MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Brewers bolstered their injury-plagued pitching staff on Tuesday by acquiring 2015 AL Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel, who has spent this season in the minor leagues.
Milwaukee acquired the 36-year-old left-hander from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for cash. Keuchel, a former University of Arkansas player, has a 7-4 record with a 3.93 ERA in 13 starts for the Mariners’ Class AAA team in Tacoma this season.
“The expectation is you don’t sign him to keep him in the minor leagues,” said Brewers Manager Pat Murphy before Tuesday night’s game against the Texas Rangers. “We’re not looking for minor league depth.”
Keuchel last played in the majors with the Minnesota Twins in 2023, recording a 2-1 record with a 5.97 ERA in 10 appearances.
“The fact that he still wants to play, the fact that he still wants to do it after all he’s accomplished, I think that sends a message right there,” Murphy said. “He’s a ballplayer.”
Keuchel has a career 103-92 record and 4.02 ERA, with two All-Star appearances in 2015 and 2017. He had a standout season in 2015 with the Houston Astros, going 20-8 with a 2.43 ERA to win the Cy Young Award.
However, he has struggled in recent years to maintain his form and stay with teams.
The Brewers needed more starting pitching depth due to multiple injuries. Despite leading the NL Central, their starters had only pitched 375 1/3 innings through Monday, ranking just above San Francisco’s 371 2/3 innings.
Milwaukee had traded 2021 NL Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes to the Baltimore Orioles before the season and knew that two-time All-Star Brandon Woodruff wouldn’t pitch in 2024 due to shoulder surgery.
Wade Miley and Robert Gasser are out for the season following Tommy John surgery. Other injured Brewers pitchers include Joe Ross (lower back), Jakob Junis (right shoulder), DL Hall (left knee), Taylor Clarke (toe), JB Bukauskas (right lat), and two-time All-Star closer Devin Williams (back).
Additionally, on Tuesday, the Brewers transferred Gasser to the 60-day injured list, called up right-hander Joel Kuhnel from Class AAA Nashville, and sent right-hander Carlos Rodriguez back to Nashville.
