Brewers' reliever elects free agency after second successful stint in Milwaukee

The back of Bryse Wilson's baseball card is starting to show a clear pattern. The 28-year-old right-hander has struggled to find consistent success with every MLB organization he's been a part of except one: the Milwaukee Brewers.

Wilson, who was initially drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the fourth round of the 2016 draft, moved quickly through the minor leagues before making his major league debut in August of 2018. However, he struggled to find his footing in Atlanta over the next two and a half seasons, and at the 2021 trade deadline, Wilson was dealt to the Pittsburgh Pirates for reliever Richard Rodriguez.

Continuing to work as a starting pitcher, just as he had throughout much of his first four seasons in the big leagues, Wilson posted a 5.52 ERA during the 2022 campaign, and before returning for another season, the Pirates designated him for assignment and subsequently traded him to the Brewers for cash consideration during the offseason.

What followed was something of a breakout season for Wilson. Milwaukee elected to convert the right-hander to a multi-inning reliever, and Wilson responded with a 2.58 ERA in 76.2 innings during the 2023 campaign. In 2024, the Brewers' lack of starting pitching required them to add Wilson to their rotation for nine starts, and though the change resulted in a small step back, the right-hander still posted a solid 4.04 ERA while covering 104.2 innings.

Wilson's success during his two seasons with Milwaukee led him to elect free agency when the Brewers outrighted him to Triple-A following the 2024 campaign. However, in the time since, success has continued to elude Wilson when away from the Brewers, while his recent effective stint in Milwaukee suggests there's still potential in his five-pitch arsenal.

Bryse Wilson to test free agency after effective month in Brewers' bullpen

The Chicago White Sox handed Wilson a one-year deal to serve as a starting pitcher for their rebuilding club during the 2025 campaign. However, a lack of success earned Wilson just five starts with the White Sox last year, and most of his work ended up coming as a reliever. At the end of the season, the former Brewers hurler possessed a 6.65 ERA in his 47.1 innings of work with Chicago.

Wilson's struggles on the South Side of Chicago resulted in him landing just a minor league deal with the Philadelphia Phillies this past offseason, but after one appearance with the big-league club, he was designated for assignment. Wilson landed on the North Side of Chicago with the Cubs, but two poor outings led them to quickly DFA the veteran right-hander as well.

With his career scuffling, Wilson returned to the only place where he found sustained success: Milwaukee. Needing pitching depth amid a string of mid-season injuries, the Brewers gave Wilson 13.2 innings of work over the last month, and he rewarded them with a stellar 2.63 ERA. On several occasions, including his last before he was DFA'd by the Brewers, Wilson saved Milwaukee's bullpen by covering multiple innings in a low-leverage situation.

Unfortunately, Milwaukee's demanding schedule, which led them to turn to a six-man rotation, ultimately forced them to DFA Wilson over the weekend. Wilson cleared waivers, and some speculated that he may accept Milwaukee's outright assignment to Triple-A given the success he's had in the Brewers' organization. However, yesterday Wilson officially rejected the Brewers' outright assignment, a luxury he's afforded given his service time, and elected free agency.

Wilson will now search for his next big-league opportunity, which shouldn't be too hard to find this time of year. Many teams are in need of innings, and Wilson's ability to cover multiple at a time, paired with his success with the Brewers over the last month, should keep interest high. That said, given how successful he's been in Milwaukee compared to the other stops on his MLB journey, it wouldn't be a shock to see Wilson don a Brewers jersey once again at some point in the future.

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