Oct 16, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski (32) reacts after striking out Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy (13) for the last out of the third inning of game three of the NLCS during the 2025 MLB playoffs at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Brewers Manager Airs Out Concerns With Young Pitching Staff

Originally posted on Milwaukee Brewers on SI
By Zach Pressnell | Last updated Feb 14, 2026 8:00 AM ET

The Milwaukee Brewers had one of the best teams in baseball last season, but in Brewers fashion, they opted to cut ties with players on the big league club to help sustain their success over a longer period of time.

They opted to trade their ace, Freddy Peralta, to the New York Mets in exchange for a pair of top prospects. This deal makes complete sense, as Peralta was likely going to walk in free agency at the end of the year either way. But this trade also gives the Brewers one of the youngest pitching staffs in the league. At this point, Brandon Woodruff is the only proven veteran left on the roster and he's coming off a season that included a few injuries along the way.

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"Knowing Woodruff is still in the rotation no doubt was part of the trade calculus for the Brewers. That said, do you have any benchmarks in your head for Woodruff this season, like 25 starts or 150 innings?" Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel asked Brewers manager Pat Murphy this spring.

Brewers young pitching staff is a bit concerning this season

"I don't do that stuff. You know me," Murphy said in response to Rosiak's question. "Success is defined in a lot of different ways. There's no doubt having Woody (helps). But there's very few staffs that have one veteran, and we only have one. So that's going to be a big responsibility on Woody, but also for those young guys to act like older guys and step up because it's not easy."

The Brewers are in a bit of a tough spot. Murphy is clearly a bit concerned with how young his pitching staff is, but there's no denying how talented the group is.

Jacob Misiorowski has the stuff and potential to be one of the most dominant arms in the league. His slider was in the mid nineties last season with a fastball that routinely topped triple digits. Kyle Harrison, acquired in the Caleb Durbin trade with the Boston Red Sox, has flashed ace potential at times.

Quinn Priester has only made 39 starts in the big leagues while last year was his only impressive season across three years. There's no doubt that he's talented and should have a good season, but with less than 300 big league innings under his belt, he hasn't been tested like a veteran yet.

Given the talent and depth of the Brewers pitching staff, the veteran factor may never cause any issues. But if Woodruff goes down like he did at the end of last year, it's tough to guess who would be left to lead the pitching staff.

This article first appeared on Milwaukee Brewers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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