Steve Drumwright

The Joel Kuhnel experience has come to an end. Kuhnel was designated for assignment by the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday. Kuhnel had been on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder impingement since July 4. He had been on a rehab assignment since Aug. 2, but with that 30-day period expiring, the Brewers activated him from the IL and DFA'd him. The Brewers' 40-man roster stands at 38. Kuhnel, who doesn't have minor-league options remaining, hits the waiver wire and could be claimed. If he goes unclaimed, he could be assigned to Triple-A Nashville, be released or become a free agent. But the results haven't been there for Kuhnel either. In 10 games, Kuhnel had a 9.30 FIP (6.52 ERA) with a 12.2% walk rate and 16.3% strikeout rate. The Brewers acquired Kuhnel on June 6 for cash after he had been DFA'd by the A's. View full rumor

The long wait for JoJo Romero to make his Milwaukee Brewers debut is over. The left-handed reliever, acquired at the Aug. 3 trade deadline, was activated from the 15-day injured list by the Brewers, who also called up catcher Bo Naylor from Triple-A Nashville as rosters expanded from 26 to 28 Tuesday. Romero, picked up along with right-handed starter Dustin May from the NL Central rival St. Louis Cardinals at the trade deadline, has been sidelined since mid-July following an appendectomy. He had two recent rehab appearances and then threw a bullpen to show his readiness before being activated. Romero fortifies the back end of the bullpen and provides another late-inning left-handed option other than Aaron Ashby. In 44 games and 43 innings this season, Romero has a 3.99 FIP (3.35 ERA) with an 8.6% walk rate and 23.1% strikeout rate this year. Naylor was also acquired at the trade deadline from the Cleveland Guardians along with right-handed reliever Codi Heuer for center fielder Blake Perkins and right-handed reliever Blake Perkins. Heuer was quickly cut loose by the Brewers without making an appearance. Naylor has been at Triple-A Nashville and now comes up to allow manager Pat Murphy more flexibility with how he deploys starting catcher William Contreras and backup Gary Sanchez while having a safety net in Naylor. Unlike his brother, Seattle Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor, Bo Naylor doesn't do much offensively. He was slashing .143/.200/.238 with two homers and seven RBIs in 28 games with the Guardians before being sent to Triple-A. He made his MLB debut with the Guardians in 2022 and has a career slash line of .199/.279/.372. Naylor was added as the 27th player for the Little League Classic but did not play. View full rumor

Over the weekend, Abner Uribe went viral for wearing the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers' brat uniforms. Now, the Milwaukee Brewers' right-handed reliever is done wearing silly (complimentary) alternate uniforms for minor-league teams. The Brewers on Monday activated Uribe off the 15-day injured list and put right-handed reliever Bryse Wilson on the 15-day IL. Wilson has a low-back strain. Uribe, the Brewers' primary setup man for closer Trevor Megill, went on the IL Aug. 14 with a strained right forearm flexor. He spent just over the minimum on the IL and made two rehab appearances before joining the Brewers in time for the four-game series at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs, who trail the Crew by eight games in the NL Central. The two teams play each other seven times over the next 10 days. Wilson was injured during Sunday's 7-4 loss to the Texas Rangers. He grabbed at his lower back in the ninth inning and was looked at by the training staff, remaining in the game. Wilson went 2⅔ innings in another bullpen-saving outing. The Brewers are still waiting for left-hander JoJo Romero, who was acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals at the trade deadline while on the IL following an appendectomy. He also has made two rehab appearances and could be activated when rosters expand by two on Tuesday. View full rumor

The summer of Sal is back in action. Right fielder Sal Frelick was activated from the 10-day injured list Tuesday by the Milwaukee Brewers. Infielder-outfielder Jonathan Ornelas was designated for assignment. Also, left-handed reliever JoJo Romero (appendectomy) and right-hander Abner Uribe (right forearm flexor strain) were sent to the High-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers to begin a rehab assignment. Romero was acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals at the trade deadline. Frelick has been out since July 18 due to a strained right shoulder. A terrific defender, Frelick has not been as big of an offensive contributor this season, putting up a .236/.301/.330 slash line with four homers, 34 RBIs and six steals in 90 games. Last year, Frelick had a career season with a slash line of .288/.351/.405 with 12 homers, 63 RBIs and 19 stolen bases in 142 games. Ornelas was a stopgap solution as the Brewers had injuries on the infield. He was acquired in an Aug. 15 trade with the A's for cash and played in three games, going 2-for-9 with an RBI and a run scored. View full rumor

It only took one minor-league rehab assignment for the Milwaukee Brewers to determine that Cooper Pratt was ready to return. The Brewers activated the rookie shortstop from the 10-day injured list Wednesday and he was expected back in the lineup for tonight's game against the Seattle Mariners. Pratt has been out since Aug. 9 with a strained right hamstring. Outfielder Brandon Lockridge was optioned to Triple-A Nashville to make room on the 26-man roster. Also, infielder-outfielder Jihwan Bae cleared waivers and was outrighted to Nashville. Bae has the choice to accept the assignment or become a free agent. The 22-year-old Pratt made his only rehab appearance Tuesday for the High-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, going 1-for-2 with an RBI on a sacrifice fly and a run scored. He played seven innings on defense, batting second. He has been a nice contributor offensively in his first 44 MLB games since his debut in June, putting together a .272/.352/.368 slash line with two homers, 17 RBIs and 10 steals. His return allows Joey Ortiz and David Hamilton to resume their platoon at third base and not having to shift second baseman Brice Turang over to his natural position of shortstop, a spot he has played sparingly in the majors. Lockridge returned Aug. 1 from a gruesome knee laceration he sustained while sliding into a concrete wall attempting to catch a foul ball May 8. He has played in 10 games since, going 2-for-14. He will get regular playing time at Triple-A and a top candidate to be called up when rosters expand Sept. 1. For the season, Lockridge is slashing .273/.345/.313 with no homers, 12 RBIs and six stolen bases. View full rumor

Still looking to shore up their infield depth due to recent injuries, the Milwaukee Brewers have acquired infielder-outfielder Jonathan Ornelas from the A's for cash considerations. Infielder-outfielder Jihwan Bae, who just signed Sunday with the Brewers, was designated for assignment to make room for Ornelas. Ornelas, primarily a shortstop, just re-signed Friday with the A's after being DFA'd himself by the A's a few days earlier. He appeared in six games for the A's, going 2-for-12 with a walk and seven strikeouts. Ornelas has been in 38 MLB over the last four seasons, including 30 with the Texas Rangers, and put together a .200/.257/.231 slash line with no homers and three RBIs, four walks and 27 strikeouts in 71 plate appearances. Bae got into four games and went 1-for-2 with a sacrifice bunt and a run scored. The Brewers' infield depth has been tested with rookie shortstop Cooper Pratt going on the 10-day injured list, then shortstop-third baseman Joey Ortiz battling a neck ailment and now second baseman Brice Turang, who has missed the first two games of the series against the Los Angeles Dodgers due to pain in his left knee. The Brewers are hoping to avoid putting Turang on the IL following an MRI. Prospect Jett Williams is on the minor-league injured list. View full rumor

In a potentially big blow to the Milwaukee Brewers, right-handed reliever Abner Uribe was placed on the 15-day injured list Friday with a strained flexor in his right forearm. Right-handed reliever Grant Anderson was called up from Triple-A Nashville. The severity of the injury was not immediately known. Uribe has been the primary setup man for the Brewers after initially sharing closer duties with right-hander Trevor Megill. Uribe has a 3.08 FIP (2.05 ERA) in 49 games and 48⅓ innings this season. He has converted six saves in eight chances this season, while having a 9.4% walk rate and 25.1% strikeout rate. His strikeout rate is down about 5 points from last year's 30.2%. Losing Uribe for any length of time will be difficult for the Brewers' bullpen, but especially as the NL Central-leading team approaches the postseason. While Anderson fills that roster spot, filling that role will be more critical for manager Pat Murphy and pitching coach Chris Hook. Anderson has been at Triple-A Nashville since Aug. 4, when the Brewers activated left-handed starter Kyle Harrison from the 15-day IL. In 44 games and 48⅔ innings, Anderson has a 4.44 FIP (3.70 ERA) with a 9.4 walk rate and 21.5% strikeout rate. Also, the Brewers outrighted right-handed reliever Lyon Richardson to Triple-A. Richardson has the option of becoming a free agent or reporting to Nashville. View full rumor

After a few days in limbo, Bryse Wilson is back with the Milwaukee Brewers. The right-hander, who was designated for assignment Saturday, went unclaimed and then became a free agent Monday, re-signed with the Brewers on Tuesday. To fit Wilson on the 26- and 40-man rosters, right-hander Lyon Richardson was DFA'd after making his long appearance for the Brewers on Monday. Also, left-handed reliever Drew Rom was claimed off waivers by the A's. Wilson was able to return quickly to the Brewers after he was outrighted to Triple-A Nashville, but choosing free agency Monday. That circumvents a pitcher having to spend the required time in the minors before being called up in a non-injury situation. For pitchers, that is 15 days. While it is a little surprising that Wilson, who was DFA'd twice before being done so by the Crew, went unclaimed, it isn't a shocker that he returned to the Brewers. After having a combined three appearances with the Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago Cubs, Wilson has pitched in six games for the Crew, going 13⅔ innings with a 2.63 ERA, no walks and 10 strikeouts. The Brewers' bullpen was in need of another arm after Wilson went three shutout innings Friday in an 8-6 loss to the Minnesota Twins, which prompted his latest DFA. Richardson, who came up from Triple-A Nashville to replace Wilson, went 1⅔ scoreless innings with a walk and a strikeout in Monday's 3-2 loss to the San Diego Padres. That came after Richardson appeared in two games for the Cincinnati Reds this season, allowing five runs in 1⅔ innings with two walks and three strikeouts. If he goes unclaimed, he could go back to Nashville or elect free agency. Rom was DFA'd Sunday when the Brewers needed to add Jihwan Bae to the roster. View full rumor

Image courtesy of Rhona Wise-Imagn Images There will be a handful of hugs and some catching up to do when the Milwaukee Brewers visit Petco Park on Monday to face the San Diego Padres in the opener of a three-game series. There will also probably be some good-natured ribbing about why Luis Rengifo couldn't do what he is doing with the Padres while a member of the Brewers. In case you didn't know, Rengifo is now with the Padres. That came as a result of his poor performance with the Brewers, who signed Rengifo to a one-year, $3.5 million contract to play third base this season. But Rengifo never hit his stride and was released following a .205/.280/.254 slash line with no homers, 19 RBIs, and three stolen bases in 57 games for the Brewers, who promoted rookie Cooper Pratt to play shortstop, squeezing Rengifo off the roster. Coincidentally, Rengifo had two of his better games at the plate against the Padres when San Diego visited American Family Field in mid-May. About a week later at the beginning of July, Rengifo latched on with the Padres on a minor-league contract. Rengifo homered in his first game at Triple-A El Paso and then again two days later after not going deep once for the Brewers. In that first week at El Paso, Rengifo went 8-for-25 with eight RBIs and two steals in six games. His stay in the minors wouldn't last long. Due to an injury to Samad Taylor, a spark plug of a player who took over as the starter in left field in June after coming up from Triple-A, Rengifo wouldn't have a second week in El Paso. He was called up to replace Taylor. Primarily a second baseman and third baseman, Rengifo spent some time in the outfield while with the Los Angeles Angels. That versatility would serve him well with the Padres, who have started Rengifo 11 times in left field, five times at designated hitter and once at third base. While a solid defender, Rengifo has made his mark with the Padres on offense. In 21 games entering play Sunday, Rengifo has put together a .314/.415/.429 slash line, homering twice (both in big spots) with eight RBIs and three steals. His two bunt hits are tied for the team lead with Taylor. With the Brewers, he had eight multihit games, while having six in his brief time with the Padres. Rengifo has been with the Padres since they pulled themselves up after hitting their low point of the season and climbed back into postseason contention, just on the outside of the NL wild-card race at the moment. It is the type of production that the Brewers envisioned when they signed him at the start of spring training to fill the shoes of third baseman Caleb Durbin, who had just been shipped to the Boston Red Sox in a six-player deal. For one reason or another, it never materialized. Some players are fits with some teams, while others aren't. That is always a key ingredient when MLB front offices construct rosters for a season and always something that is the most unpredictable characteristic. The numbers behind the numbers show that one key to Rengifo's resurgence has to do with how fast the bat gets through the zone. While his average bat speed with the Padres is up from when he was with the Brewers (72.2 mph from 71 mph), his fast swing percentage—a fast swing is defined as one at 75 mph—is markedly up. He was at 16.4% with the Brewers and is at 23.9% with the Padres. Rengifo is also pulling the ball more (46.6-37.6%) and creating more hard contact (32.8-24.2%). With the Padres, he has been used in a variety of spots in the lineup, even hitting cleanup in Friday's series opener against the Houston Astros. Maybe where Rengifo hit in the lineup had something to do with his performance in Milwaukee. With the Padres, Rengifo has started seven games in the second slot and one as the leadoff hitter. Those were the same spots he occupied with the Angels during his breakout season of 2024, when he slashed .300/.347/.417 with six homers, 30 RBIs and a career-high 24 steals in 78 games, a season that was cut short by a wrist injury that required season-ending surgery in August. He didn't bounce back well in 2025 with a .238/.287/.335 slash line, hitting nine homers and driving in 43 and stealing nine bases in 147 games. But the Brewers were hoping to rekindle some of Rengifo's magic from 2024, while also knowing they had prospects such as Pratt and Jett Williams possibly ready to make their MLB debuts if Rengifo faltered. While everyone was disappointed with how things went for Rengifo with the Brewers, he has certainly rebuilt some of his profile when he again hits the free-agent market this offseason. View full article

The first health obstacle has jumped into Cooper Pratt's MLB career. The rookie shortstop was placed on the 10-day injured list with a strained right hamstring Sunday by the Milwaukee Brewers, who signed infielder-outfielder Ji Hwan Bae to a minor-league contract and called him up to the majors. Left-handed reliever Drew Rom was designated for assignment. It was not immediately clear when Pratt was injured as he played all nine innings of Saturday's 4-3 loss to the Minnesota Twins, although manager Pat Murphy said Pratt did have an MRI on the hammy. Pratt is slashing .272/.352/.368 with two homers, 17 RBIs and 10 steals in his first 44 MLB games since making his debut in June. Hamstring injuries can often be slow to heal, depending on their severity. Bae was recently released from Triple-A by the New York Mets, having put up a .257/.360/.368 slash line with five homers, 32 RBIs and 36 steals in 91 games. He last appeared in the majors in 2025 with the Pittsburgh Pirates and has a career slash line of .223/.294/.293 in 163 games over four MLB seasons, all with the Pirates. He has split his time this year between second base and the outfield and has just three games of MLB experience at shortstop. That means that David Hamilton, who started at shortstop Sunday, and Joey Ortiz, who was the Opening Day shortstop and the starter until Pratt was called up, will replace Pratt. However, Ortiz is battling neck tightness that forced him out of Saturday's game and kept him out of Sunday's lineup. Top infielder prospect Jett Williams, who is at Triple-A Nashville, is battling wrist soreness and was just sent to Arizona. View full rumor

The cruel reality of life at the end of a bullpen has bitten Bryse Wilson. The right-hander was designated for assignment Saturday by the Milwaukee Brewers, who selected the contract of right-hander Lyon Richardson from Triple-A Nashville. Also, right fielder Sal Frelick was sent on a rehab assignment to Nashville as he comes back from a strained right shoulder. Wilson was a bullpen-saver in Friday's 8-6 loss to open a three-game series against the Minnesota Twins. He went three shutout innings, allowing a hit and no walks, striking out two. It was his sixth appearance for the Crew, who signed Wilson after he had been DFA'd by the Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago Cubs. In those six games, Wilson went 13⅔ innings with a 2.63 ERA, no walks and 10 strikeouts. The Brewers' bullpen has been used heavily in recent days and the need was for a fresh arm. That brings in Richardson, who was signed to a minor-league deal in June after being DFA'd and released by the Cincinnati Reds. Richardson has appeared in 41 games for the Reds in the last four seasons, including two this year, with a 6.29 FIP (6.67 ERA) with a 14.6% walk rate and 17.2% strikeout rate. Richardson is likely just a safety net as he can go multiple innings. The Brewers are awaiting the returns of right-hander Joel Kuhnel (right rotator cuff tendinopathy), left-hander JoJo Romero (appendectomy) and left-hander Rob Zastryzny (left upper trap strain) from the injured list. Kuhnel is on a rehab assignment, while Romero was acquired Monday from the St. Louis Cardinals. Also, right-hander Grant Anderson was sent down to Triple-A on Wednesday and can't return to the Brewers until 10 days pass unless he is an injury replacement. View full rumor

The newfound depth on the Milwaukee Brewers' pitching staff has cost Grant Anderson his spot ... for now. The right-handed reliever was optioned to Triple-A Nashville as left-hander Kyle Harrison, as expected, was activated from the 15-day injured list to start Wednesday's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Harrison has been sidelined for the last three weeks with left forearm tightness. Anderson has been a key reliever to the Brewers' B bullpen, the unit that usually comes in when the team trails or is up by a wide enough margin not to need the high-leverage arms. Anderson has made 44 appearances over 48⅔ innings and posted a 4.45 FIP (3.70 ERA) with a 9.4% walk rate and 21.5% strikeout rate. Anderson's spot became vulnerable after the Brewers acquired starter Dustin May and right-handed reliever Antonio Senzatela at Monday's trade deadline. Another reliever, left-hander JoJo Romero, who was also picked up was placed on the 15-day IL due to an appendectomy. View full rumor