Breaking Down the Milwaukee Brewers' 2024 Starting Rotation Ahead of Opening Day
Despite trading away former Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes, the Milwaukee Brewers held onto other veterans and added top prospect DL Hall to their starting rotation.
The 2024 MLB regular season is about to begin, and that means it's time for every club to lock down its top five starting pitchers.
At one point this offseason, it seemed like the Milwaukee Brewers were going to tear their rotation down to the studs. And while they did wind up trading 2021 NL Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes to the Baltimore Orioles in February, the Brewers' front office still made sure to retain a balance of talented veterans and promising young arms within the five-man group.
Here is a quick preview of how Milwaukee's starting pitching will look in 2024:
1. Freddy Peralta, RHP
2023 Stats: 12-10, 3.86 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 11.4 K/9, 3.0 WAR
2024 Projections: 11-9, 3.70 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 10.7 K/9, 3.3 WAR
Ever since being named an All-Star in 2021, Peralta has been a stabilizing force at the top of the Brewers' rotation. He just started 30 games for the first time in his career in 2023 as well, so the 27-year-old Peralta seems poised for another impressive campaign in 2024.
2. DL Hall, LHP
2023 Stats: 3-0, 3.26 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 10.7 K/9, 0.4 WAR (BAL)
2024 Projections: 8-7, 3.65 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 10.9 K/9, 2.3 WAR
Hall was a consensus top 100 prospect in baseball entering 2023, but he was only able to find innings out of the Orioles' bullpen. With his rookie eligibility still intact, Hall has a shot to show off his elite stuff on a bigger stage and convert that into both wins and hardware.
3. Colin Rea, RHP
2023 Stats: 6-6, 4.55 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 7.9 K/9, 0.8 WAR
2024 Projections: 5-5, 4.54 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 7.8 K/9, 1.4 WAR
The fact that Rea made 22 starts in 2023 was an interesting development, considering he had appeared in 10 major league games over the previous six years. Now with his role carved out and well-defined, the Brewers are counting on Rea to remain steady for another 100-plus innings.
4. Jakob Junis, RHP
2023 Stats: 4-3, 3.87 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 10.1 K/9, 0.7 WAR (SFG)
2024 Projections: 7-8, 4.43 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 8.3 K/9, 1.3 WAR
After an up-and-down five years with the Kansas City Royals, Junis revived his career with the San Francisco Giants over the past two seasons. Now, the 31-year-old righty is looking to keep that momentum going with the Brewers after signing a $7 million deal in February.
5. Joe Ross, RHP
2021 Stats: 5-9, 4.17 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 9.1 K/9, 1.3 WAR(WSH)
2024 Projections: 5-6, 4.39 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 8.2 K/9, 0.7 WAR
It's been a long road for Ross, who opted out of the COVID-shortened 2020 season and missed all of 2022 after undergoing Tommy John surgery. After spending 2023 in the Giants' minor league system, Ross is looking to make his first impact in the major leagues since he was with the Washington Nationals in 2021.
The Brewers were able to retain both Wade Miley and Brandon Woodruff after allowing both to enter free agency last fall. Neither one will be available to start the year, though.
Miley is due back in mid-April, and he is projected to go 8-9 with a 4.53 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 6.7 strikeouts per nine innings and a 1.2 WAR. The 37-year-old former All-Star has a 3.26 ERA with the Brewers, Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds since 2021.
Woodruff, on the other hand, is set to miss all of 2024 as he recovers from shoulder surgery.
All 2024 projections are compiled using FanGraphs' Steamer model.
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