Brewers Facing Uncertainty in Middle of Starting Rotation for NLDS vs. Padres

The Milwaukee Brewers will face a looming rotation dilemma when the NLDS moves to San Diego.

by Andrew Jamieson

Oct 2, 2026

Pat Murphy and William Contreras (24) of the Milwaukee Brewers

Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Brewers will begin the NLDS against the San Diego Padres on Saturday.

National League Cy Young favorite Jacob Misiorowski is getting the ball in Game 1, while Logan Henderson will start Game 2.

However, the Brewers’ starting pitching outlook remains uncertain once the series shifts to San Diego.

If one were to ask this question at the beginning of July, the answer would undoubtedly have been Kyle Harrison.

Through the 25-year-old’s first 15 starts, Harrison shined with an 8-1 record, posting a 2.57 ERA and 1.04 WHIP over 77.0 innings. He recorded 96 strikeouts against 19 walks while holding opposing hitters to a .213 batting average.

But after two starts in July, left forearm tightness landed Harrison on the 15-day injured list on July 11 (retroactive to July 9). He missed nearly a month before returning on Aug. 5 against the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he dazzled, pitching five scoreless innings of one-hit ball with 10 strikeouts while walking just one.

However, Harrison has regressed significantly after that initial return. Over 10 appearances (six starts) since Aug. 11, Harrison has posted an 8.67 ERA and an alarming 2.37 WHIP over 27 innings. His command has also taken a step backward, as Harrison has issued 15 walks while striking out 30 hitters over that span.

Harrison’s struggles have cast uncertainty on whether Milwaukee will turn to him in a potential Game 3 start. With Brandon Woodruff still sidelined because of right shoulder inflammation, Dustin May and Robert Gasser are the two most realistic options to take the mound when the Brewers go to San Diego.

May, 29, was acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals at this summer’s MLB Trade Deadline, along with reliever JoJo Romero, to add depth to Milwaukee’s starting rotation and bullpen, respectively.

May gave up three runs over 13 innings in his first two starts with the Brewers, but has since posted a 7.61 ERA over his last eight.

Yet across three starts against the Padres in 2026, he has given up just three earned runs over 22 innings, including a one-hit complete-game shutout on June 15, when May was still with St. Louis. His success against San Diego could work in his favor.

Meanwhile, Gasser has strong momentum, pitching to a 1.67 ERA over five starts in September.

Yet both players have limited postseason experience: May has not pitched in the playoffs since 2020 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, while Gasser made just two appearances in October last year.

That unfamiliarity doesn’t apply to the Padres, who are expected to start either Walker Buehler or Robbie Ray in Game 1 on Saturday. Both have extensive postseason experience, particularly Buehler, who closed out the 2024 World Series for the Dodgers.

The front end of the Brewers’ rotation is set. However, the middle is far from it and could very well be the X-factor against San Diego.