Brewers' starter's Spring Training pitch adjustment is music to the team's ears

With Spring Training coming to a close, Milwaukee Brewers' starting pitcher Robert Gasser made sure to finish the exhibition season on a high note, throwing six strong innings in which he allowed just five hits, walked one, struck out seven, and didn't allow a run to cross the plate.

The timing of this strong outing is intriguing, as the Brewers have yet to finalize their full starting rotation. Jacob Misiorowski is set to take the ball on Opening Day, with Chad Patrick and Brandon Sproat in the mix after him, but that still leaves two spots up for grabs.

One of those could go to Brandon Woodruff if he’s ready to roll at the start of the regular season. Other candidates include Kyle Harrison, whose brief blister setback is nothing to worry about, Shane Drohan, who was excellent this spring, and Gasser.

Beyond what showed up in Gasser's recent box score, there was another intriguing development during that outing. Whether he opens the season in the majors or at Triple-A, the adjustment is something the Brewers will be glad to hear.

Robert Gasser leans on new-look sinker in successful final Cactus League outing of 2026

On Saturday afternoon, the left-handed Gasser leaned heavily on a revamped sinker, a pitch he recently adjusted his grip on. He threw it 35% of the time and, aside from one instance, nearly abandoned his four-seam fastball, which historically is his most-used pitch.

The results were a steady stream of ground-ball outs, which is an ideal outcome for the Brewers as they boast an elite infield defense. It also aligns with Milwaukee’s unspoken broader pitching philosophy of prioritizing fastballs with movement and deploying flatter, straighter fastballs with more selectively.

In his postgame press conference, Gasser admitted he didn’t realize just how often he went to the sinker, but it’s clearly an approach worth sticking with. The left-hander isn’t known for overpowering velocity, so generating ground balls, rather than allowing hitters to elevate, should serve him much better over the long haul.

If this outing was any indication, Gasser may have found a formula that fits both his skill set and the Brewers’ pitching philosophy. By leaning into movement and trusting his defense behind him, he’s putting himself in a position to succeed regardless of where he opens the season. More importantly, it gives Milwaukee another intriguing option as they sort out the final pieces of their rotation, one whose recent adjustments could carry meaningful impact well beyond Spring Training.