Brewers news: Jacob Misiorowski returns, Grant Anderson optioned, Steward Berroa and Tyler Black recalled

The Milwaukee Brewers have won 12 straight baseball games. But now after George Webb announced their free burger giveaway date, it's time for the Crew to make it 13 in a row. They face a surging Cincinnati Reds team that finds themselves just 0.5 game out of a playoff position on August 15. It's bound to be a high-energy clash between two young NL Central squads who each have their sights set on October baseball.

However, the Brewers will be shorthanded in their position player group for their weekend set in the Queen City. Two of their key outfielders, Isaac Collins and Blake Perkins, have been placed on temporary leave for various personal reasons. However, what's been so impressive about the Brewers’ recent winning streak is that it seemingly doesn't matter who Pat Murphy puts in the lineup every day; regardless of the starting nine, the Brewers are finding a way to dominate their opponents.

While the position player group took a temporary hit amid the flurry of roster moves that the Brewers made ahead of tonight's series opener (which will only be available on AppleTV+), one key rotation piece is set to make his return from the IL. Here's a rundown of all of the changes that the Crew made to their roster prior to their trip to Cincinnati.

Jacob Misiorowski returns from IL, set to make abbreviated start tonight

Back on Sunday, August 3, Jacob Misiorowski was a late scratch from his expected start against the Washington Nationals. Lingering effects from the injury he sustained when hit by a comebacker off the bat of Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki in his previous start forced the Brewers to take a cautious approach with their rookie phenom, resulting in a brief stint on the IL for The Miz.

Up until today, the team wasn't sure whether Misiorowski would embark on a short rehab assignment or simply jump right back into the starting rotation. Now, the decision has been made, and Brewers fans can expect to see the 2025 All-Star on the bump to start tonight's game against the Reds. The Miz is not expected to pitch much; something in the 40-50 pitches range is anticipated, meaning, depending on how efficient he is, it may be just a 2-3 inning outing for Misiorowski before he turns things over to Milwaukee's fresh bullpen.

Tonight will be Misiorowski's first start against the Reds, completing his tour of NL Central squads in just his first two months in the big leagues. Miz has dominated the rest of the NL Central, and while his left shin might be a little sore, his arm has received some much-needed rest over the last two weeks, suggesting that he will be raring to go tonight at Great American Ball Park.

Grant Anderson optioned to Triple-A Nashville to make room for Misiorowski on the big league roster

To free up an active roster spot for Misiorowski, the Brewers are electing to send down reliever Grant Anderson. The move notably leaves Tobias Myers on the major league roster, giving Pat Murphy another length option out of his bullpen as the team embarks on a 19-game-in-18-days journey over the next several weeks. With Myers, Miz, Brandon Woodruff, Quinn Priester, Freddy Peralta, and José Quintana on the roster, the Brewers should have the innings to get through the next few weeks, but expect a couple of roster shuffles throughout that time as well.

For Anderson, it's a tough demotion because it is due almost entirely to a roster crunch. Though Anderson had a tough week at the end of July, his performance has been steady as of late, and paired with the quality innings of relief that he's given the Crew this season, he's certainly not deserving of a demotion to the minor leagues. But, someone had to go, and for now, it will be Anderson.

Expect Anderson, who has a 3.07 ERA in 53 appearances this season, to be back with the big league club shortly, likely before their grueling stretch of 19 games in a row is completed. In fact, he could be back as soon as Monday, when the Brewers are able to add an extra man to their roster for the second game of their doubleheader with the Cubs.

Steward Berroa and Tyler Black added to MLB roster as temporary replacements

As previously mentioned, Isaac Collins and Blake Perkins are set to miss a few games as they attend to their respective personal matters. While they won't be gone for more than three games, the Brewers have added a couple of intriguing players to the roster in their stead.

Tyler Black is back with the big league club for the second time this season. Black, who hasn't had a great season in Triple-A after missing the first two months with a broken bone in his hand, has the potential to fill in at either first base or a corner outfield position; he's logged 26 games in left field for the Nashville Sounds this season. The Brewers don't have a true backup first baseman on their roster right now, but also don't need one with Andrew Vaughn's recent performance. It's possible that Black gets a start at first or in left, but more likely he will serve as a valuable left-handed bat and speedy base runner on the Brewers bench over the weekend.

Meanwhile, Steward Berroa is making his first appearance in MLB this season. While he did appear in 28 games for the Toronto Blue Jays a season ago, his bat has kept him out of the majors for just under a year. Berroa, like most of the Brewers’ roster, is an excellent defender and base runner. He hasn't hit well for the Nashville Sounds since joining the Brewers' organization in early July, but Berroa only just returned to the field from the injured list in early August. It's possible he gets a start in the outfield, but like Black, it's more likely that he just serves as valuable depth off the bench for the Crew's series in Cincy.