3 pitchers not named José Quintana the Brewers could add to their 2026 rotation

While the Milwaukee Brewers aren't lacking in starting pitching options when it comes to their 2026 roster, questions do remain about how much each of those options will be able to pitch this upcoming season. It's fair to think that Brandon Woodruff will be on something of an innings limit, as will Jacob Misiorowski, who the Brewers are likely to be extra careful with following his breakout rookie campaign. Pair that with the fact that Logan Henderson is coming off a late-season elbow injury and Robert Gasser is less than two years removed from Tommy John surgery, and it becomes clear that the Brewers could use another innings eater on their 2026 roster.

Manager Pat Murphy seems to think another arm is needed as well. In a recent interview with MLB.com's Adam McCalvy, the Brewers' skipper mentioned that he believes the team still needs to "shore up" its rotation picture. McCalvy goes on to note that Murphy said something similar around this time last year, before the Brewers added veteran southpaw José Quintana on a one-year deal. McCalvy's piece is free to read over at MLB.com and linked below for your convenience.

Murphy mindful of rotation depth ahead of Spring Training

Quintana remains a free agent on February 5, and many Brewers writers have noted that the now-37-year-old lefty is an excellent option to once again fill a back-end rotation spot for the Crew in 2026. Quintana was an important veteran presence in the Brewers' clubhouse in 2025 -- something Milwaukee could certainly use in 2026 given the lack of experience in their current starting staff. However, while Quintana's surface-level numbers remained strong in 2025 (3.96 ERA in 24 starts), his underlying metrics started to dip; the veteran lefty's expected ERA (5.20) was more than a run worse than his actual ERA and his ability to induce strikeouts all but disappeared.

As a result, while a reunion with Quintana could certainly be in the cards, it's more than possible that the Brewers elect to pivot to a different veteran starter, especially if they are willing to spend a bit more money now that Freddy Peralta is off the books and their TV deal (regardless of how small it might be) is squared away. Let's take a look at a few names outside of Quintana who the Brewers could realistically add to their rotation group in the coming weeks.

3 veteran starters not named José Quintana the Brewers could add to their 2026 rotation

1. RHP Nick Martinez

Much of the conversation about the Brewers adding a veteran starter has included this idea that whatever player the front office does elect to add must be left-handed. The Brewers have very few left-handed starting options -- Gasser and a few multi-inning relievers who could convert back into starters are the only options at this point in the offseason. In an ideal world, Milwaukee would add a southpaw to their rotation group, but handedness matters less for starting pitchers who have to be effective against both righties and lefties, so the front office shouldn't force a bad deal just for the sake of adding a left-hander to their starting group.

If Matt Arnold and company are comfortable adding another right-handed option, and principal owner Mark Attanasio is comfortable spending a little extra, Nick Martinez, formerly of the Cincinnati Reds, is an intriguing option. Though Martinez has worked as both a starter and reliever in recent seasons, he certainly has the capability to eat some innings for a pitching staff. He's averaged more than 150 innings per season over the last two years, making 42 starts during that time. From 2022-24, during which Martinez played two seasons for the San Diego Padres and one with the Reds, the right-hander held a 3.31 ERA and was worth nearly 7.0 bWAR. He has six pitches in his arsenal, including three fastball shapes, and has consistently curtailed hard contact over the last three seasons while limiting the number of walks he allows.

The 35-year-old Martinez was initially projected to earn a salary somewhere in the two-year, $20 million range for the upcoming season, but there are a few reasons to suggest that number has come down a bit. For one, Martinez is still available just a week before pitchers and catchers report, suggesting that interest in his services is not as high as some thought it would be. Additionally, he's coming off a down year, during which his ERA jumped to 4.45, in large part due to his chase rate decreasing from nearly 34% in 2024 to 24.5% last year (95th percentile to 8th percentile). If Martinez is willing to accept something in the one-year, $8-10 million range, the Brewers should absolutely be interested.

2. RHP Zack Littell

Similar to a Quintana reunion, Zack Littell has been a frequently mentioned name among Brewers writers and podcasters this offseason -- and for a good reason. Littell has been incredibly reliable over the last two seasons, making 29 starts in 2024 and 32 in 2025. In total, he's thrown more than 340 innings in the last two years, and at just 30 years old, there's reason to believe he could surpass the 186-inning-mark that he reached last year.

Littell finished the season as Martinez's teammate on the Reds after beginning the campaign with the Tampa Bay Rays. In total, he pitched to a solid 3.81 ERA and started a postseason game for Cincinnati. He doesn't possess an overpowering arsenal, with a four-seamer that averages just 92 mph, but his secondary offerings are what make him so effective. Littell threw his slider more than any other pitch in 2025, and his splitter more than either of his two fastball shapes. He locates everything exceptionally well with a 4.2 walk rate and a 104 Location+ grade in 2025 to prove it. He's incredibly efficient, frequently covers six or more innings, and made every start last year. In other words, Littell is the perfect back-end starter.

That said, the contract could turn the Brewers away. The fact that he's still available in the first week of February suggests that Littell is likely holding out for a multi-year deal. At just 30 years old and coming off some of the best seasons of his career, why wouldn't he? Such a deal would likely land in the $10-12 million AAV range, which likely isn't something Milwaukee would be interested in. However, that salary on a one-year deal could certainly pique the Brewers' interest.

3. LHP Patrick Corbin

Left-hander Patrick Corbin offers a very different profile from the other two names on this list. Not only is he the only southpaw among the bunch, but he's at a fairly different stage in his career. At 36 years old, Corbin is entering his 14th MLB season. He's a 2x All-Star, World Series Champion, and was once one of the strongest left-handed starters in the game. However, the back-end of his massive six-year contract with the Washington Nationals looked rather ugly. After being a key part of the Nationals' 2019 World Series championship, Corbin posted a 5.62 ERA during the final five years of the deal.

He landed a modest, one-year deal with the Texas Rangers for the 2025 season and put together a somewhat encouraging season. He posted a 4.40 ERA and saw a slight uptick in his strikeout numbers. His arsenal includes a slider that was his most frequently used pitch in 2025, a sinker, cutter, and changeup. None of them grade out well in terms of Stuff+, but Corbin gets by with being able to locate all of his offerings.

The appeal of Corbin is his durability. He's made 30 or more starts in each of the last eight full seasons (2020 season excluded) and has averaged 166 innings per season over the last five years. Additionally, Corbin will be far cheaper than either Martinez or Littell, likely earning a one-year contract worth less than $5 million.

In the end, the Brewers might opt for a familiar face like Quintana or Jordan Montgomery. However, if they want to move the needle a little more, someone like Martinez or Littell would be a little more exciting for the fanbase. Corbin falls into a similar category as Quintana and Montgomery, but his durability is certainly appealing. Regardless of who they end up choosing, expect a veteran starter to be added to the mix sometime before Opening Day.