Milwaukee Brewers fans have waited to see Robert Gasser back ever since the electric left-hander suffered a season-ending injury as a rookie. Before that: five starts, 28 innings, a 2.57 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP.
Finally, it seems, they may get their wish. Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy suggested as much in a characteristically cheeky update Wednesday afternoon.
Gasser is about to give Brewers pen a boost
Acquired in the Brewers’ Josh Hader trade, Gasser has been a member of the organization since 2022. After needing all of 20.1 innings in Double-A to get the bump to Triple-A Nashville, he has been stationed there for parts of four seasons, in between injury and last year’s call-up to the majors.
Gasser began 2025 hurt and spent nearly four months on the 60-day injured list before being assigned to rehab. Down with the Sounds, he has pitched quite well. With 2.2 scoreless innings today, he lowered his ERA to 2.25 in 32 IP overall. In that relatively small sample, he has 36 strikeouts and only one home run allowed.
The Brewers indicated earlier this year that Gasser could work out of the big-league bullpen upon returning. Based on Murphy’s remark, that development may be on the horizon: “I think you’ll see him soon,” he said simply, via Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
While Milwaukee relievers are slowly returning to health, the bullpen could still use innings. If Gasser pitches well enough in his brief audition, he could claim a spot on the playoff roster.
He’ll be up against a stacked field of competition. Chad Patrick, Tobias Myers, and Jose Quintana are all starting pitchers whose ticket to the postseason likely rides on a long relief role. What’s more, DL Hall is also targeting a return before season’s end, throwing his name into the mix.
One thing Gasser will have to translate to the majors is his high Triple-A strikeout rate. Last season with the Brewers, he allowed just one walk but struck out only 16 (5.1 K/9).
He also allowed 28 hits on a 0.8 groundball-to-flyball ratio, which would categorize him as a flyball pitcher. Unless he replicates a microscopic walk rate, the combination of low strikeouts, lots of contact, and a high flyball-percentage is a questionable recipe for sustained success.
Compare his Brewers numbers last year to what he’s done in Nashville in 2025: 10.1 K/9, 2.8 BB/9, 25 hits allowed. He probably won’t walk 0.3 batters per nine, but he has the stuff to get swings and misses at the MLB level. Trending closer to the above statline will be key to fulfilling the excitement of his long-awaited return.
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