How Kyle Harrison's recent struggles could shake up Brewers' postseason rotation

The Milwaukee Brewers are officially headed to the postseason. Pat Murphy's squad solidified a playoff berth on Friday night with an emphatic 20-0 win over their division rivals, the Cincinnati Reds. Last night, they decreased their Magic Number to clinch their fourth consecutive NL Central title to three, meaning any combination of Brewers wins and Chicago Cubs losses that adds up to three will ensure postseason baseball will be played at American Family Field once again this year.

With their spot in the postseason officially clinched, the Brewers, in addition to trying to secure a first-round bye and home-field advantage, will spend the remainder of the regular season considering how best to line up their pitching staff for a deep run in October.

For much of the 2026 season, the process of lining up their pitching staff for a postseason run seemed like an easy task for the Brewers. With a dominant pair of Jacob Misiorowski and Kyle Harrison atop their rotation and a trade deadline acquisition in Dustin May who had postseason experience, it appeared as if the Brewers would have a clear trio of starters to roll out in a playoff series. However, things have changed considerably over the last month and a half.

The most notable change is that Kyle Harrison hasn't looked like his dominant self ever since coming off the injured list in early August. Harrison, who posted a 3.01 ERA in 17 starts before landing on the IL on July 9, turned in a 5.67 ERA in his first six starts following his return. What's more concerning is that Harrison's velocity and ride on his fastball have noticeably diminished since his return from injury. As a result, following a rough start against the Reds on September 6, during which Harrison allowed nine hits and four earned runs in 3.2 innings, the Brewers made the decision to move the breakout southpaw to the bullpen for the final weeks of the season.

Harrison made his first appearance out of the bullpen in last night's victory over the Reds, and it's safe to say it didn't go as the 25-year-old left-hander hoped it would. He faced just four batters, allowed four hits, and eventually got tagged with four earned runs after Aaron Ashby allowed two inherited runners to score. While he did show improvement with his velocity and slight improvement on the shape of his four-seamer, Harrison's command with his fastball was mainly what got him in trouble on Saturday night, though it should be noted that the latter two hits he allowed both left the bat at less than 75 mph.

Regardless, the outing made clear that the Brewers are unlikely to be able to rely on Harrison in the postseason, at least as a starter. Unless the southpaw suddenly returns to the dominant pitcher he was during the first half of the season, the best-case scenario for both him and the Brewers is that he turns into an effective relief pitcher in October. Whether or not that happens, the Brewers need to have a contingency plan, and luckily one is quickly materializing.

Dustin May and Logan Henderson expected to take on important roles in the postseason after Kyle Harrison's struggles

In the time that Harrison's effectiveness has dipped, rookie right-hander Logan Henderson has continued to prove that he's among the most consistent starting pitchers in Major League Baseball. The 24-year-old Henderson has started his career, which began last year, with 21 consecutive starts in which he's allowed three earned runs or less. That streak trails only Zac Gallen (23) for the longest to start a career in MLB history.

This season, Henderson holds a 2.34 ERA in 16 starts while maintaining an excellent 30.2% strikeout rate. At this point in time, he's the clear No. 2 starter on the Brewers' roster and should assume that role in the postseason as well.

After Henderson, the decision gets a little trickier, but the answer should be Dustin May. Not only does May have the most experience of any starting pitcher on the Brewers' roster, both in the regular season and the postseason, but his arsenal is far better than the results he's been getting since joining the Brewers. Starts like the one he turned in against the Reds on Friday night and against the San Diego Padres in early August showcase May's ceiling, which is more than high enough to be the No. 3 starter on a postseason roster.

Brewers' projected 2026 postseason rotation:

1. RHP Jacob Misiorowski
2. RHP Logan Henderson
3. RHP Dustin May
4. LHP Robert Gasser/LHP Shane Drohan

Four starting pitchers aren't necessarily needed in October; teams can find ways to navigate the postseason with just three. However, should the Brewers need a fourth "bulk pitcher" (who doesn't necessarily start games), the performance that Robert Gasser has put together as of late should at least have him in the conversation.

More likely, the Brewers will opt for a bullpen game of sorts rather than use four true starting pitchers, but Gasser and potentially Shane Drohan could cover multiple innings in said game. Neither is likely to pitch more than three or four innings in a postseason game, but having them as bulk pitchers in a modified bullpen game makes a lot of sense.

The postseason pitching picture hardly ever plays out as simply as rolling four starting pitchers out in Games 1-4 and then starting the rotation over, but the trio of Misiorowski, Henderson, and May have emerged as the group that Milwaukee will need to perform in October in order to make a deep run. A return to effectiveness is not completely out of the question for the struggling Harrison, but his tough outing on Saturday night made it even less likely. Building the trust needed for the Brewers to use him as a bulk pitcher in the postseason will be a difficult task for Harrison over the next two weeks, but one that could pay huge dividends if he accomplishes it.

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