What Brewers' 2026 Opening Day rotation could look like after latest injury updates

To begin Spring Training, the Milwaukee Brewers announced that they were taking a cautious approach with starting pitchers Brandon Woodruff and Quinn Priester. The decision made sense as both were coming off of injuries that affected them late last season, Woodruff's being an oblique strain and Priester with what previously was being called wrist discomfort.

Recently, doubt has emerged about whether either pitcher will be ready for Opening Day. Manager Pat Murphy indicated that Woodruff may not be ready for the opener but could return shortly afterward, while Priester’s injury may be more serious and could require him to begin the season on the injured list.

Brandon Woodruff and Quinn Priester's delayed timelines could create very inexperienced Brewers starting rotation at start of 2026 season

During the Brewers' televised matchup with the Chicago Cubs yesterday, Murphy explained that Priester is actually dealing with more than just a wrist issue. Murphy said the problem initially centered on Priester’s wrist but eventually began affecting him up the kinetic chain, reaching all the way to his shoulder. Hunter Baumgardt of Fox Sports 920 captured the full quote in the following post on the social media platform X.

With both Woodruff and Priester unlikely to be available for Opening Day, and perhaps bound for IL stints, the Milwaukee Brewers may not only need a new pitcher to make an Opening Day start, but could also be forced to adjust their initial rotation to begin the season. Previously here at Reviewing the Brew, we had projected Jacob Misiorowski, Kyle Harrison, and Chad Patrick to round out a typical five-man rotation.

If we leave Misiorowski, Harrison, and Patrick penciled in, with perhaps Misiorowski getting his first career Opening Day nod, it is certainly possible that newcomer Brandon Sproat and highly regarded prospect Logan Henderson factor into the mix early on.

Potential Brewers' 2026 Opening Day rotation:

1. Jacob Misiorowski
2. Kyle Harrison
3. Chad Patrick
4. Brandon Sproat
5. Logan Henderson

The Brewers clearly like Sproat, as evidenced by their decision to acquire him in the Freddy Peralta blockbuster, and Henderson's revamped arsenal, to which he reintroduced a curveball this offseason, has many Brewers insiders encouraged by his ability to be an effective big-league starter going forward.

Other options include Robert Gasser, Shane Drohan, and Carlos Rodriguez. Ángel Zerpa, DL Hall, and Aaron Ashby all seem bound for bullpen roles with the ability to work multiple innings, but aren't likely to see a starter’s workload -- unless numerous more injuries occur between now and Opening Day.

Ultimately, Milwaukee may be forced to rely on a mix of young arms and new additions to stabilize the rotation early in the season. Ensuring that Woodruff and Priester are healthy later in the year appears to be the priority, so the hope is that this group of younger pitchers can weather the storm in the meantime.