Brewers' rookie left-hander reportedly mulling major decision after recent elbow injury

The game of baseball can be devastating. A player's journey to the big leagues is a long and grueling process in which they need to continuously prove themselves at each stage and also be the beneficiary of good timing and, to some extent, luck. Earning a promotion to MLB requires a player to not only consistently outperform their minor league competition, but the organization must have a need and an open roster spot at the big-league level at the perfect time.

A chance in the major leagues, therefore, is the culmination of a number of factors, only some of which are in the player's control. However, for as arduous and lengthy the process of reaching the big leagues can be, the opportunity can quickly be ripped out of a player's hand by one untimely injury.

Such is the reality that Milwaukee Brewers' rookie left-hander Brian Fitzpatrick now faces. After parts of five seasons in the minor leagues, during which Fitzpatrick rose all the way from rookie ball to Triple-A, the 6'7" southpaw finally got his shot at the major leagues earlier this year. His first stint in the Brewers' big-league bullpen lasted roughly two weeks and saw the young lefty post a stellar 1.59 ERA in 5.2 innings. The potential was obvious, but a crowded pitching staff at the time forced Fitzpatrick back to Triple-A Nashville.

However, prior to the Brewers' series opener with the Colorado Rockies on Friday night, Fitzpatrick was recalled from Triple-A -- a result of southpaw DL Hall landing back on the injured list. The rookie Fitzpatrick was first in relief on Friday, taking over for Brandon Sproat in the sixth inning. After one clean frame, Fitzpatrick came back out for the seventh inning, but he suffered a devastating elbow injury while warming up.

Fitzpatrick was placed on the IL yesterday afternoon, and shortly thereafter, Brewers' beat writer Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that the rookie southpaw had a UCL (ulnar collateral ligament) strain and is receiving a second opinion before deciding whether to have surgery or try to rehab through the injury.

Brian Fitzpatrick deciding between season-ending Tommy John surgery and rehab after devastating elbow injury

It's a brutal situation for Fitzpatrick, who was off to a very strong start in his debut season in MLB. On one hand, rehab seems like the better option as it means the young left-hander might have a chance of rejoining the Brewers' bullpen before the end of the season. However, simply doing rehab without any procedure doesn't always produce the results pitchers are hoping for, and occasionally it just delays the inevitable surgery that is required.

However, Tommy John surgery at this stage in the season means that Fitzpatrick would not only miss the rest of the 2026 campaign, but his availability for the 2027 season comes into question as well. It's a decision two other Brewers' left-handers have already faced this season. Ángel Zerpa, who had a tear in his UCL, underwent Tommy John surgery back on May 11, and Jared Koenig, whose UCL was sprained rather than torn, elected to deal with the situation with rehab, and is currently on a rehab assignment with the Nashville Sounds after two months on the IL.

It's an impossible decision for Fitzpatrick -- one that seemingly doesn't have a right answer. It forces the 26-year-old rookie to either prioritize short-term success or long-term health, but the latter is no easy task given all that is involved in rehab from Tommy John surgery. For a young arm just months into his major league career, it's a situation that reminds fans just how difficult a major league career can be.

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