MILWAUKEE BREWERS

The Brewers' bullpen was the story of 2018, but check out all the starting options they'll have next year

JR Radcliffe
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Brewers relief pitcher Brandon Woodruff works out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth inning Saturday night at Miller Park.

In the midst of its “bullpenning” approach to the 2018 postseason, the Milwaukee Brewers ironically gave fans a sneak peek at the promise within the starting rotation of 2019 and beyond. Brandon Woodruff and Corbin Burnes represented the two most prominent examples.

Saturday brought another positive two-inning, five-strikeout outing from Woodruff, who would have been a legitimate series MVP candidate if the Brewers had defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers. Instead, LA won Game 7, 5-1, to advance to the World Series.

Woodruff will be remembered for the stunning Game 1 home run he hit off Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw to help the Brewers get an early lead in the series, but he finished the postseason with 12⅓ innings of work – including 9⅓ in the NLCS – and allowed three runs with 19 strikeouts and three walks (one intentional).

RELATED:Woodruff homer makes him 'a legend in Milwaukee'

His stint Saturday featured two very different types of impressive innings. He struck out Justin Turner, Manny Machado and Cody Bellinger in a brilliant eighth, and then he worked out of a bases-loaded, nobody-out jam in the ninth, capped with strikeouts of Enrique Hernandez and Max Muncy.

“I just think just getting into a good rhythm, having a couple good outings and just trusting my stuff, realizing it’s good, and going out and attacking guys (has helped),” Woodruff said. “I think that’s what I did a good job of this last month here and going into the playoffs, just coming at guys, and whatever happens, happens. Just trying to let my stuff play.”

Woodruff, 25, was the surprise choice to start Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the Rockies in the first “bullpen game” of the postseason, and he permitted just one walk in three scoreless innings.

After striking out four batters in his two NLCS Game 1 innings, he was part of another surprise in Game 5, when he was called upon to relieve Wade Miley after one batter and worked 5⅓ innings. He was charged with one run in the fifth and two in the sixth before departing.

It was an uncommon length for any reliever in the series, but that workload was a luxury the Brewers afforded by keeping so many relievers with starting experience on the playoff roster. Woodruff doesn’t know if he’ll be starting or relieving next year, but it’s hard to imagine the club ruling him out as a starter.

“I think I can take (the experience of) coming out of the bullpen and just come at guys, come at them and try to get those quick outs,” Woodruff said of applying the lessons to starting. “I think that’s what I did coming out of the bullpen, just trying to get quick outs.

“It’s been fun, but you kind of want to put the personal stuff aside and win and go to the World Series.”

Burnes will surely get a look as a starter, too

Corbin Burnes walks off after closing out the eighth inning of Game 6 on Friday night.

Burnes, 23, didn’t work Saturday, but his two innings Friday were another encouraging omen. The 2016 draft pick ascended rapidly through the ranks and was promoted to the big leagues as a weapon out of the bullpen after working as a starter in the minors.

“What I heard last, the plan is to go back to starting next year, but that’s a long ways off, and there’s going to be a lot of talk between me and (Brewers manager Craig) Counsell before then, anyway,” Burnes said. “As of right now, it’s too far off to say.”

Burnes said he expected to be the same pitcher in a starting capacity, with a healthier dose of his changeup.

“I mixed in the curveball and slider out of the pen … obviously we didn’t throw the changeup much because we didn’t need a fourth pitch,” he said. “I’d mix it more in as a starter.

“It’s obviously a big confidence boost, mentality-wise, to pitch in the postseason. You miss out on the World Series by one game, it’s a little tough to swallow. But anytime you get big league experience, it’s a good confidence builder.”

Burnes finished his postseason with 9 innings pitched with 11 strikeouts and two runs allowed on four hits. He walked just one batter.

The options don’t stop there

Freddy Peralta, who came in relief of the injured Gio Gonzalez in the second, reacts after striking out the Dodgers' Max Muncy with the bases loaded to end the inning during Game 4 on Tuesday night.

With Jhoulys Chacin all but guaranteed a spot in the 2019 rotation, nearly everything else remains a mystery.

» Chase Anderson will be under contract for $6 million next year but struggled with the home-run ball and was not added to either of the postseason rosters.

» Zach Davies battled through injury most of the season but did deliver some effective performances down the stretch. He initially also was left off the postseason rosters and was added during the NLCS when Gio Gonzalez sprained an ankle.

» Jimmy Nelson is the biggest wild card once he’s fully healthy after shoulder surgery late in the 2017 season. The squad’s ace that season missed all of 2018.

» Freddy Peralta, who started 14 games this season and counted among them the season’s most promising debut, allowed no runs or hits in his three-inning outing in Game 4, with three walks and six strikeouts. The 22-year-old finished  6-4 with a 4.25 ERA and 96 strikeouts in 78⅓ innings.

» Junior Guerra made 26 starts in 2018, and when his effectiveness waned late in the season, he became an effective reliever. He allowed no runs on three hits in six bullpen innings to close the season and delivered two solid performances in the NLCS. He threw a scoreless inning in Game 2 and delivered yeoman’s work in Game 4, charting three scoreless innings before the Dodgers broke through for a winning run in the 13th.

» Wade Miley becomes a free agent but clearly had a good working relationship with the Brewers, who took steps to make sure he stayed in the organization after an injury late in spring training put his status in doubt. The pursuit wound up netting one of the club's most important off-season additions.

The bullpen was the top story line of the Brewers 2018 postseason run, but all this suggests the rotation may be the biggest story line of the 2019 preseason.