Brewers Sign Former Padres Pitcher in Free Agency

The Milwaukee Brewers quietly added a bit more pitching depth to the organization earlier in the week.

Milwaukee, which already is dealing with a few pitching injuries, quietly signed former San Diego Padres relief pitcher Reiss Knehr on April 9 to a minor league deal, per his official MLB.com player page.

Knehr elected free agency from the Padres organization back in November after a very solid 2025 season down in the minors. He didn't make an appearance in the big leagues in 2025, but he had a solid campaign. Down in Triple-A, he had a 2.70 ERA in 18 appearances. Knehr had a 24-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 16 2/3 innings pitched after missing the 2024 season. He missed the 2024 campaign as he recovered from Tommy John surgery.

The Brewers made a good move

Jun 27, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Reiss Knehr (33) throws a pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

He was selected in the 20th round of the 2018 MLB Draft by the Padres out of Fordham University. He worked his way through the Padres' system and eventually made his big league debut with the organization in 2021. That year, he logged a 4.97 ERA in 12 total big league appearances, including five starts. In 2022, he appeared in five games in the majors and had a 3.95 ERA. In 2023, he had a 15.88 ERA in four appearances and hasn't pitched in a big league game since.

With Knehr, the Brewers are getting a guy with big league upside coming off a solid 2025 season in the minors and who can help at a position of need in the bullpen. You can never have too much organizational depth in the bullpen because it's a spot that has significant turnover. We've already seen injuries pop up for the club this season. Last year, the Brewers navigated pitching injuries from Opening Day until the final day of the season.

Knehr is intriguing because of the 2.70 ERA down in Triple-A last season. To have that success that quickly after returning to a mound after undergoing Tommy John surgery shows that there is upside. He's another year removed from the injury now. Imagine what the Brewers could get out of him? He's also just 29 years old. Milwaukee has proven over and over and over and over again that it can find solid pitching and develop them to be even better. Quinn Priester was a massive example of this last year when the Brewers acquired him from the Boston Red Sox. He was pitching down in Triple-A in the Red Sox's farm system and looked like a steal the second he got to Milwaukee.

Knehr isn't a big-name addition now. But he has upside and can help this club in 2026.