The 2024 MLB season reinforced an important lesson for the Milwaukee Brewers: a team can never have enough starting pitchers. The Brewers faced significant setbacks in their rotation due to injuries, leaving them scrambling for depth throughout the year. Brandon Woodruff sidelined for most of 2023 with a shoulder injury, missed the entire 2024 season after undergoing surgery. Wade Miley, who made just two starts before requiring Tommy John surgery, also had his season cut short. Promising young pitcher Robert Gasser, who made headlines with both team and MLB milestones during his call-up, is expected to be out until at least August 2025 after undergoing surgery.
Other pitchers, including DL Hall, Aaron Ashby, Joe Ross, and Jakob Junis, missed significant chunks of the season due to injuries. By the end of the year, the Brewers had used a staggering 17 different pitchers as either starters or openers, ranking among the most in Major League Baseball.
Heading into 2025, the Brewers’ starting rotation will have a new look, though some familiar faces will anchor it. Ace Freddy Peralta will continue to lead the rotation after a strong 2024 campaign in which he set a career-high with 32 starts, posting an 11-9 record with a 3.68 ERA. Tobias Myers, who emerged as a standout rookie, started 25 games and went 9-6 with a 3.00 ERA. Midseason acquisition Aaron Civale also proved valuable, starting 14 games for Milwaukee and compiling a 6-3 record with a 3.53 ERA following his trade from the Tampa Bay Rays.
However, Civale is entering the final year of club control in 2025 before hitting free agency, leaving the Brewers with questions about their long-term rotation depth. During the offseason, Milwaukee parted ways with several pitchers, including Colin Rea, Frankie Montas, Bryse Wilson, Wade Miley, and Joe Ross. While Montas and Wilson signed with other teams, the remaining three are still free agents. To bolster their rotation depth, the Brewers acquired Nestor Cortes from the New York Yankees as part of the Devin Williams trade. Despite this move, the team still lacks the pitching depth necessary to remain competitive over a grueling 162-game season.
One potential solution could be signing veteran ace Max Scherzer. Patrick McAvoy of Sports Illustrated suggests that the Brewers pursue the three-time Cy Young Award winner, who is projected to secure a one-year, $15 million deal in free agency. Scherzer, now 40, made just nine starts for the Texas Rangers in 2024, posting a 2-4 record with a 3.95 ERA. However, his overall track record is undeniable. With a career record of 216-112 and a 3.16 ERA, Scherzer is one of only seven pitchers to win Cy Young Awards in both leagues, earning the honor with Detroit in 2013 and Washington in 2016 and 2017.
Adding Scherzer could provide the Brewers with the veteran presence and stability they need to navigate the challenges of the upcoming season, especially given the rotation’s injury concerns and lack of depth.
