Brewers Navigating Early Rotation Challenges

Young pitchers struggle as Milwaukee tries to 'thread the needle' with its starting staff.

Apr. 13, 2026 at 11:52am

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A fractured, multi-perspective painting depicting a Brewers pitcher delivering a pitch, broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in vibrant shades of navy, green, and yellow, conveying the chaotic nature of the team's early-season pitching challenges.The Brewers' young pitching staff struggles to find consistency, forcing the team to get creative with its rotation in the early going.Today in Milwaukee

The Milwaukee Brewers have had a chaotic start to the regular season with their starting rotation, as they continue to develop young arms in the big leagues. The team has had to shuffle its rotation multiple times, including moving up veteran starters Chad Patrick, Kyle Harrison, and Brandon Woodruff to cover for struggling rookie Brandon Sproat. Sproat has allowed 11 earned runs in just 6 2/3 innings over his first two starts, while Harrison suffered a knee contusion. The Brewers are trying to 'thread the needle' with their inexperienced pitching staff as they work through the early-season challenges.

Why it matters

The Brewers' rotation struggles highlight the difficulties of relying on young, unproven pitchers to start the season. While the team has depth, the vulnerabilities of its young arms could cause them to fall off the pace in the NL Central if they don't find more consistency soon.

The details

The Brewers adjusted their probable starters for their series against the Washington Nationals twice within 23 hours, reflecting a need to be creative with their starting pitching. Brandon Sproat was initially scheduled to start on Friday, but the team moved up Chad Patrick, Kyle Harrison, and Brandon Woodruff instead. Sproat was then made available out of the bullpen, though he is not losing his rotation spot. The changes were partly due to matchup reasons, as the Nationals have a strong left-handed heavy lineup that Sproat has struggled against in the past. The Brewers also used an opener with Aaron Ashby ahead of Chad Patrick on Friday, as Patrick has also battled platoon splits.

  • On Thursday, the Brewers announced that Chad Patrick, Kyle Harrison, and Brandon Woodruff would each move up one day and start on a standard four days of rest.
  • On Friday afternoon, Brewers manager Pat Murphy said Brandon Sproat was available out of the bullpen that night, but he has not lost his rotation spot.
  • On Saturday, Brandon Sproat pitched better but tweaked his right knee. On Sunday morning, he reported no issues, so his next start against the Toronto Blue Jays is still possible.
  • On Saturday, Kyle Harrison suffered a knee contusion, though an X-ray ruled out a break. The team will continue monitoring his status.

The players

Brandon Sproat

A Brewers rookie starting pitcher who has struggled in his first two starts, allowing 11 earned runs in just 6 2/3 innings while issuing as many walks as strikeouts and yielding four home runs.

Chad Patrick

A Brewers starting pitcher who has also battled platoon splits, leading the team to use an opener with Aaron Ashby ahead of him on Friday.

Kyle Harrison

A Brewers starting pitcher who suffered a knee contusion on Saturday, though an X-ray ruled out a break. The team will continue monitoring his status.

Brandon Woodruff

A veteran Brewers starting pitcher who was moved up in the rotation to cover for the team's young arms.

Pat Murphy

The Brewers' manager, who discussed the team's rotation challenges and their efforts to 'thread the needle' with their inexperienced pitching staff.

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What they’re saying

“'It's just the way things have worked out. Sometimes that happens when you have the extra off days and things like that.'”

— Pat Murphy, Brewers Manager

“'I'm pretty confident he's in a good spot. He's got to get better. He knows that. He's been out there a couple times. He knows, 'Hey, I've got to trust this and trust that, and I've got to be able to execute this.' He's learning on the job. When you have these young pitchers, that's what happens.'”

— Pat Murphy, Brewers Manager

“'You guys obviously know we're very inexperienced on the hill. We're trying to thread the needle. These are the types of things you do.'”

— Pat Murphy, Brewers Manager

“'Disappointing. That type of loss really hurts.'”

— Pat Murphy, Brewers Manager

“'Tough times. We haven't been in these waters much in the last three years. Just have to get through it.'”

— Pat Murphy, Brewers Manager

What’s next

The Brewers will continue monitoring the status of Kyle Harrison's knee injury. Brandon Sproat's next start against the Toronto Blue Jays next week is still possible if he continues to show no issues with his right knee.

The takeaway

The Brewers' early-season struggles with their young starting rotation highlight the challenges of relying on inexperienced pitchers to start the season. While the team has depth, their vulnerabilities could cause them to fall behind in the NL Central if they don't find more consistency soon. The Brewers are trying to 'thread the needle' and navigate these early-season issues as they work to develop their young arms.