Ranking 4 available free agent starting pitchers for the Brewers after 2024 season

Wade Miley is the latest member of the Milwaukee Brewers rotation that will not be returning for the 2025 season and it is a tough sign for what challenges face the organization in building the pitching staff next season

Miley had a mutual option for the 2025, but the Brewers declined the 37-year olds $12 million option and took the $1.5 million buyout for the left-hander. That decision was easy for Milwaukee following the veterans season-ending injury, but he is now added to the list of pitchers heading to free agency along with Colin Rea, Frankie Montas, Joe Ross and Bryse Wilson.

Freddy Peralta will still be the staff ace with Aaron Civale and Tobias Myers both still expected to be starters. Brandon Woodruff's potential return is a positive, but it will take time to see what level he is at following his right shoulder surgery and last taking to the mound in October of 2023. This leaves the door open for the likes of Aaron Ashby and DL Hall to work back into the rotation, or prospects Jacob Misiorowski, Robert Gasser and even Logan Henderson to stake their claim to be a starter in the big leagues.

However, there are still holes that need fixing in the 2025 rotation, so here are four available starting pitchers the Brewers and Matt Arnold should be looking at this free agency.

4. Matt Boyd, LHP

Matt Boyd was one of the stories of the postseason. Following Tommy John surgery in the middle of the 2023 season, Boyd was sat at home until June of this year when the Cleveland Guardians signed him to a one-year major league contract and placed him on the 15-day injured list while he recovered. The left-hander started eight regular season games and had a brilliant 2.72 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, struck out 46 batters and gave up just 12 earned runs.

What made Boyd a talking point this October was his 0.77 postseason ERA in 11.2 innings, mostly impressing in the ALDS Game 3 win over the Yankees where he pitched four innings and struck out four, giving up the only earned run of his postseason. Where it may get tough for the Brewers is the competition to pick Boyd up. His contract was just for $379,932 with the Guardians and all signs point towards them and others being interested in him. Whether someone overpays remains yet to be seen, but the Brewers should definitely monitor his market.

3. Yusei Kikuchi, LHP

Another intriguing pitching free agent is the left-hander and veteran Yusei Kikuchi who featured 22 times for the Toronto Blue Jays and then 10 times for the Houston Astros in 2024. The latter made the move to trade for the Japanese lefty in July and he tied the franchise record of consecutive strikeouts with eight. The season was a tale of two halves really for Kikuchi with him having a 4-9 record with a 4.75 ERA in Canada, but then a 5-1 record and 2.70 ERA, 0.93 ERA and opponent batting average of .188 with Houston. His season averaged to a 4.05 ERA in 175.2 innings with 206 strikeouts.

No one really knows how the market will look for Kikuchi after his three-year, $36 million contract came to an end and he elected free agency. Whether he is again around the $12 million mark is an interesting conversation with him turning 34 next season, but he still has a great pitching arsenal and if the Brewers can get him on anything under $10 million a year, he could be a sneaky great addition.

2. Trevor Williams, RHP

A number of right-handed pitcher have hit the open market and the Brewers should be looking towards Trevor Williams who had a stellar season in Washington. Having never been the most top-end of starters, Williams bounced back in 2024 with a 6-1 record in 13 starts, a 2.03 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 59 strikeouts in 66.2 innings.

In 2022 he signed a two-year, $13 million contract with the Nationals and now he hits free agency. At 32-years old and having a career 4.30 ERA, Williams value is another that could have a large range but he would be a nice veteran presence in the rotation as the organization look to feed through their pitching prospects in the coming seasons.

1. Michael Lorenzen, RHP

Taking the top spot is Michael Lorenzen following his move to the Kansas City Royals and how he aided their playoff push in the latter stages of the 2024 regular season. The former Texas Ranger finished with a 2-0 record, 1.57 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 22 strikeouts in 28.2 innings. His ability to hold opponents to a batting average of .183 and made two postseason appearances out of the bullpen so the flexibility is there with him.

Having been traded to the Royals, Lorenzen isn't eligible for a qualifying offer with them and he earned just $1.5 million in the 2024 season. That is likely to go up this offseason, but his first half of the season with Texas saw him have a 3.81 ERA in 19 games so his value likely won't have increased too much. There will still be a market for Lorenzen but he showed signs that he can be a really good rotation piece for two or three seasons.

The Brewers have a number of decisions to make around the roster and some of it may come down to the coaching staff's feeling towards the prospects and who may start on the Opening Day roster, it may also come down to whether Willy Adames does decide to stay and then where the rest of the budget is spent.

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