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The Milwaukee Brewers got off to a rough start to the 2025 season. They were swept by the New York Yankees, torpedo bats and all, in a brutal performance. While they came back and won five of their next seven games, there are still reasons to be concerned. With an injury to Nestor Cortes Jr, only Freddy Peralta is still healthy from their projected rotation. The Brewers' pitching rotation is a concern and could cost them in 2025.
Cortes went on the 15-day injured list with a flexor strain in his left elbow. This is the same injury that cut his regular season short with the Yankees last year. He did return for the playoffs but did not pitch until the World Series. He was on the hill when Freddie Freeman hit his iconic Game 1 grand slam. The Brewers traded for him because they needed starting pitching depth, but Cortes is already on the shelf.
The Brewers also have Aaron Civale, Aaron Ashby, and Tobias Myers on the injured list. That is their entire rotation outside of Peralta, and it comes at a brutal time. They are hitting the road for two series against the Rockies and Diamondbacks that could knock them back in the National League standings.
When the Brewers go to Arizona, they may face their old ace, Corbin Burnes. They dealt Burnes to the Orioles before last season, knowing they could not afford his free agency contract. He signed a $210 million deal with Arizona and represents what the Brewers could be with higher spending.
If any team is prepared to have a rotation of lesser-known players, it is the Brewers. Their coaching practices have turned journeymen into aces for the last decade, and it must shine this year for them to return to the playoffs.
The 2025 Brewers need a dominant offense
Great offensive play has not been the Brewers' path to success during this era. They have been built on pitching, a great bullpen, and stifling defense. This year, they have the opportunity to dominate offensively with two great stars. Christian Yelich is back and healthy while Jackson Chourio blossoms into a star.
The Brewers traded closer Devin Williams this offseason, just like they traded Burnes and Josh Hader before him. They do not want to have players playing in walk years like they had Willy Adames last year. They got Cortes and infield prospect Caleb Durin in return. But that meant they needed to find a new closer, which they found right in their own bullpen.
Trevor Megill made headlines on the first weekend by crushing the Yankees for using torpedo bats. Once everyone got over that, Megill settled into the closer role for the Brewers. He has one save already and has finished two games in his four appearances. Williams helped them win the division by ten games last year and set a high bar for Megill to clear.
All of those questions can be answered this season. But the Brewers' starting pitching will be their Achilles heel. The Cortes injury is the last straw for a team hitting the road for two tough series. While the Rockies are not a strong team, playing in Colorado is never easy. And the Diamondbacks are a World Series contender.
Offensively, Chourio leads the way with nine RBIs. They are getting great starts from Sal Frelick and Brice Turang, and Jake Bauers has put together some nice at-bats off the bench. Those players will have to lead them through these injuries to their rotation for the next few weeks.
