Team insider offers timeline update on Brewers' injured left-handed reliever

For the second consecutive season, the Milwaukee Brewers have endured a wave of early-season injuries. From Quinn Priester continuing to work through a nerve issue that has landed him on the injured list to start the 2026 season to both Jackson Chourio and Andrew Vaughn going down with fractures in their left hands, the Brewers have lost several key players during the early goings of the regular season.

However, the injuries don't stop there. Just yesterday, it was announced that Brewers' left-hander Jared Koenig is seeking a second opinion on an elbow sprain that could end up being a significant injury for Milwaukee's high-leverage reliever. While Brewers fans await word on the severity of Koenig's injury, another injured left-handed relief option's timeline has gained more clarity. As reported by Brewers beat reporter Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Rob Zastryzny is hoping to return to the Brewers' bullpen in late April or early May.

Zastryzny originally landed on the IL due to a shoulder strain that he suffered while pitching for Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic. However, last week it was announced that Zastryzny had suffered a setback during his rehab stint with the Triple-A Nashville Sounds and would remain on the injured list past the initial projected return date in mid-April. Now, it's been revealed that the setback was a strain to an intercostal muscle -- the muscles located between the ribs -- and the left-hander will spend a few extra weeks on the IL as a result.

Rob Zastryzny diagnosed with intercostal muscle strain, expected to return in late April or early May

With Koenig set to miss an extended amount of time on the injured list -- potentially the entire season if the Brewers elect to have the left-hander undergo surgery -- Milwaukee could certainly use Zastryzny in their bullpen. Though the Brewers still have four left-handed options -- Aaron Ashby, DL Hall, Ángel Zerpa, and Koenig's replacement Shane Drohan -- adding an experienced arm like Zastryzny, who has had a great deal of success in Milwaukee, would lessen the blow of losing a key reliever in Koenig.

"Rob Z" as Zastryzny is often referred to, has made 35 appearances for the Brewers across the previous two seasons. In between those two years, during the 2024-25 offseason, Zastryzny joined the Chicago Cubs, was designated for assignment, and then signed with the New York Yankees. He was then traded to the Brewers in early May of last year. Clearly, seeing as the Brewers signed him as a free agent ahead of the 2024 season and then traded for him in early 2025, Milwaukee likes Zastryzny's profile, and for a good reason.

The now-34-year-old southpaw has posted a 2.12 ERA during his two-year stint with the Brew Crew, with 25 strikeouts in 29.2 innings. Though he's lethal against left-handed batters, Zastryzny has been effective against righties in recent seasons as well.

Now with clarity about Zastrynzy's timeline, the Brewers can gameplan how to handle the next few weeks before he returns. Drohan will certainly get his shot, though if the Brewers see him as a starter long-term, they may prefer to send him back down to Triple-A -- where he can start games consistently -- in the near future. Easton McGee, who has posted a 3.60 ERA in five innings of Triple-A work since narrowly missing out on the Brewers' Opening Day roster, remains an option as well. Finally, if Koenig does land on the 60-day IL, and a 40-man roster spot opens as a result, don't be surprised if the front office makes an external addition to fill the empty bullpen spot in the meantime.