The under-the-radar move the Brewers could explore at the 2025 Winter Meetings

The Milwaukee Brewers have been regarded as a pitching factory for the better part of the last 15 years, thanks to the emergence of star pitchers like Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, and Freddy Peralta. However, the former is currently in Arizona, Woody is still on the roster but being paid a huge sum given his injury history, and Peralta remains one of the most prominent names on the trade block this offseason.

Their 2026 rotation is currently comprised of those two veterans, 2025 All-Star Jacob Misiorowski, breakout star Quinn Priester, and postseason legend Chad Patrick. That quintet is good enough to pilot the team to a fifth division title in six years, but the odds that everyone stays healthy are dubious at best, and that's assuming Peralta isn't traded at some point before Opening Day.

Beyond the aforementioned starting five, the Milwaukee Brewers have plenty of starting options on their 40-man roster, including Logan Henderson (who has thrown a total of 25 1/3 MLB innings), Robert Gasser (who pitched just 5 2/3 innings in Milwaukee this year), Coleman Crown (who hasn't pitched more than 50 innings in a season since 2022), Carlos Rodriguez (who has made just three starts in the big leagues), and Tobias Meyers (who made 16 appearances out of the Crew's bullpen in 2025). While that's a lot of options for Milwaukee to add to their rotation should injuries pop up, none of them have considerable big-league experience. Expecting them to effectively man a rotation spot could be a good bet, but it's also a risky one, especially given how volatile the early part of a starting pitcher's career can be.

As such, it stands to reason that the Crew should consider adding at least one big-league-caliber starter at the Winter Meetings to insulate themselves against any losses, injuries, or regression next year.

Brewers could still add veteran starting pitching depth this offseason

The Brewers have made this type of move plenty of times before; think José Quintana in 2025 or Wade Miley in 2023. They don't need to go after the big fish on the market — we all know they won't pay the price for Tarik Skubal in a trade or Framber Valdez in free agency — but having a stable presence in the middle or back of the rotation should bring some peace of mind to Brewers fans and Pat Murphy.

A veteran innings-eater would go a long way to patching some holes in the depth chart. Someone like Nick Martinez of the Reds (3.83 ERA in 308 innings since the start of 2024) would be an ideal addition, seeing as he's proven to be effective as a starter and a reliever.

Likewise, his now-former teammate Zack Littell just tossed 186 2/3 innings and compiled a 3.83 ERA in 2025. At a projected contract of $20 million over two years, he would be an excellent (though slightly pricey) fit in the No. 4 or 5 spot in the rotation, and could return as a veteran option in 2026, with the threat of both Peralta and Woodruff departing next winter. Long-in-the-tooth pitchers like Max Scherzer, Patrick Corbin, or Zach Eflin, all of whom may prioritize a winning ballclub with a chance to win a championship, make some sense too, though it's highly unlikely any of them command a multi-year deal. The decision of whether or not to add another veteran arm this offseason will likely come down to how low the price of veteran starting pitchers falls this offseason. In that regard, Milwaukee supplementing their rotation with a veteran presence could be a move that occurs far later in the offseason, but if Milwaukee is met with a price that they believe is a good value for a given starter’s services in 2026, there's no reason why they couldn't pull the trigger at any moment.

It must be noted that such a signing could increase the likelihood of the Brewers trading Peralta, and they'll almost certainly prioritize young pitching in any potential return package. Regardless, unless the team feels comfortable entrusting their World Series hopes to Brandon Woodruff and a swath of inexperienced arms, they'd be wise to add at least one veteran starter before the options get too slim.