Predicting the Brewers' 2026 postseason bullpen as Abner Uribe and JoJo Romero's returns near

The 2026 Milwaukee Brewers are entering September in an excellent position. Not only have they extended their lead over the Chicago Cubs to eight games ahead of seven matchups against their division rivals in the next two weeks, but they also hold a three-game advantage over the Los Angeles Dodgers for the best record in the National League (and all of MLB for that matter).

Finishing atop the league would give Milwaukee home-field advantage throughout the postseason while also allowing them to bypass the Wild Card Series and advance directly to the best-of-five Division Series, just as they did last year.

To make things better, key hitters like Christian Yelich, Jackson Chourio, and William Contreras all seem to be heating up at the same time, which could be a difference-maker in the postseason. Furthermore, the bullpen is also getting healthier, with Abner Uribe and JoJo Romero each two games into rehab assignments with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.

While Uribe experienced some soreness during his recovery after his first rehab appearance, he has looked sharp on the mound in each outing since and could be activated soon, depending on how he responds to his latest appearance. Romero is in a similar position, with the Brewers’ trade deadline acquisition appearing ready to make his team debut. Both pitchers tossed clean 1-2-3 innings Friday night. Romero stuck out the side in his inning of work while Uribe racked up two punchouts in his frame.

With Uribe and Romero's activations on the horizon, the Brewers' bullpen at full strength is starting to take shape. Here we take a look at what the Milwaukee's 'pen could look like in the playoffs.

Predicting the Milwaukee Brewers' 2026 postseason bullpen

Although MLB rosters will expand from 26 to 28 players in September, they will shrink back to 26 once the postseason begins. This includes the Wild Card Series, which interestingly will not begin in October this season, with the round scheduled for Sept. 29-Oct. 1. That said, postseason rosters are limited to 26 players, with a maximum of 13 pitchers, compared to the 14-pitcher limit during the final month of the regular season.

If all goes well, Milwaukee is likely to have a first-round bye and not take the field until the start of the Division Series on October 3. There, we would expect the Brewers to carry the maximum 13 pitchers into the series, with Jacob Misiorowski, Kyle Harrison, Logan Henderson, and Dustin May occupying a four-man starting rotation, leaving nine bullpen spots up for grabs.

Milwaukee Brewers' projected 2026 postseason bullpen:

RHP Trevor Megill, RHP Abner Uribe, LHP Aaron Ashby, RHP Anthony Senzatela, LHP JoJo Romero, RHP Chad Patrick, LHP Shane Drohan, LHP DL Hall, RHP Grant Anderson

This group of relievers features five right-handers and four left-handers, giving Milwaukee a strong mix of arms for the postseason, where matchup advantages can become especially important. In addition to gaining leverage relievers Uribe and Romero, the Brewers would also have plenty of length in the bullpen, with Patrick, Drohan, and Hall all capable of covering multiple innings when needed.

Though the first eight names listed above feel like virtual locks for the postseason 'pen, the ninth spot is somewhat "up for grabs." We currently have Anderson filling that role, as the 29-year-old has posted a respectable 3.38 ERA this season. However, outside of the first month of the season, he has primarily been used in low-leverage situations, and was optioned to the minor leagues earlier this month before Uribe's injury opened up a spot in the bullpen.

It’s possible Milwaukee could turn to Brandon Sproat for that final bullpen spot. He received an extended opportunity in the rotation earlier this season before being optioned to Triple-A in early August. Sproat has since continued to make his case, recently throwing three scoreless innings with five strikeouts as part of a combined seven-inning no-hitter for the Nashville Sounds. Converting him to short-stint reliever would allow him to emphasize his two or three best pitches and may alleviate some of his command troubles. He certainly has the "stuff" to be a shutdown reliever.

Regardless of how the final roster shakes out, the Brewers already have one of the best bullpens in baseball, with a 3.25 reliever ERA, the third-best mark in the league, to prove it. The impending returns of Uribe and Romero could make an already impressive group even more dangerous. With that kind of depth and quality, Milwaukee’s bullpen could be one of its biggest strengths and potentially play a major role in carrying the team to a deep postseason run.

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