The Milwaukee Brewers’ pitching staff is beat up, and they just made a low-risk move to try and patch some of the holes. Right-hander Bryse Wilson, a former fourth-round pick who most recently pitched for the Chicago Cubs, has signed with the Brewers. MLB insider Jon Heyman confirmed the deal Friday afternoon.
This is a depth signing, plain and simple. The Brewers are currently without Brandon Woodruff, who is still working his way back from shoulder surgery. Quinn Priester and Coleman Crow are also on the mend. That’s three arms down before you even get to the bullpen. Jacob Misiorowski, their young flamethrower, has been inconsistent. And guys like Shane Drohan and Logan Henderson haven’t exactly locked down rotation spots. So yeah, they needed another arm.
Wilson has been a journeyman type since his promising start with the Atlanta Braves. He made a start in Game 4 of the 2020 NLCS against the Dodgers, which is a pretty solid career highlight for someone who was once one of Atlanta’s top prospects. But he never really stuck as a starter. The command issues crept in, the home runs piled up, and he eventually shifted to the bullpen.
This season with Chicago, Wilson has thrown just three games with a 6.52 ERA. Over his entire career, across 166 appearances, he’s 20-23 with a 4.86 ERA. Not great. But here’s the interesting part: as a reliever, he’s been legitimately good. In 53 relief outings, Wilson has a 2.58 ERA. That’s the version the Brewers are hoping they get.
Milwaukee will likely use him out of the bullpen, but with the rotation banged up, don’t be surprised if they stretch him out for an occasional multi-inning stint. He’s done both roles before, and that flexibility is exactly why a team with a beat-up staff like the Brewers would take a flier on him. No risk here. If it works, they’ve got a reliable middle reliever. If it doesn’t, he’s another guy they can cut loose. Right now, they just need bodies who can throw strikes.
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