Brewers reunite with former lockdown reliever on minor league contract

Back in 2018, the Milwaukee Brewers signed right-handed pitcher Peter Strzelecki out of the University of South Florida as an undrafted free agent. Four years later, he was dominating big-league hitters as a shutdown reliever in the Brewers' bullpen.

The then-27-year-old made his MLB debut on June 2, 2022, with a team that was hoping to defend their division title. After allowing runs in three of his first five outings, Strzelecki, despite showing value as a multi-inning reliever, was sent back down to Triple-A shortly after his debut. One more brief stint with the big-league club, and a subsequent demotion to Nashville ensued before Strzelecki was back up with the major league squad for good.

Over the final two months of the 2022 season, a time no Brewers fan really wants to remember all that closely, Strzelecki was a rare bright spot as he transformed into a steady force in Milwaukee's 'pen. A 3.24 ERA in August was followed by a 2.57 mark in September, and by season’s end, despite the Brewers missing out on the playoffs, Strzelecki boasted a solid 2.83 ERA following what was an impressive introduction to MLB.

Unfortunately, Strzelecki's sophomore season was far less kind to him; despite lowering his WHIP, the right-hander posted a 4.54 ERA through his first 36 appearances with the Brewers. At the midseason trade deadline, the Brewers traded Strzelecki to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for Andrew Chafin. Though the deal seemed notable at the time, Chafin didn't make the Brewers' postseason roster in 2023, and Strzelecki made just one appearance for the D-Backs, before they designated him for assignment shortly before Opening Day 2024.

Strzelecki landed with the Cleveland Guardians and made 10 strong appearances for the major league club during the 2024 season. That, however, was his most recent experience in MLB. Now, two and a half years after trading him to Arizona, the Brewers have reunited with the 31-year-old Strzelecki, handing him a minor league pact with an invite to Spring Training prior to the 2026 season. The signing was initially reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Todd Rosiak and MLB.com's Adam McCalvy on the social media platform X.

Brewers reunite with Peter Strzelecki on a minor league contact ahead of 2026 season

After his season in Cleveland, Strzelecki was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates for cash considerations in November of 2024. He pitched to a 9.90 ERA in 20 innings with Pittsburgh's Triple-A team before the organization released him in early July. Strzelecki landed with the Tampa Bay Rays, but made just two appearances in Triple-A before going on the injured list; he was released by the Rays in early September and didn't pitch again in 2025.

Now, the Brewers, who unlocked something in Strzelecki's arsenal a few years back, will try to do so again in 2026. With a low 20-degree arm slot, Strzelecki generates plenty of horizontal movement on both his sweeper and changeup -- the two pitches were separated by more than 31 inches of horizontal break back in 2024. He doesn't blow his 92 mph fastball by many hitters, but the deception on his secondary pitches is enough to keep them off-balance.

With an increasingly crowded pitching staff, Strzelecki faces an uphill battle when it comes to finding playing time in Milwaukee in 2026, but injuries are bound to happen, and if he can find his groove in Triple-A, you never know what the 2026 season could have in store for him. Strzelecki will have a chance to prove himself at big-league camp this spring, to which pitchers and catchers will report in just two days.