3 ways the Brewers can replace Ángel Zerpa's production at back end of their bullpen

Throughout Pat Murphy’s tenure as manager of the Milwaukee Brewers, he has consistently relied on a trusted left-handed setup man late in games. Jared Koenig emerged as that dependable option in 2024 and carried the role through 2025, but he is now sidelined on the injured list while rehabbing from a UCL sprain. It is a concerning injury for any pitcher, especially one regularly tasked with handling high-leverage innings and stressful late-game situations.

In his absence, offseason trade acquisition Ángel Zerpa became Murphy’s preferred left-handed option out of the bullpen through the first month of the 2026 season. Unfortunately, Zerpa is now set to undergo season-ending elbow surgery, removing him from the equation entirely. Meanwhile, fellow southpaw Rob Zastryzny, who has shown flashes of effectiveness since 2024, is also on the injured list.

In response, Milwaukee promoted rookie Brian Fitzpatrick, who has impressed early on, though it remains unclear whether he can fully step into the high-leverage role previously occupied by Koenig and Zerpa. With that in mind, here we take a look at three ways the Brewers could fill the void at the back end of their bullpen.

Three ways the Milwaukee Brewers can add a left-handed set up man to the back end of their bullpen

1. Change roles of current players on the 40-man roster

One possible approach would simply be adopting the “next man up” mentality. Left-handers Aaron Ashby and DL Hall have both looked excellent this season, but moving either into a dedicated setup role could limit their current usage patterns. Another option is Shane Drohan, who was acquired in the Caleb Durbin trade and has pitched very well recently, despite primarily serving as a bulk-innings reliever. Meanwhile, Fitzpatrick could also grow into the role if his strong outings continue.

Regardless of the direction Milwaukee chooses, the organization does have internal options on the 40-man roster, though shifting pitchers into higher-leverage responsibilities would likely create ripple effects elsewhere in the bullpen. Perhaps the Brewers will simply await the returns of Koenig and Zastryzny and keep things as they are with their current group in the meantime.

2. Promote from within

After the promotion of Fitzpatrick, the Brewers currently have just one other traditional left-handed reliever at Triple-A, and that is Drew Rom. At age 26, he made his only MLB appearances in 2023 with the St. Louis Cardinals, but he has shown intriguing swing-and-miss ability this season, recording 27 strikeouts across 17 innings so far. If Fitzpatrick falters, Rom could be next in line to get a big league opportunity.

Milwaukee could also consider converting a starter into a relief role if the need becomes more urgent. A move involving Robert Gasser seems unlikely unless the organization wants to manage his workload during his first full season back from Tommy John surgery. Otherwise, pitchers like Thomas Pannone and Tate Kuehner, neither of whom has major league experience, could potentially shift into bullpen roles to help fill the need.

3. Make a trade

The Brewers have never been shy about acting early on the trade market, especially when a clear bullpen need emerges, so pursuing external help is very much on the table. One potential target could be Matt Gage, who has posted a 1.13 ERA across 17 relief appearances for the selling San Francisco Giants, who have already traded catcher Patrick Bailey.

Another name to watch is Brooks Raley of the New York Mets, particularly if New York continues to slide and shifts into sell mode. The same logic could apply to a veteran like Steven Okert of the Houston Astros, or perhaps the Brewers can convince their division rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals, to part ways with southpaw Jojo Romero. Regardless, the relief pitcher market appears to be one place where the Brewers will be shopping this summer.

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