Offseason Options: Candidates to join 2021 Brewers bullpen

The Milwaukee Brewers return a number of key pieces to their bullpen, but there’s room for more relief pitchers, especially on a team which has one nine-inning complete game since 2016, Craig Counsell’s first full season as manager.

(For those wondering: Jimmy Nelson in a 2-1 win vs. San Diego on June 18, 2017; Brandon Woodruff had a seven-inning complete game in a 4-2 loss in the first game of a doubleheader vs. St. Louis on Sept. 16 last year.)

We know that Josh Hader and Devin Williams will form a deadly left-right combination in the back end, but who else will fill up the bullpen? The offseason to date hasn’t cleared up this conundrum and with less than a month before spring training is scheduled to begin, the question remains.

One thing is for certain — there will be turnover throughout the season. In last year’s shortened 60-game season, Milwaukee had 16 pitchers — not counting position players — who had more relief appearances than starts (that number was 22 in full-season 2019).

Below we’ll take a look at some potential ideas of who could be in the Brewers’ bullpen, starting with those on the 40-man roster, delving into free agents still available and then others who are in the system or who will be camp:

40-MAN ROSTER

Phil Bickford: Bickford had never pitched about Single-A before making his MLB debut last year. He pitched just one inning and allowed four hits and four runs while striking out two. In 2019 with Carolina, Bickford had a 2.48 ERA, 1.041 WHIP and 14.6 K/9 in 32 2/3 innings. It just remains to be seen if he can translate those numbers in the majors.

Ray Black: Black can hit 100 mph on the radar gun and has a career 16.7 K/9 in six minor-league seasons, but has a 5.52 ERA, 1.299 WHIP and 4.7 BB/9 to go with 11.5 K/9 in 42 1/3 major-league innings with San Francisco and Milwaukee. He pitched in three innings last season for the Brewers (2 hits, 1 run, 3 walks, 3 strikeouts).

J.P. Feyereisen: The native of River Falls, Wis., made his MLB debut in 2020, pitching in 9 1/3 innings and giving up six runs on four hits (three of those home runs) and five walks with seven strikeouts. Control has always been an issue for Feyereisen (career 3.7 BB/9 in minors), who will be 28 in February, but also has a high K rate (10.9). In 2019 with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, he had a 2.49 ERA, 1.109 WHIP and 13.8 K/9.

Josh Hader: As a reminder, in four seasons Hader has a career 2.54 ERA, 0.858 WHIP and 15.3 K/9. He led the league with 13 saves in 2020 and had 37 in 2019. Last year he allowed a career-low 3.8 H/9 but a career-high 4.7 BB/9.

Freddy Peralta: We covered Peralta a little bit in our look at the rotation, but he does have 47 relief appearances in his career compared to 23 starts. A bullpen role in 2020 seems likely.

Angel Perdomo: A tall (6-foot-8) lefty, Perdomo made his MLB debut last season, allowing seven runs (six earned) on three hits and seven walks (one intentional) with five strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings. Perdomo, who turns 27 in May, pitched mainly for Triple-A San Antonio in 2019, posting a 5.17 ERA, 1.574 WHIP and 14.3 K/9 in 54 innings.

Drew Rasmussen: We also took a look at Rasmussen in our potential starting pitcher breakdown. He’s another right-hander who can throw heat.

Brent Suter: Suter was moved to the bullpen in 2019 as he came back from am arm injury and it appears that’s where he’ll stay as he’s carved out a nice niche there. In his career he has a 2.14 ERA, 1.069 WHIP and 8.4 K/9 as a reliever compared to 4.08, 1.228 and 7.4 as a starter. Also, last year he made four starts and went a combined 13 innings, so he was more of an opener, which is a role he could also fill in spots in 2020.

Justin Topa: Of all the Brewers who made their MLB debut in 2020 none was more surprising than Topa, who will turn 30 in March. Topa, who never pitched above Double-A, pitched in 7 2/3 innings for Milwaukee, allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits and no walks with 12 strikeouts, putting him in position for a role in 2021.

Bobby Wahl: After missing the entire 2019 season following being acquired by the Brewers in January of that year, Wahl got back on the mound for 2 1/3 innings last year, allowing three runs and two homers. He’s had good success in the minors, which led to Milwaukee getting him on a trade. In 67 2/3 Triple-A innings he has a 2.66 ERA, 1.034 WHIP and 14.5 K/9.

Devin Williams: The National League’s Rookie of the Year allowed one earned run (four total) in 27 innings with just eight hits given up and 53 strikeouts. A repeat performance will be tough but we can’t wait to see what he’ll do for an encore.

Eric Yardley: Claimed off waivers in November 2019, Yardley ended up being a nice component in the pen. He pitched 23 1/3 innings with a 1.54 ERA, 1.243 WHIP and 7.3 K/9. He ended on a good note, too, allowing one run in 10 1/3 September innings.

FREE AGENTS

Tyler Clippard: Clippard has been a solid setup man the past three seasons with Toronto, Cleveland and Minnesota, recording a 3.52 ERA, 0.996 WHIP and 10.1 K/9 during that span. He’d be a nice addition to any team’s back of the bullpen.

Alex Colome: It’s kind of shocking Colome is still on the market. Last season he had an 0.81 ERA and 0.940 WHIP with 12 saves for the Chicago White Sox. In 2019, a 2.80 ERA and 1.066 WHIP with 30 saves. His strikeouts were down in 2020 to 6.4 K/9, well below his 8.2 K/9 career average. Colome is only 32, so perhaps that was just a one-year aberration.

Jeremy Jeffress: Round 4? In his first three stints with Milwaukee, Jeffress had a 2.66 ERA, 1.234 WHIP and 8.6 K/9 over seven seasons. In 2020 with the Chicago Cubs, he ha a 1.54 ERA and 0.943 WHIP in 23 1/3 innings, although his K/9 dropped to 6.6.

That moment when the @Brewers clinched a playoff berth in 2018 😄@JMontana41 strikes out Tyler O’Neill to secure the sweep! 🧹🧹🧹#BrewersClassics pic.twitter.com/GRTKuMyhbQ

— FOX Sports Wisconsin (@fswisconsin) May 17, 2020

Ian Kennedy: Another power arm in the pen? Kennedy was solid in his first year as a reliever in 2019, with a 3.41 ERA, 1.279 WHIP and 10.4 K/9. He was not effective last year, however, allowing 17 runs (14 earned) on 20 hits — including seven home runs — in 14 innings. Could be a low-risk kind of signing.

Aaron Loup: The left-hander had a good year with Tampa Bay in 2020, recording a 2.52 ERA, 0.840 WHIP and 7.9 K/9 in 25 innings. The Brewers certainly could use more lefties on their pitching staff.

Jake McGee: Speaking of lefties coming off good seasons, McGee ha a 2.66 ERA, 0.836 and 14.6 K/9 in 20 1/3 innings for the Dodgers in 2020. His K/9 was a big jump from his previous four seasons, when he was in Colorado. However, from 2012-15 with Tampa Bay he was very good, recording a 2.58 ERA, 0.957 WHIP and 11.4 K/9 over that span. Basically, he’s been a top-notch reliever outside of Colorado.

Collin McHugh: After opting out of the 2020 season while he recovered from elbow issues, McHugh is ready to return. He spent the 2018 and ’19 seasons mainly coming out of the bullpen with Houston, a change after spending the previous three years with Houston as a starter. In 2018 he pitched 72 1/3 innings with a 1.99 ERA, 0.912 WHIP and 11.7 K/9. He couldn’t repeat those numbers in 2019, having a 4.75 ERA with a 1.232 WHIP and 9.9 K/9 in 74 2/3 innings. However, as a reliever he posted a 2.67 ERA in 33 2/3 innings.

Darren O’Day: The submarine-throwing O’Day is 38, but he’s still effective. After missing most of the 2019 season, O’Day pitched in 16 1/3 innings for Atlanta last year and allowed three runs (two earned) on eight hits and five walks with 22 strikeouts. Since 2012, O’Day’s worst season was 2016, when he had a 3.77 ERA and 1.226 WHIP (he still had 11.0 K/9).

Brad Peacock: We mentioned Peacock in our look at the starting rotation, but he could figure into the bullpen as well.

Yusmeiro Petit: Another solid, veteran right-hander. Since 2014, Petit has a 3.28 ERA, 1.035 WHIP and 8.4 K/9 with San Francisco, Washington, the Los Angeles Angels and Oakland. Last season with the A’s he had a 1.66 ERA, 1.108 WHIP and 7.1 K/9 in 21 2/3 innings.

NON-ROSTER/MINOR-LEAGUE PLAYERS

Clayton Andrews: Andrews has always been one of our favorites because he’s 5-foot-6 and also plays center field — but the left-hander can pitch, too. He reached Double-A in 2019, compiling a 2.59 ERA, 5.5 H/9, 1.085 WHIP and 9.5 K/9 in 31 1/3 innings. Milwaukee must think something of him, too, as he was at the team’s alternate training camp in 2020.

Leo Crawford: The name might not be familiar to you, but Crawford was who the Brewers acquired from the Dodgers for Corey Knebel this past offseason. A left-hander who turns 24 on Feb. 2, Crawford pitched mainly with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga in 2019 as a starter (19 games, 16 starts, 2.96 ERA, 1.295 WHIP, 10.4 K/9) before being promoted to Double-A Tulsa (six games, five starts, 2.37 ERA, 1.253 WHIP, 8.3 K/9).

Hoby Milner: Signed by the Brewers in December and invited to spring training, the 30-year-old left-hander has pitched for Philadelphia, Tampa Bay and the Los Angeles Angels since making his debut in 2017. After throwing 31 1/3 innings as a rookie, he’s had just 24 1/3 innings in the majors since. His career numbers: 4.53 ERA, 1.509 WHIP and 7.4 K/9. At Triple-A in 2019, Milner posted a 3.06 ERA, 0.973 WHIP and 13.0 K/9 in 61 2/3 innings.