Brewers Recall Coleman Crow For MLB Debut
The Brewers announced that they have recalled right-hander Coleman Crow. He will start tonight’s game, making his major league debut in the process. Right-hander Easton McGee was optioned to Triple-A Nashville in a corresponding move.
Crow, 25, was originally drafted by the Angels but was twice traded as a minor leaguer. In June of 2023, the Halos acquired Eduardo Escobar from the Mets, with Crow one of the two pieces going to Queens. Shortly thereafter, Crow required Tommy John surgery. In December of that year, Crow was flipped to the Brewers for Adrian Houser and Tyrone Taylor.
With the Brewers, Crow missed the 2024 season, as he spent that year recovering from his surgery. He was back on the mound in 2025. He made 12 starts, split between Double-A and Triple-A, logging 50 innings. He allowed 3.24 earned runs per nine with a huge 32% strikeout rate. His 6% walk rate and 49.2% ground ball rate were also strong figures.
At the end of last year, the Brewers gave him a 40-man roster spot, to prevent him from becoming a minor league free agent. In November, FanGraphs ranked him the #20 prospect in the system. That report suggested he had some starter traits but could end up as a reliever due to his health track record and a lack of a plus pitch that moves away from lefties. He threw six pitches at Triple-A last year, including a fastball, sinker, cutter, slider, curveball and changeup, but he only used the change 3.1% of the time.
The Brewers are still hoping there’s a starter in there. Crow’s first two appearances this year were Triple-A starts. His third outing was technically in relief, but he pitched five innings behind Logan Henderson. Overall, he has thrown 15 2/3 innings on the year with a 4.02 ERA.
This may just be a spot start for Crow. Milwaukee’s rotation includes Jacob Misiorowski, Kyle Harrison, Chad Patrick, Brandon Sproat and Brandon Woodruff. Both Harrison and Sproat had some minor knee issues in the past week, so Crow taking one start could give everyone a little more rest without requiring a stint on the injured list. Crow has a full slate of options and could be sent back down to the minors after this start, if that is the plan.
Photo courtesy of Dave Kallmann, Imagn Images
Brewers Exercise Option On Freddy Peralta; Brandon Woodruff Declines Option
The Brewers announced several roster moves on Monday. The team picked up the $8MM option on righty Freddy Peralta. Right-hander Brandon Woodruff declined his mutual option, while Milwaukee has declined its end of catcher Danny Jansen‘s mutual option. Righty Coleman Crow has been added to the 40-man roster.
Peralta agreed to a five-year, $15.5MM extension ahead of the 2020 season. The deal bought out his remaining years of arbitration and included club options for 2025 and 2026. Milwaukee picked up the $8.1MM option last season and will do so again this year.
The decision to pick up Peralta’s option comes as no surprise after the 29-year-old led the National League in wins and recorded a career-best 2.70 ERA in 2025. He reached career highs in starts (33) and innings (176 2/3) while leading a pitching staff that ranked second in ERA during the regular season.
Peralta began his big-league tenure in a versatile role, bouncing between starting and relieving over his first three seasons. His fastball-led approach generated strikeouts at an elite rate, though he struggled with control. Peralta entered the rotation full-time in 2021. He pitched to a 2.81 ERA over 28 outings and earned his first All-Star bid. Right shoulder inflammation cost Peralta a chunk of 2022, but he’s been healthy since then, topping 30 starts and 165 innings in each of the past three seasons.
Woodruff declined his end of a $20MM mutual option, though the club might’ve done the same given his health struggles in recent years. He had been a fixture in the Milwaukee rotation alongside Peralta, but injuries have limited him to 23 starts since 2023. Shoulder inflammation cost Woodruff three months in 2023 and ultimately led to surgery that offseason. He missed the entire 2024 campaign and the first half of the 2025 season. Woodruff returned in July and delivered a dozen strong starts, posting a 3.20 ERA with an elite 32.3% strikeout rate. His velocity wasn’t at its pre-injury levels, but he was missing bats like he did at his peak.
Unfortunately, Woodruff was bitten by the injury bug once again in September. A lat strain ended his season in late September. The 32-year-old will head into free agency with a solid track record of performance, but a shaky healthy history. The flashes of dominance over this past season, as well as his past success, could be enough to garner a multi-year deal. Woodruff is a two-time All-Star who finished fifth in Cy Young voting in 2021.
Milwaukee acquired Jansen in a July trade with Tampa Bay. He hit well in 25 games with the Brewers, slashing .254/.346/.433. Jansen provided some catching depth for Milwaukee as they tried to ease the defensive load on William Contreras, who was playing through a fractured finger. Contreras has been one of the most durable catchers in the league over recent seasons, so picking up the $12MM option on Jansen likely wasn’t necessary. The Brewers can find a cheaper alternative to fill in for Contreras whenever he hits the bench or serves as DH.
Crow joined the organization in a December 2023 trade that sent Adrian Houser and Tyrone Taylor to the Mets. He posted a strong 2.51 ERA over 10 starts with Double-A Biloxi this year, earning a promotion to Triple-A. He was knocked around in two appearances with the Sounds before going down with a right flexor strain that did not require surgery. Getting added to the 40-man roster today is likely to prevent him from becoming a minor league free agent.