Milwaukee’s rotation has taken several hits, so your guess is probably as good as mine
Looking back at our starting pitcher preview from 2024, the Brewers’ rotation looks very, very different. Virtually the only player still in the regular mix is Freddy Peralta. Beyond him, players like Wade Miley (Reds), Joe Ross (Phillies), and Colin Rea (Cubs) are all expected to pitch elsewhere, while Robert Gasser and DL Hall are both on the IL to begin the season. Even the players in the “other candidates” aren’t available, with Aaron Ashby also on the IL and Jakob Junis (Guardians), Bryse Wilson (White Sox), and Janson Junk (Marlins) also donning different uniforms.
Instead, beyond Peralta, the Brewers will open the year with better-known names like Nestor Cortes and Aaron Civale, and several less-known names like Tyler Alexander, Elvin Rodriguez, Chad Patrick, Connor Thomas, and Logan Henderson. Jose Quintana and Brandon Woodruff are also in the mix, though they’ll start the year with fewer innings than some of the others — Quintana due to a late spring start and Woodruff due to his return from injury.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at Milwaukee’s starting pitching depth heading into 2025.
Freddy Peralta
Perhaps the only constant in Milwaukee’s rotation over the past few years, Peralta is now in his seventh season with the team and his fifth as a full-time starter, though he’s still just 28 until June. Over the last two years, he’s started a total of 62 games while posting ERAs of 3.86 and 3.68, respectively, totaling over 200 strikeouts both seasons.
In total, he’s made 178 appearances (129 starts) for the Brewers across his seven years, with an ERA of 3.79, a FIP of 3.67, 949 strikeouts, and 9.4 total bWAR. He’s also had a great spring, with a 2.61 ERA and 11 strikeouts across 10 1⁄3 innings in three starts. If Peralta can stay healthy (knock on wood), he’ll remain a major part of Milwaukee’s rotation.
Baseball Reference projects another solid season for Fastball Freddy in 2025, with 186 strikeouts across 163 innings and an ERA of 3.81.
Nestor Cortes
Cortes, 30, now wears a Brewers uniform after splitting time between the Orioles, Mariners, and Yankees from 2018-2024. His best season came in 2022 with New York, when he went 12-4 with a 2.44 ERA and a 3.12 FIP across 158 1⁄3 innings with 162 strikeouts, totaling 4.4 bWAR as he earned an All-Star selection and enough AL Cy Young votes to finish eighth.
After an injury-riddled 2023, Cortes bounced back with a solid 2024, going 9-10 with a 3.77 ERA and a 3.84 FIP across a career-high 174 1⁄3 innings with 162 strikeouts. He, of course, joins Milwaukee as the centerpiece of the return (along with infielder Caleb Durbin) for Devin Williams.
Cortes has made two appearances (one start) this spring, allowing four runs on 11 hits and three walks across six innings, though he has struck out nine. As with Peralta, Cortes is a key cog in Milwaukee’s rotation as long as he stays healthy. BR projects him to go 9-8 with a 3.76 ERA and 147 strikeouts across 153 innings this season.
Aaron Civale
Civale, 29 until June, joined Milwaukee just prior to last year’s trade deadline in a deal with the Rays. Across parts of six seasons between the Guardians, Rays, and Brewers, Civale has a career 4.03 ERA and 4.19 FIP with 577 strikeouts across 636 1⁄3 innings. In 74 innings with Milwaukee down the stretch last year, he went 6-3 with a 3.53 ERA and a 4.79 FIP with 65 strikeouts for a 1.1 bWAR.
After allowing four runs (three earned) across four innings yesterday, Civale’s spring ERA sits at 6.23 with four strikeouts over 8 2⁄3 innings. Though it was rumored Mark Attanasio and Co. were interested in trading Civale this offseason, he’ll start the season in a depleted rotation for the Crew.
BR projects Civale to basically replicate his career numbers for Milwaukee this year, with a 4.12 ERA and 144 strikeouts across 153 innings.
Tobias Myers
Myers, 26 until August, is a former sixth-round pick who bounced around several organizations before finding a home with the Brewers last season. He broke out as a key member of Milwaukee’s rotation in 2024, making 27 appearances (25 starts) with a 3.00 ERA and a 3.91 FIP across 138 innings with 127 strikeouts, totaling 2.7 bWAR.
Unfortunately, Myers is just the latest in a string of injuries to Milwaukee’s pitching staff, as he’ll start the season on the IL with an oblique injury. Luckily, it doesn’t sound like it’s too serious and the Brewers are hopeful he’ll make his return before the end of April.
After a solid spring (3.38 ERA with 10 strikeouts across eight innings), Myers’ injury comes as a blow to the pitching staff to open the season. BR projects Myers to go 8-6 with a 3.33 ERA and 120 strikeouts across 127 innings this season.
Jose Quintana
Quintana, 36, has a reputation as a Brewers’ killer, though he’ll be wearing a Milwaukee uniform in 2025. After signing after spring training was already underway, though, Quintana will be on an innings limit at least for the first turn through the rotation as he builds up to his regular workload.
Quintana has spent 13 seasons between the White Sox, Cubs, Mets, Angels, Pirates, Cardinals, and Giants, making the Brewers his eighth major league team. In 2024 with the Mets, Quintana went 10-10 with a 3.75 ERA and a 4.56 FIP with 135 strikeouts across 170 1⁄3 innings. A bona fide innings eater, the Brewers will hope he can do just that this season.
BR projects Quintana to go 8-9 this year with a 3.71 ERA and 126 strikeouts across 153 innings.
Brandon Woodruff
Big Woo is set to make his return to the Brewers’ pitching rotation in 2025 after missing a large chunk of 2023 and the entirety of 2024. He made his spring debut this past weekend, striking out one in an inning of work. As with Quintana, Woodruff will need to work his way back up to a full workload this season, likely starting the year on the IL as he continues to rehab.
When healthy, Woodruff has looked like an ace for the Crew, totaling 130 appearances (115 starts) across seven seasons with Milwaukee, totaling a 3.10 ERA and a 3.19 FIP with 788 strikeouts across 680 1⁄3 innings, good for 16.7 bWAR. He made 11 starts in 2023, pitching to a career-best 2.28 ERA with 74 strikeouts in 67 innings of work.
With Woodruff likely to have a strict innings limit this season, BR projects him to finish with a 5-3 record and a 3.36 ERA with 71 strikeouts across 67 innings.
Other Candidates
Who isn’t a candidate at this point? Injuries to Aaron Ashby, DL Hall, and Robert Gasser will keep all of them sidelined to start the year, but Ashby is certainly a candidate to join the rotation sooner than the others, as Hall and Gasser are both on the 60-day IL, keeping them out until at least the end of May (Gasser likely longer due to Tommy John surgery).
Elvin Rodriguez, Tyler Alexander, Logan Henderson, and Chad Patrick are all names that have come up in recent days to get spot starts early in the year, along with Rule 5 pick Connor Thomas, who has had a great spring. Assumed relievers like Jared Koenig and Deivi García could also get “starts” with shorter innings, especially García, who has gone multiple innings in relief four times this spring.
Beyond that, prospects like Jacob Misiorowski, Carlos Rodriguez, and K.C. Hunt could also be in the mix at some point this year.