Zimmermann signed a minor-league contract with the Brewers on Thursday and received an invitation to spring training, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. Zimmermann remained in the minors for the entirety of the 2024 season, putting up a 4.34 ERA and 1.39 WHIP over 76.2 innings with Baltimore's Triple-A affiliate. The left-hander started in 15 of his 23 appearances at Norfolk, and he's likely to continue serving as rotation depth with Triple-A Nashville.
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Zimmermann signed a minor-league contract with the Brewers on Thursday and received an invitation to spring training, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. Zimmermann remained in the minors for the entirety of the 2024 season, putting up a 4.34 ERA and 1.39 WHIP over 76.2 innings with Baltimore's Triple-A affiliate. The left-hander started in 15 of his 23 appearances at Norfolk, and he's likely to continue serving as rotation depth with Triple-A Nashville.
Uribe (knee) is a candidate to earn save chances after Devin Williams was traded to the Yankees on Friday, Brian Murphy of MLB.com reports. Uribe began the 2024 season as the closer for the Brewers with Williams on the injured list, though he lost the role in mid-April and didn't appear in the majors after May 1. His primary appeal in the ninth-inning role is his velocity, as he averages over 100 mph on his fastball. However, he has a 16.6 percent walk rate in 45 career innings in the majors, leaving Trevor Megill as seemingly the top option entering 2025.
Megill is a top candidate to pick up saves after Devin Williams was traded to the Yankees on Friday, Brian Murphy of MLB.com reports. Megill served as Milwaukee's primary closer for much of 2024 due to a long stint on the injured list for Williams, and Megill had an excellent season, converting 21 of 24 save opportunities while maintaining a 2.72 ERA and 1.01 WHIP to go along with a 50:14 K:BB. Murphy also mentioned Abner Uribe (knee), who began the season as the primary ninth-inning option, as a candidate for saves.
Brewers general manager Matt Arnold said Friday that Cortes has had a "fully healthy offseason" after dealing with a flexor strain in his left elbow down the stretch of this past season, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports. Arnold noted that the Brewers did extensive work on Cortes' medicals before acquiring him in the trade that sent Devin Williams to the Yankees and the team is confident the southpaw is healthy. Cortes held a 3.77 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 162:39 K:BB over a career-high 174.1 regular-season innings with the Yankees in 2024.
The Brewers acquired Cortes, Caleb Durbin and cash considerations from the Yankees on Friday in exchange for Devin Williams, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports. Cortes pitched well this past season when healthy, posting a 3.77 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 162:39 K:BB. He ended the regular season on the injured list with a flexor strain but was able to come back to make two relief appearances during the World Series. The Brewers are presumably comfortable with his health status and will be counting on him as part of their rotation in 2025. Cortes is arbitration-eligible for a final time this winter.
The Brewers acquired Durbin and Nestor Cortes from the Yankees on Friday in exchange for Devin Williams, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports. Durbin was added to New York's 40-man roster in November in order to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft and was expected to have "a big, big role" in the majors next season, per manager Aaron Boone, but he's instead been shipped out to bring an All-Star closer to the Bronx. The 24-year-old was one of the organization's top prospects and should have an immediate path to playing time in Milwaukee following the departure of shortstop Willy Adames. Durbin features a high-contact, low-power bat and had an .867 OPS with 10 homers, 29 stolen bases, a 13.2 percent walk rate and 9.9 percent strikeout rate in 82 games at the Triple-A level in 2024.
The Brewers selected Thomas with the 13th pick in the Rule 5 draft Wednesday, JJ Cooper of Baseball America reports. Thomas, a 26-year-old lefty the Brewers are poaching from the Cardinals, had operated primarily as a starter until last season, in which 53 of his 56 appearances at Triple-A were out of the bullpen. He logged a 2.89 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 79:24 K:BB in 90.1 innings, so while he worked as a reliever, he is stretched out enough to move back to the rotation this year if the Brewers wanted to go that route at some point. More likely, Thomas will work as a low-leverage multi-inning reliever for Milwaukee or be returned to St. Louis at some point this season.
Brewers general manager Matt Arnold said Monday that it's "hard to say at the moment" whether Woodruff (shoulder) will be part of the team's Opening Day rotation, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. Arnold added of Woodruff that the team will be "cautious with him and his health," indicating that while the expectation is to have him in the rotation at some point next season, it's no guarantee it will be as soon as Opening Day. Woodruff underwent surgery last October to repair the anterior capsule in his right shoulder and began throwing off a mound in late August.
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