Pat Murphy Tips Hand on Brewers Rotation Plans When Injured Starters Return

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Dave Gasper | Last updated May 27, 2025 8:36 PM ET

The Milwaukee Brewers have a number of starting pitchers slated to return from the IL in the next week or two. Both Jose Quintana and Brandon Woodruff are making rehab starts Tuesday and Wednesday for High-A Wisconsin and should return shortly thereafter to the big league club.

When they do come back, the Brewers are going to slot those veterans into the starting rotation, there's no doubt about that. That means current members of the rotation will have to be removed from it. How will that look? It's the kind of situation armchair GMs spend lots of time thinking through.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy tipped his hand on what the Crew's plans are.

Prior to Tuesday's game against the Red Sox, Pat Murphy was asked about how he viewed Chad Patrick's spot in the rotation with all these pitchers coming back:

"So what do you do? Do you tell Woody 'ah ah ah" coming back? Do you release someone from the pitching staff with two-thirds of the season left? Depth is needed. What do you do? No, we have options, Chad Patrick." Murphy said.

Chad Patrick made his MLB debut earlier this season when he made the Opening Day roster. After Monday's start against the Red Sox, Patrick has a 2.97 ERA in 12 games with 11 of them starts.

Patrick has three minor league option seasons remaining. Quinn Priester is the only other current starting pitcher with a minor league option remaining, though he has just one. Freddy Peralta and Aaron Civale are vested veterans that can't be optioned down, and neither can Brandon Woodruff or Jose Quintana. All four of those pitchers are proven big league starters and, as Murphy noted, they're not going to tell them they won't get a spot because of Chad Patrick.

So, it appears likely then that Patrick will be the one sent down to make room for these returning starters.

"I think that's what's gonna happen. I've talke to Chad Patrick about that type of stuff. Nothing final, but we're not trying to trick anybody or anything else. We're trying to be caring for players and loving the players and helping them understand that this is how we have to do business." Murphy said.

Jose Quintana is making one rehab start Tuesday night and then should return. Brandon Woodruff has two more rehab starts and should return during that first June homestand. Somewhere between now and then, it appears likely that no matter what Chad Patrick does, he'll be optioned down to Triple-A to make room for the returning veterans.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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