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%). View full rumor

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. View full rumor

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. View full rumor

Image courtesy of Benny Sieu-Imagn Images Following another bout with his velocity dropping, Brandon Woodruff is sidelined again. The Milwaukee Brewers placed the veteran right-handed starter on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation. Right-handed reliever Easton McGee was called up from Triple-A Nashville. Woodruff left his start Thursday against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the second inning. That came after a noticeable drop in his velocity in the first inning. In five starts this season, Woodruff had been averaging 92.5 mph on his four-seam fastball, which was down to 85.4 mph Thursday with a high of 86.9. While the Brewers won the game 13-1, there was concern about Woodruff's status. The 33-year-old underwent an MRI exam while the game was still going and it was obvious he was headed for the injured list based on manager Pat Murphy's postgame comments. Woodruff was set to hit free agency after last season, but accepted the qualifying offer of $22.025 million in the offseason to remain for what appears to be his final season with the Crew. He is one of the most iconic pitchers in franchise history. Woodruff underwent major shoulder surgery after the 2023 season, which caused him to miss all of 2024. After some other ailments pushed back the start of his 2025 to July, Woodruff returned almost as if he was never gone. But last season ended early due to a lat strain that caused him to miss the Brewers' postseason for the third straight year. Now the Brewers must decide how to proceed without Woodruff. Left-hander Shane Drohan, who pitched four innings of relief following Woodruff's early exit, is one candidate. Right-hander Logan Henderson, currently at Triple-A Nashville, is another. Still, Woodruff's leadership and presence will be felt in the short term. View full article

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. View full rumor

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. View full rumor

Image courtesy of Benny Sieu-Imagn Images When Gary Sanchez made his fifth start behind the plate Sunday for the Milwaukee Brewers, it was another opportunity to take advantage of a new strength to his game. Making an automated ball-strike challenge. But the game against the Miami Marlins was the second game with Sanchez did not challenge a pitch from his catching position. Too bad. Sanchez is pretty good at it. Sanchez also didn't challenge an umpire's ball call for one of the Crew's pitchers in his first start at catcher this year. In between, the slugger who has never been known for his defense has gone 4-1 in challenges. That could be because Sanchez has always had a pretty good eye as a hitter. He entered this season with a 9.1% walk rate in his first 11 MLB seasons, jumping up to a spectacular 23.2% this year. The MLB average is 8.4%. Sanchez hasn't been as successful as a challenger when he is hitting, going 5-5. His 10 challenges as a hitter are the most in MLB entering Monday's action. But now he gets to put that skill to use as a catcher. There are two metrics that show that Sanchez's ability to challenge has been right on, while also saying that he hasn't challenged enough. They both have to deal with what Statcast calls reasonable challenges. A reasonable challenge is defined as an incorrect call when the pitch is within 3 inches of the edge of the strike zone and an overturn would gain 0.3 runs and the pitch carries an expected challenge rate of at least 20%. The first is rating the challenges by a catcher. As you will see, all five have been classified as reasonable. Sanchez has a 100% reasonable challenge rate. The only miss he had as a catcher was a curveball that missed by half an inch. The second is the number of reasonable opportunities taken to ask for a challenge. That is where Sanchez has been a bit shy, taking only 19% of the reasonable chances. Some of that could be a credit to the Brewers' pitchers always being on the edges of the strike zone. The other part might be when Sanchez has been told by the coaching staff and the analytics team when he should challenge. Maybe Sanchez develops more confidence in challenging as the season goes along and more data is there to show how good he is at this. Among catchers, Edgar Quero of the Chicago White has the most challenges at 30 and Salvador Perez of the Kansas City Royals the most successful challenges at 16. Sanchez's running mate, William Contreras, ranks second in both categories at 26 challenges and 15 overturns. To be fair to the umpires in five calls Sanchez has challenged as a catcher, they were all borderline calls and it is easy to see why they might have called a ball. The most egregious call, which wasn't that egregious, was half a ball inside the bottom of the zone. Here is a look at Sanchez's five challenges while catching: First: April 4 at Royals (Game 2) Situation: 0-0 count to Carter Jensen, two outs, bottom fourth, nobody on, game tied 2-2. Sanchez failed to catch a 98.2 mph sinker from Brandon Sproat. Challenge result: Successful. Ball clipped the bottom middle of the zone, making the count 0-1. SANCHEZ_ABS_1.mp4 Second: April 4 at Royals (Game 2) Situation: 0-1 count to Vinnie Pasquantino, two outs, bottom eighth, nobody on, Brewers lead 8-2. DL Hall threw an 84.5 mph slider. Challenge result: Successful. Ball caught the low-outside corner of the zone, making the count 0-2. SANCHEZ_ABS_2.mp4 Third: April 8 at Red Sox Situation: 2-1 count to Roman Anthony, no outs, bottom third, runners on first and second, game tied 0-0. Shane Drohan threw a 93.7 mph four-seamer. Challenge result: Successful. Ball hit the lower outside portion of the zone, making the count 2-2. SANCHEZ_ABS_3.mp4 Fourth: April 8 at Red Sox Situation: 2-1 count to Willson Contreras, one out, bottom third, bases loaded, game tied 0-0. Drohan threw a 77.1 mph curveball. Challenge result: Failed. Ball was just off the lower-outside corner, keeping the count 3-1. SANCHEZ_ABS_4.mp4 Fifth: April 15 vs. Blue Jays Situation: 1-0 count to Lenyn Sosa, two outs, bottom seventh, runners on first and second, Blue Jays lead 1-0. Hall threw a 85.4 mph changeup. Challenge result: Successful. Ball clipped the inside corner at the top of the zone, making the count 1-1. SANCHEZ_ABS_5.mp4 All of this shows that when Contreras needs a day off behind the plate, Sanchez provides value as a catcher. None of his challenges have flipped a walk to a strikeout yet, but that is sure to come. All but one of his challenges have helped swing a count to a more favorable situation for whoever is on the mound for the Brewers. As a hitter, Sanchez has been more aggressive than any hitter in the game with 10 challenges. His five successful challenges are in a five-way tie for the most in MLB, while his five unsuccessful challenges are in a two-with tie with Atlanta's Ronald Acuna Jr. for the most. Only one of Sanchez's hitter challenges has flipped a strikeout and extended an at-bat. Acuna ranks second with eight challenges. Taking those same metrics from above regarding reasonable challenges and applying it to Sanchez the hitter, 60% of his challenges have been reasonable, while he has only taken 50% of the reasonable opportunities to tap his helmet. The question really is: Why does Sanchez feel twice as aggressive when hitting than when catching? Perhaps because it is only his plate appearance at stake as opposed to a pitcher's rhythm. But even that momentary delay would give whoever is pitching a quick breather, something generally unavailable in the pitch-clock era. View full article