The Brewers' reliever who is quietly pitching just as much as Aaron Ashby

In the Milwaukee Brewers’ Pat Murphy era, the club has built and maintained a dominant bullpen by acquiring relievers in a number of different ways. Key high-leverage arms like Trevor Megill and Jared Koenig were added to the organization after their former clubs essentially gave up on them, while homegrown arms such as Abner Uribe and Aaron Ashby have elevated the unit even further.

The Brewers have also relied on the trade market to bolster their relief corps in recent years, including an under-the-radar trade with the Texas Rangers for right-hander Grant Anderson, who was a necessary addition to Milwaukee's bullpen in 2025, and is off to another strong start this season.

Unsurprisingly, this quintet has handled a significant workload over the past two years. In 2025, Uribe led the team with 75 appearances, followed by Koenig with 72 and Anderson with 66. Though Ashby missed the first two months of the season, he was constantly called upon during the second half of the 2025 campaign, resulting in him still logging 66.2 innings in a relief role during the year. Paired with Ashby's frequent usage in the postseason, it has become something of a running joke how often Murphy calls upon his talented southpaw.

The trend hasn't changed since the calendar flipped to 2026. The Brewers manager has called Ashby's number 11 times in the first 21 games of the season. However, Brewers fans might be shocked to learn that Anderson has logged just as many appearances as the oft-used Ashby in 2026.

Grant Anderson is quickly climbing Pat Murphy's relief pitcher trust tree

With Koenig sidelined by an elbow injury, Murphy has leaned heavily on Ashby and Anderson. Both have made 11 appearances, with Ashby logging 14 innings and Anderson 11.1. Interestingly, it’s Anderson who holds the edge in holds, four to none, despite it always seeming like Ashby is being deployed in big moments of ball games.

Looking at the results, both relievers have posted nearly identical ERAs, with Anderson at 3.18 and Ashby at 3.21. Ashby has overpowered hitters with his strikeout ability, racking up 22 so far, while Anderson has been just as effective in a different way -- generating a 55% ground-ball rate.

What stands out most is how consistently Anderson has shouldered responsibility over the past two years, especially considering he was designated for assignment by the Rangers shortly before he was traded to Milwaukee -- largely due to the 8.10 ERA that he posted with Texas in 2024.

While much of the attention this season has centered on Ashby’s strikeouts and the overall evolution of the bullpen, Anderson’s usage tells a different story. Not only has he been heavily relied upon this year, but his workload also stretches back into previous seasons, underscoring a level of trust that often goes unnoticed.

In an era where bullpen roles constantly shift, Anderson’s steady presence and repeated usage highlight just how vital he has become to the staff’s long-term stability. It's hard to imagine where they would be without his contributions over the past two seasons.

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