New Brewers Pitcher Expected to Crack Opening Day Rotation

The Brewers have a lot of options.

Jul 1, 2018; Cincinnati, OH, USA; A view of the on-field authentic Brewers hat in the dugout during the game of the Milwaukee Brewers against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Brewers had a productive offseason. They managed to land a haul for right-hander Freddy Peralta and also picked up some solid young pitching in the trade that sent Caleb Durbin to the Boston Red Sox.

One of the pitchers they added in that deal was left-hander Kyle Harrison. He has made just one start this spring, but he pitched well in that game, allowing just one run over three innings.

So far, he has been impressive for Milwaukee. Adam McCalvy of MLB.com recently predicted who would be on the Brewers' opening day roster, and he had Harrison locked into a rotation spot.

Brewers' new arm could crack rotation

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Kyle Harrison (52) throws in the bullpen during spring training workouts Saturday, February 14, 2026, at American Family Fields of Phoenix in Phoenix, Arizona. | Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Harrison owns a 3.00 ERA this spring. He was one of the key pieces that came back to Milwaukee in the Durbin deal. The 24-year-old left-hander was also once a top prospect in the San Francisco Giants' organization.

But with Peralta gone, the Brewers need to make sure they have enough depth. There are question marks surrounding Brandon Woodruff's health, and Quinn Priester may ultimately be out for opening day due to a wrist injury.

So, the Brewers need somebody to step up while there is some certainty with their starting rotation. Harrison is a promising young arm with a bright future ahead of him and could very easily crack the rotation for Milwaukee.

The Brewers are at least fortunate to have a lot of depth after the loss of Peralta, but they need to ensure that they are able to fill out the rotation with quality arms. It will likely either be Milwaukee or the Chicago Cubs at the top of the National League Central again this season, but if the Brewers have enough depth, they should at least be in the hunt for a Wild Card spot.

Having Harrison in the rotation would be a major positive for Milwaukee as they set themselves up for both the present and the future. It will be interesting to see if he can continue his strong spring and find his way into the opening day rotation.

There is a lot of uncertainty after the Peralta trade. There will also be competition for spots in the rotation. Prospects Logan Henderson and Robert Gasser will be options, as well Brandon Sproat and Shane Drohan, the latter of which was also picked up from Boston.

We'll see where things stand with the Brewers on opening day.