How Brewers' Brutal Closer Injury Brings Opportunity for D-backs

The Milwaukee Brewers won't have their closer available for their final two matchups with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Aug 6, 2025; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Trevor Megill (29) pitches against the Atlanta Braves during the ninth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The Arizona Diamondbacks are down 0-2 in a four-game series with the Milwaukee Brewers after a pair of hard-fought comeback attempts failed to reach the finish line.

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But on Wednesday, it was reported by ESPN's Jeff Passan that the Brewers' closer, right-hander Trevor Megill, had been diagnosed with a right arm flexor strain.

Flexor injuries take time. Megill will be down for the remainder of the series, and perhaps even into the postseason.

As brutal of an injury as it is for Milwaukee, the Diamondbacks will now face a somewhat-depleted Brewers bullpen. If they want to finally complete one of their late-inning rallies and come away victorious, they'll have to do so against Milwaukee's relief corps.

Milwaukee Brewers' Closer Injury Could Offer D-backs Opportunity

Megill had not pitched since Sunday, in which he threw 34 pitches and took the loss. That game came just one rest day following a tough back-to-back for the closer, throwing nearly 40 pitches between Thursday and Friday.

Megill had thrown to a 2.54 ERA and struck out 58 over 46 innings. going 30-for-36 (83%) in saves, but only taking the loss in three of those six blown saves.

Arizona had not seen him yet in their series, but had put Milwaukee's bullpen to work in each of the first two games. The D-backs chased righty starters Brandon Woodruff and Jacob Misiorowski after five innings each.

That led to heavy usage of the Brewers' bullpen in the later innings, as Arizona attempted to build innings and mount nearly-successful comebacks.

Milwaukee had to use three of their relievers for over 20 pitches Tuesday, including former Diamondback Shelby Miller. They used three other relievers on Monday, including setup man (and likely incumbent closer) Abner Uribe on a back-to-back.

The Brewers hold the 11th-best relief ERA in baseball with a 3.83 figure. Getting to them at all is no small feat.

But as Diamondbacks fans know all too well, the loss of a closer can cause plenty of trouble for a team's bullpen.

As resilient and versatile as Milwaukee's bullpen has been, the D-backs have now seen just about every arm available to manager Pat Murphy.

The final (and biggest) weapon in the Brewers' relief group will no longer present a challenge to Arizona.

A split of a series the D-backs began 0-2 would be huge as they continue to fight to stay alive in an improbable (but not impossible) playoff chase.

Considering just how hard Arizona's offense has fought to climb back into each of the first two games, one less terrifying bullpen matchup could provide the cascade effect needed for manager Torey Lovullo's team to finally climb that mountain and come away with a late victory.

Getting Milwaukee's starter out of the next two games early will be paramount.

They'll also have to execute offensively and keep games close — which they have to this point — but the two losses have not been for lack of effort or late-game heroics.