Know the Enemy: Breaking down the 2015 Milwaukee Brewers

Mar 11, 2015; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Matt Garza (22) throws in the second inning against the San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Starting Rotation

Last season, Milwaukee starting pitchers ranked fifth in the National League, racking up 992 1/3 innings of work, during which they compiled a 3.69 ERA (ninth in the NL), while limiting opposing batters to a .248 batting average – good enough for fifth amongst NL clubs.

However, in late January, the team’s starting rotation was dealt a blow when the front office traded former 16-game winner Yovani Gallardo to the Texas Rangers in exchange for a trio of players –  Marcos Diplan, Corey Knebel and Luis Sardinas.

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In the last week (in the wake of Yu Darvish undergoing Tommy John surgery) – Gallardo was named the Rangers’ Opening Day starter, while the Brewers prepare for Opening Day on April 6. Kyle Lohse is preparing to take the ball as the staff ace – leading the Brew Crew against Colorado at Miller Park that afternoon.

Lohse headlines a staff that also features former Cubs’ right-hander Matt Garza as the number two man. Garza went 8-8 in his first season in Milwaukee after signing a four-year, $50 million deal last winter – so he’ll need to step up if the Brewers are to return to the postseason in 2015.

Rounding out the rotation in the final three spots are Wily Peralta, Mike Fiers and Jimmy Nelson. Peralta is coming off a 17-win campaign last season in which he narrowly missed hitting the 200-inning mark for the first time in his big league career. Fiers, meanwhile, saw work as both a starter and a reliever for last year’s Brewers, pitching to an impressive 2.13 earned run average in the process. Another strong campaign from the right-hander could be the difference-maker for Milwaukee in 2015.

Lastly, Nelson claims a spot in manager Ron Roenicke’s staff. 2014 was a season to forget for the right-hander, who pitched to a 4.93 ERA in 14 outings. Some metrics, including FIP (3.78) indicated that he wasn’t quite as bad as one may initially think, but his 1.457 WHIP and 77 ERA+ leave plenty to be desired at the back end of the rotation.