What the Brewers' 2026 starting rotation looks like after Freddy Peralta trade

It is the dawn of a new era for the Milwaukee Brewers. After a blockbuster trade between the Brewers and New York Mets on Wednesday night, Freddy Peralta is headed to Queens, and Milwaukee's rotation will have a new look.

Peralta had been the unquestioned ace of the Brewers' pitching staff after Milwaukee traded Corbin Burnes to the Baltimore Orioles prior to the 2024 season. A good 2024 season turned into a magnificent 2025, which saw "Fastball Freddy" make his second career All-Star Game, while leading the National League with 17 wins.

Included in the deal was 27-year-old Tobias Myers, who was a wonderful surprise in 2024. While he had a rocky season to 2025, kick-started by an oblique injury that he sustained in spring training, Myers emerged as a solid bullpen piece for Milwaukee down the stretch. With his role in 2026 to be determined, and a number of talented options for the Brewers to choose from, including him in the deal makes a lot of sense.

Though Myers wasn't likely to factor into the Brewers' rotation plans at the onset of the 2026 campaign, Peralta was the clear-cut Opening Day starter. His departure leaves that role in question, though it's likely the Brewers turn to another fan-favorite veteran when they square off against the Chicago White Sox on March 26. As for the rest of the rotation, let's take a look at how it could shake out.

Projecting the Brewers' 2026 starting rotation after Freddy Peralta's departure

Though no one can completely fill the void left by Peralta's departure, Milwaukee has a number of options to round out their rotation after their trade with the Mets. The Brewers will certainly miss Peralta from a reliability standpoint, but the future is bright with this group. It's important to keep in mind that the starting rotation is an ever-changing entity. Injuries and underperformance will no doubt have an impact on Pat Murphy's rotation at some point in 2026, so the following projection simply offers a snapshot of what the rotation could look like at the beginning of the season.

Opening Day Starter: Brandon Woodruff

What better way to quickly put the sting of Peralta's departure in the past than turning to Brandon Woodruff on Opening Day? Several Brewers' insiders, including Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, reported that Big Woo is enjoying a normal offseason after his late-season injury and will be a full go for the 2026 campaign. With Peralta gone, Woody assumes the role as the veteran presence at the top of Milwaukee's rotation.

In 12 appearances last season, Woodruff was 7-2, with a 3.20 ERA and 83 strikeouts. He displayed a new arsenal that led him to be more efficient than he's ever been in his eight-year MLB career. His health remains the biggest question mark heading into the 2026 season, but if he is actively on the roster, you can expect "Big Woo" at the top of the rotation.

2. Jacob Misiorowski

With all due respect to Woodruff, when people talk about who will be the next ace in Milwaukee, Jacob Misiorowski is the first name that comes to mind -- and for good reason. Misiorowski is one of the most electric pitchers in the game. With a fastball that has a cruising speed right around 100 mph, a sharp-breaking slider that is nearly as fast, and a changeup that sits in the low 90s, it is hard not to be excited about the young righty.

Misiorowski broke an MLB record when he was named to the 2025 MLB All-Star Game, with just five big-league appearances to his name prior to the Midseason Classic. While some may have questioned whether or not he had "earned" his spot, no one doubted the talent.

His rookie campaign had some ups and downs, as most pitchers do. Statistically, he was solid: 15 appearances, 14 starts, with a 5-3 record and 87 strikeouts. Walks have been a concern for Misiorowski, but he honed it in during the postseason and left everyone dreaming about what he can bring to this rotation in 2026.

3. Quinn Priester

Quinn Priester was one of the biggest surprises for the Brewers in 2025. After acquiring him early into the season in large part due to a swath of starting pitching injuries, Priester was masterful once he settled in. Most fans will remember his win streak, where he had 12 straight winning decisions, and the club won 19 straight games that he appeared in.

Priester isn't likely to put up gaudy strikeout numbers, with a pedestrian 20.2% strikeout rate in 2025 to prove it, but he gets opposing hitters out with his solid arsenal of pitches and pinpoint command. He proved incredibly durable in 2025, which makes him a perfect pitcher for the middle of this rotation.

4. Brandon Sproat

Welcome to Milwaukee, Brandon Sproat. Sproat came over from the Mets in the Peralta trade, and should be an immediate addition to the Brewers' rotation in 2026. After being selected by the Mets in the second round back in 2023, Sproat rose through the Mets' system quickly, and made his MLB debut in September of last year.

At the MLB level, he appeared in four games, all starts, and posted an uninspiring 4.79 ERA. That said, when you look at his stuff, it's easy to see why the Brewers wanted him as part of the return for Peralta. He has an electric fastball, a good changeup, and a strong arsenal of breaking pitches including an elite sweeper.

People may have some pause given his raw numbers throughout the minor leagues and into MLB last season. Still, the core stuff is there, and a full Spring Training in the Brewers' famed "pitching lab" could elevate his existing talent into something very special.

5. Logan Henderson

Perhaps the biggest benefactor of the Peralta trade, Logan Henderson now has a clearer path to the rotation. Henderson appeared in just five games for the big league club in 2025, but was incredible in those appearances. He was 3-0 with 33 strikeouts over just 25.1 innings.

Down on the farm, Henderson appeared in 16 games for Triple-A Nashville, with a 10-4 record, and 87 strikeouts over 77.2 innings pitched. Due to his limited experience, Henderson maintains his prospect status and is ranked No. 6 -- just behind Sproat -- in the Brewers' organization.

Henderson is also an incredibly consistent pitcher, with great mechanics and good stuff that helps him generate a lot of swing and misses. He's the perfect, high-floor back-end rotation piece, and has the tools to develop into a really strong big-league starter.

Spot Starters and Other Names to Watch

Chad Patrick certainly has a case to rejoin this Brewers' rotation, especially given how great he was in the postseason in relief appearances. However, with the loss of Nick Mears, Milwaukee could certainly use Patrick as a right-handed presence in the bullpen -- the same role he held in the postseason.

Speaking of the Mears trade, Ángel Zerpa could certainly make an appearance or two in the rotation, having served as a starter at the beginning of his big league career before transitioning to the bullpen over the last two seasons. Without a lefty in the projected rotation, Zerpa is certainly a candidate to get a few starts here and there. Same goes for Aaron Ashby and DL Hall, who both developed as starters through the minor leagues. Robert Gasser also has starter experience, and will certainly be a rotation candidate at some point in 2026, but after missing much of the 2025 season recovering from Tommy John surgery, the Brewers might start Gasser at the Triple-A level when the 2026 commences.