seven home runs in spring training. Despite his breakout, Bauers is still unlikely to face left-handed pitchers, and with the Brewers facing a left-handed starter on Sunday, it's possible Quero or Sanchez could get the start at first base.
    Brock Beauchamp
    How To Install On iPhone or iPad
    How To Install On Android Device
    Developing a pure, native app for either Android or iOS is a breathtakingly expensive endeavor, which is why we haven’t done it, despite so many requests over the years. Thankfully, technology has met us halfway, and PWAs (Progressive Web Applications) have reached maturity in the marketplace.
    What is a PWA? It’s effectively a pseudo-app that works much like a native application but doesn’t require tens of thousands of dollars in development to produce. It creates a single browser instance and maintains it as if it were an application. It’s basically a standalone browser tab, dedicated specifically to Brewer Fanatic.
    From this app instance, you can receive notifications; the typical browser interface is removed, and the site is presented clearly, using as much screen real estate as possible, all without sacrificing any functionality. The site is faster, more reliable, and offers more mobile functionality than a standard web browser.
    Additionally, a newer, completely updated Brewer Fanatic is coming later this year, and that will add even more app-like features, making PWA usage even better for all our users.
    With that said, here’s how you turn Brewer Fanatic into an app on your mobile device.
    How To “Install” Brewer Fanatic on iPhone or iPad Using Safari
    First, go to the home page of Brewer Fanatic at https://brewerfanatic.com/.
    1. Tap on the ellipses (…) at bottom right of screen.
    2. Tap “Share” in pop-up menu.

    3. Tap “View More”.
    4. Tap “Add To Home Screen”.
    5. Tap “Add”.

    That takes you to your home screen on iOS, where you can move the Brewer Fanatic app around, just as you would any other app.
    Additionally, you can turn on notifications for them. Just go to the following link while logged into the site: https://brewerfanatic.com/notifications/options/.

    How To “Install” Brewer Fanatic on an Android Device Using Chrome
    First, go to the home page of Brewer Fanatic at https://brewerfanatic.com/.
    1. Tap on the vertical ellipses (…) at top right of screen.
    2. Tap “Share…” in pop-up menu.

    3. Tap “Add to Home Screen”.
    4. Tap “Install”.

    That takes you to your home screen on Android, where you can move the Brewer Fanatic app around, just as you would any other app.
    Additionally, you can turn on notifications for the site. Just go to the following link while logged into the site: https://brewerfanatic.com/notifications/options/.

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