Steve Drumwright

Walks will get you a ticket back to the minors. The Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday optioned left-handed starter Robert Gasser back to Triple-A Nashville and called up right-hander Carlos Rodriguez. Gasser walked four in 4⅓ innings in an 11-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday. In fact, Gasser's line was littered with fours: 4⅓ IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 4 K. This was his second start since being called up May 17, when he started against the Minnesota Twins. In that game, Gasser went four innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits, two walks and three hit batters while striking out three. Rodriguez is up for the second time. He made two relief appearances in April, allowing one run (a homer) in four innings on five hits with no walks and five strikeouts. With Gasser not in the rotation, the Brewers will need a starter, likely to come next weekend against the Houston Astros. Right-hander Coleman Crow is a likely choice. View full rumor

Take outfielder Jackson Chourio, for instance. Chourio played for the Brewers in the Dominican Summer League in 2021 as a 17-year-old. He made his U.S. debut as an 18-year-old in 2022, playing 62 games for the Low-A Carolina Mudcats, then being promoted to the High-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers for 31 games. With time left in the season, Chourio got six games with the Double-A Biloxi Shuckers. His prospect stock skyrocketed as the season progressed, putting up a combined slash line of .288/.342/.538 with 20 homers, 75 RBIs and 18 stolen bases. Originally signed as a shortstop, Chourio blossomed when moved to the outfield in the DSL. Being able to play a premier position such as center field made him that much more valuable. He returned to Biloxi for much of the 2023 season, showing his dynamic potential with a .280/.336/.467 slash line. He hit 22 homers, drove in 89 and stole 43 bases. He played the final week with the Triple-A Nashville Sounds, going 7-for-21 (.333). That offseason, Chourio made history by signing a record eight-year, $82 million contract extension with team options for two more years. He didn't go to Nashville for the start of 2024, instead making the team out of spring training, making his MLB debut as a 20-year-old. All he has done since is put up nearly identical slash lines: 2024: .275/.327/.464, 21 HRs, 79 RBIs, 22 SBs 2025: .270/.308/.463, 21 HRs, 78 RBIs, 21 SBs That is roughly the plan the Brewers have for Made. Having turned 19 this month, Made began this season at Double-A Biloxi after playing at three levels as an 18-year-old. In 2025, he went from Low-A Carolina to High-A Wisconsin and then a cameo at Biloxi, putting out a combined slash line of .285/.379/.413 with six homers and 47 stolen bases. Entering the weekend, Made had a .257/.340/.400 slash line with three homers, 20 RBIs and 15 steals in 34 games. It wouldn't be surprising to see Made promoted to Triple-A Nashville before the end of June, which would give him three months at that level. It's very unlikely he'll force his way past the several players in front of him on the depth chart to debut this season. Cooper Pratt and Jett Williams, who are No. 4 and No. 5 on Brewer Fanatic's prospect rankings, would be the better call-up choices for this year, and of course, the team has two shortstops in the majors right now, in Joey Ortiz and David Hamilton. That could always change if Made goes on a tear and leaves the Brewers with no choice, of course. But considering Made plays the most important defensive position and still has a little work to do on that side of the ball, the more experience he gets, the better. He split time the past two years with Luis Pena, Brewer Fanatic's No. 2 prospect. Most of the analysts say Made has the ability to stick at shortstop, but third base or second base could be an option, too. A switch-hitter, Made differs from Chourio in that he doesn't currently present much in terms of power, but that is something that could come as his body matures. He does appear to be an advanced hitter. Made had a 20.6% strikeout rate last year and a 12.8% walk rate, which is really good when you consider his age and that the MLB averages are 22.4% and 8.4%. Through Saturday, Made was at 16.4% for his strikeout rate and 11.3% for his walk rate this year. Baseball America has put a 70 grade (on the 20-80 scouting scale) on Made's hit tool, which means it's plus-plus. He hits to all fields with authority, due to a compact swing from both sides of the plate. It would be easy to project Made batting leadoff with Chourio second once Made gets acclimated to the majors. Remember that Chourio struggled mightily and had a .207 batting average on June 1 of his rookie season before figuring things out. But Made will also have someone like Chourio to lean on whenever he does make his debut. Will his newfound status as baseball's No. 1 prospect affect how he performs on a daily basis? You wouldn't think so. The Brewers pursue players who typically have the sort of comportment that something like this wouldn't play mind games with the teenager. He will face more heckling when the Shuckers play on the road, but nothing he hasn't heard thus far as one of the game's elite prospects. Brewers fans will no doubt get impatient knowing Made is waiting in the wings, especially if Ortiz doesn't improve offensively, but the patience the Brewers are showing with their young shortstop is the same thing the fanbase needs to exercise. Made will be ready when he is ready and the Brewers will know when that time comes. View full article

It won't be a bullpen day after all. Left-handed starter Robert Gasser was called up Sunday by the Milwaukee Brewers from Triple-A Nashville and will start the series finale against the Minnesota Twins. Right-hander Peter Strzelecki was designated for assignment, leaving the Crew's 40-man roster at 39. Gasser will be making his first appearance with the Brewers this season. He dealt with arm soreness during spring training, which set him back slightly, and then into the regular season at Triple-A after not making the Opening Day roster. But Gasser has now made six starts and pitched 21⅔ innings at Nashville, putting up a 3.74 ERA with eight walks and 32 strikeouts. He made two abbreviated starts for the Brewers at the end of the 2025 season in his comeback from Tommy John surgery and was on the postseason roster. Strzelecki was called up Saturday when right-hander Coleman Crow was optioned back to Triple-A following Friday's spot start. Strzelecki didn't pitch in Saturday's game. View full rumor

It is one and done again for Coleman Crow. The Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday sent the right-handed starter back to Triple-A Nashville following a spot start Friday. Right-handed reliever Peter Strzlecki was called up from Nashville. Also, the Brewers sent right-handed starter Quinn Priester on a rehab assignment to High-A Wisconsin. This is the second time this season Crow has been called up to make one start and be sent back to the minors the next day. Both of his starts have shown that he has the staying power to remain in the Crew's rotation. But the Brewers are expected to have a bullpen game Sunday in the series finale vs. the Twins to give the starters an extra day of rest going into the big series against the Chicago Cubs. Crow, Brewer Fanatic's No. 16 prospect, on Friday allowed one run on three hits and no walks with three strikeouts over five innings in a 3-2 win over the Minnesota Twins. His line was very similar in his MLB debut April 17 vs. the Miami Marlins. Strzlecki will be making his season debut with the Brewers and pitching for the first time in the majors since 2024 with the Cleveland Guardians. He has made 16 appearances at Nashville this year with a 4.12 ERA in 19⅔ innings. He has walked four and struck out 20. Strzlecki made his MLB debut with the Brewers in 2022, appearing in 30 games and posting a 2.83 ERA. Priester has been on the IL since March 25 with thoracic outlet syndrome in his right arm. View full rumor

The Milwaukee Brewers have brought Coleman Crow back up. Now the question is: Will this be for more than one game? The right-hander was called up by the Brewers from Triple-A Nashville to start Friday's series opener against the Minnesota Twins. Left-handed reliever Brian Fitzpatrick was sent down to Nashville. Also, outfielder Akil Baddoo was sent to Nashville to begin a rehab assignment. Baddoo strained his left quad in spring training. For Crow, this will be his second start after making his MLB debut April 17 on the road against the Miami Marlins. He went 5⅓ innings, allowing two runs on four hits with a walk and four strikeouts. But that was a spot start and he went back down to Nashville the next day. This move could last at least a little while. Right-hander Chad Patrick was in the Opening Day rotation, but has made his last two appearances and three out of his last five out of the bullpen. Patrick proved very effective in that role in the postseason last year and still gives the Brewers some length out of the bullpen. Crow has made five starts and one relief appearance at Nashville, where he compiled a 4.70 ERA, walking 13 and striking out 34 in 30⅔ innings. Fitzpatrick also made his MLB debut with the Crew this year with very good results. Thus far, he has made four appearances out of the bullpen, covering 5⅔ innings with three walks and four strikeouts. Baddoo signed a split contract with the Brewers in the offseason after five seasons with the Detroit Tigers, where he had been a Rule 5 draft pick. He has a career .224/.305/.369 slash line, including a .259/.330/.436 mark with 13 homers, 55 RBIs and 18 steals as a rookie in 2021. But as the Tigers were infused with prospects, his playing time diminished to just seven games in the majors last year. View full rumor

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. View full rumor

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