Brewers news: Brandon Sproat promoted, Grant Anderson to the IL, Kyle Harrison role change

Entering play on Labor Day, the Milwaukee Brewers have just 18 games remaining in the 2026 regular season. While the team's attention remains focused on "winning tonight" as it always is under the guidance of manager Pat Murphy, it's difficult for fans not to look ahead to October baseball, which is right around the corner.

The Brewers could officially clinch a spot in the postseason before the end of the week, but have their sights set on the top overall seed in the National League -- a race in which they currently hold a 1.5-game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers. However, as they attempt to maintain their tunnel vision on each night's game, with a goal of racking up as many wins as possible before the end of the regular season, the Brewers also want to set themselves up for success in the postseason.

Giving themselves the best chance of winning in October means ensuring their pitching staff is in good shape when the regular season comes to a close in three weeks. Avoiding long-term injuries, providing extra rest when needed, and locking pitchers into the roles they will be filling in the postseason are three strategies the Brewers are bound to adopt during the remainder of the regular season. Over the weekend, a trio of storylines emerged that could impact the Brewers' postseason pitching staff.

Brandon Sproat rejoins the Brewers' big-league pitching staff, expected to work out of the bullpen

Rookie right-hander Brandon Sproat made 19 starts for the Brewers during the first four months of the season before being demoted to Triple-A on August 4. Paired with the fact that Milwaukee added a starting pitcher at the trade deadline in Dustin May, Sproat's inconsistent stretch landed him in Triple-A with the Nashville Sounds, where the Brewers were hoping he could work through some of his early-career struggles.

Over the last month, Sproat made five appearances in Triple-A, four of which were starts. His 4.00 ERA during that stretch is heavily influenced by one poor start, in which he allowed six earned runs in four innings. However, ever since that rough outing, Sproat has looked far better. He started covering shorter stints for the Sounds, with his most recent appearance being a two-inning, scoreless relief appearance.

Now, just over one month after what was a difficult demotion for Sproat, the 25-year-old right-hander is back on the big-league pitching staff. Sproat is expected to work as a reliever for the Brewers, where Milwaukee is hoping his electric arsenal outweighs his inconsistent command. Should Sproat show improved results out of the 'pen, it's entirely possible he earns a spot on the postseason roster as a relief pitcher, but that decision will be heavily impacted by the timeline of Grant Anderson's recent injury.

Grant Anderson lands on 15-day IL with right biceps inflammation, rehab timeline not yet clear

The reason a spot in the Brewers' bullpen was open for Sproat was because right-handed reliever Grant Anderson landed on the IL with right biceps inflammation on Monday morning. Anderson threw back-to-back games in Cincinnati over the weekend and reportedly felt tightness in his arm, which ultimately led to his diagnosis.

Anderson has quietly been an important piece of the Brewers' bullpen this year. He's sporting a 3.36 ERA in 52 appearances. During the month of August, Anderson posted a 1.35 ERA in six appearances while striking out seven opposing hitters in 6.1 innings pitched.

It's not yet known how long the injury will keep Anderson away from a big-league mound, but with just 20 days remaining in the regular season, the 29-year-old reliever can't afford much more than a minimum stint on the 15-day IL. The injury certainly leaves Anderson's postseason availability in question, but the situation should gain more clarity once his rehab timeline is known.

Brewers to explore using Kyle Harrison as a long reliever over the final weeks of the regular season

Ever since coming back from the injured list in early August, breakout southpaw Kyle Harrison has seen both his velocity and effectiveness decrease. Though Harrison says he feels fine, it's likely fatigue is starting to impact the young left-hander, and the Brewers can't afford this dip in effectiveness once the postseason arrives.

As a result, Milwaukee is reportedly going to use Harrison in shorter stints during the remainder of the regular season and likely in the postseason as well. As reported by Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, manager Pat Murphy said about Harrison, "Maybe he won't start, maybe he'll end up being in the middle of the game or something like that."

Harrison is still scheduled to start Friday night's series opener against the Cincinnati Reds, but it's likely that start will be abbreviated. The Brewers need Harrison at his best in October, regardless of how many innings he is covering, and if that means giving the young lefty more rest and shorter outings over the final weeks of the regular season, that's a tradeoff Milwaukee must make. Sacrificing a few innings in the final month of the regular season for the possibility of having Harrison's effectiveness return in October is absolutely worth it.

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