Brewers free agency: 3 bullpen projects Milwaukee can turn into high-leverage weapons

The Milwaukee Brewers' pitchers and catchers' first official workout of spring training is just two weeks away. While the roster is largely set, and the organization just recently announced which prospects will be joining the big-league squad this spring, there are likely still a couple of moves coming in the next two weeks.

One indication that the Brewers' front office isn't done adding players to their roster is the fact that the 40-man roster currently consists of just 38 players. The Brewers are almost certain to add two more players to their 40-man over the next few weeks. The argument could be made that they are saving those spots for top prospects or non-roster invitees who they are expecting to promote prior to Opening Day, but in such a case, the Brewers could simply designate one of their current 40-man roster members for assignment if they need to make room. They might as well maximize the amount of talent they have down in Arizona in the meantime.

Another indicator that Matt Arnold and the Brewers' front office aren't done making additions this offseason is the current projected makeup of Milwaukee's bullpen group. As things stand, the Brewers are set to have five left-handers and just three righties in their Opening Day bullpen. Though not necessarily an issue, that breakdown could spell trouble for Pat Murphy as he tries to optimize matchups late in games. Therefore, it wouldn't be surprising to see the Brewers add a right-handed reliever on a major league deal prior to the start of spring training in two weeks' time.

Here's the issue: at this point in the offseason, not many great options remain. The relief pitcher market moved fast (as it usually does) this year, and as a result, the Brewers are left with a group of names who come with their fair share of red flags. Therefore, the following names aren't necessarily ones who would immediately slot into the back-end of the Brewers' bullpen, but could get there by season's end if everything breaks their way.

3 right-handed relievers the Brewers can "buy low" on and turn into high-leverage weapons

1. RHP Michael Kopech

Michael Kopech has an electric arm; that much can't be denied. The 29-year-old former first-round pick can run it up to triple digits with his four-seam fastball, which he pairs with a tight slider (sometimes considered a cutter by Statcast) that averaged 91 mph last season. As a result of his electric two pitches, Kopech, when he's at his best, generates a ton of strikeouts. In 2024, both his whiff rate and strikeout rate were in the 92nd percentile or higher.

The issue with Kopech is not only a long string of past injuries that includes Tommy John surgery, a shoulder impingement, and, most recently, a meniscus tear in his right knee, but he also lacks consistent command on the bump. His walk rate has worsened in recent years to the point where he now holds a career clip of 12.5% -- MLB average is generally somewhere between 8 and 9%.

Even still, with his electric arsenal, draft pedigree, and the fact that he's not yet 30 years old, it's not difficult to see a lights-out, high-leverage weapon in Kopech's profile. Given his age and his past success, it will most likely require a multi-year deal to land him, which is something the Brewers generally avoid. However, the fact that he's lasted this long on the market could indicate that a one-year "prove-it" deal is in his future. What better place to prove his worth than with the pitching experts in Milwaukee?

2. RHP Lucas Sims

Don't look at Lucas Sims' most recent season when evaluating whether or not he would be an exciting add for the Brewers in the coming weeks. Instead, look at how well his arsenal of pitches grades out in movement measurements like Stuff+. Sims' repertoire has an overall Stuff+ grade of 111 throughout his career, which would have ranked fifth on the Brewers last year behind Trevor Megill, Aaron Ashby, Jacob Misiorowski, and Abner Uribe -- in terms of nastiness (or any ranking for that matter) that's excellent company to be a part of. Sims possesses a strong rising four-seamer and a lethal sweeper, that together produced high strikeout and whiff rates during Sims' best years as a member of the Cincinnati Reds.

His red flag, however, is a glaring one: Sims struggles mightily with his command. Just like Kopech, Sims has a career walk rate of 12.5% and his Location+ score of 65 last season is enough to turn most front offices away from the 31-year-old right-hander. His lack of command caused him to leave many four-seamers over the heart of the plate over the last two years and his HR/9 rate sky-rocketed as a result.

As is the case with Kopech, if a team can figure out how to rein in Sims' command, they will be rewarded with a really strong pitcher. Sims is also a former first-round pick, taken by the Atlanta Braves with the 21st selection in the 2012 draft, but he's unlikely to command a major league deal this offseason. After the Washington Nationals released Sims in early May last year, the Philadelphia Phillies signed him to a minor-league deal and his performance with Philadelphia's Triple-A squad during the second half of the season doesn't indicate that he will earn a major league contract in the coming days. As a result, Sims could be an intriguing low-risk, high-reward play for the Brewers who love turning former first-rounders, whose careers have stalled, into productive big-leaguers.

3. RHP Evan Phillips

Former Los Angeles Dodgers' right-hander Evan Phillips is a "buy-low" candidate for one clear reason: he is set to miss at least the first half of the 2026 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery last June. Prior to the injury, however, Phillips was a lights-out reliever for the Dodgers. From 2022-2024, he averaged more than 62 appearances per season and compiled a 2.21 ERA. His arsenal features the three fastball shapes that the Brewers love (a four-seam, sinker, and cutter) paired with a wipe-out sweeper that averages 16.5 inches of horizontal break.

Phillips grades out well when it comes to Stuff+ and Location+, and the result is an excellent career strikeout-to-walk ratio north of 3.16. However, that number reached elite territory in 2022 and 2023 when he eclipsed the 5.00 mark.

Without hardly any red flags in his pitching profile, the obvious concern with Phillips is his health. Recovery from Tommy John surgery can last anywhere from 12 to 15 months. The short end of that would mean that Phillips could be an important part of the Brewers' pitching staff in the second half of 2026, but the long end would mean that he misses most, if not all, of next season. If the Brewers can land him on a team-friendly, two- or three-year deal that backloads most of his salary to future seasons when Milwaukee will have fewer commitments on their books, Phillips would be a very intriguing addition to the roster.