The Milwaukee Brewers needed a break. And they got one — in the form of a healthy right arm.
Logan Henderson is back. The Brewers activated the rookie right-hander off the injured list Thursday morning, just ahead of their series finale against the St. Louis Cardinals. To make room, Garrett Stallings got sent down to Triple-A.
Henderson had been sidelined since late May with a lower back injury. Nothing too serious, but back stuff is always a little scary for a pitcher. He came through his rehab assignment clean, though, and now he slots right back into a rotation that just lost Brandon Woodruff to what looks like a significant shoulder issue.
That timing matters. Woodruff’s injury didn’t just sting — it created a hole in the middle of Milwaukee’s rotation during a tight NL Central race. Henderson doesn’t have to be an ace to help. He just has to be solid. So far, he’s been better than that.
In five starts this season, Henderson owns a 2.74 ERA with a 30-to-6 strikeout-to-walk ratio. His numbers over 10 career big-league starts? Even better: a 2.23 ERA and 63 strikeouts against 14 walks. That’s not a fluky small-sample thing either. Scouts have always liked his stuff. MLB Pipeline still ranks him as the No. 7 prospect in Milwaukee’s system and No. 98 overall in baseball.
Henderson is only 24. The Brewers see him as a long-term piece, not just a fill-in. But for now, filling in is exactly what they need.
The Cardinals aren’t an easy welcome-back opponent. St. Louis has been scrappy in the division race, and they’ve given Milwaukee trouble all week. Henderson will get the ball Thursday and try to grab a win before the Brewers move on to their next series.
He’ll still have to prove he can handle a full workload at this level. Back injuries can linger or flare up again. And the league will adjust to him once hitters get more tape. But right now, the Brewers will take a 2.74 ERA and a clean bill of health. No questions asked.
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