Brewers add intriguing former division rival in latest roster move

The MLB Trade Deadline may have passed, but the Milwaukee Brewers are still adding new arms to their roster. Teams still have the ability to claim players that have been designated for assignment or released by their former clubs and add them to their rosters. In that way, they can continue to improve their rosters through the end of the season, though rarely are the players claimed off waivers strong enough to have an impact on the big league roster down the stretch. However, the Brewers may have just signed someone that could be an anomaly in that regard.

On Friday afternoon, Brewers beat reporter Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel revealed that the Brewers have agreed to a minor league contract with former Chicago Cubs right-handed reliever Julian Merryweather. Despite beginning the 2025 season with the Cubs, Merryweather comes to the Brewers from the New York Mets' organization, where he landed after Chicago released him in late May.

Now with his third organization of the season, Merryweather will look to regain some of his former effectiveness under the tutelage of the Brewers' exceptional pitching department. While it's been a few years since Merryweather was an effective big league reliever, there are some reasons to believe that he could regain his form in Milwaukee.

Brewers sign ex-Cub Julian Merryweather to minor league deal

Merryweather was released by the Cubs earlier this year for a reason: he held a 5.79 ERA through his first 21 appearances for Chicago this season. That start to the season, paired with the 6.60 ERA that Merryweather carried through 15 appearances a season ago, made it difficult for the Cubs to justify keeping him in their big league bullpen.

However, the 33-year-old right-hander is just two seasons removed from a really solid 2023 season in which he posted a 3.38 ERA in 69 appearances with the Cubs. Additionally, in that same season, Merryweather struck out 98 batters in 72 innings pitched, demonstrating an elite ability to miss bats, as evidenced by the 35.1% walk rate that he maintained throughout the year.

While Merryweather didn't generate the same swing-and-miss in 2024, he continued to ride the same four-seam-slider combination that gave him success the season prior. It's a high 90s fastball that has good carry and a slider that doesn't move much horizontally, but generates good downward movement.

Merryweather will begin his Brewers tenure in Nashville where he will play with the Brewers' Triple-A affiliate, the Nashville Sounds. It's unlikely that he will force any of the Crew's current relievers out of a spot in the major league pen, but should injuries present themselves, the former Cub could act as an important depth piece down the stretch.