The Milwaukee Brewers’ starting rotation initially appeared set with Brandon Woodruff leading, supported by promising young arms like Quinn Priester and Jacob Misiorowski, along with Kyle Harrison and Chad Patrick filling key roles. However, Logan Henderson’s developments during spring training have introduced significant complexity to this seemingly settled picture by improving his pitching options.
Henderson’s challenge was not his ability to secure outs—he posted a 1.78 ERA over five major league starts last season, primarily relying on a fastball and changeup, which accounted for nearly 90 percent of his pitches. Yet, depending on only two pitches can limit a starter’s longevity since opposing hitters adapt, adjusting their approach and exploiting predictability, especially by the third time through the batting order.
Spring training reveals Henderson’s commitment to expanding his pitch variety
Recognizing this issue, Brewers pitching coach Chris Hook emphasized the necessity for Henderson to develop a reliable third pitch to remain a viable starter long-term, rather than relying on occasional or unreliable breaking balls.
In response, Henderson has reintroduced a curveball into his repertoire and increased the use of a cutter to better connect the velocity of his fastball with the deception of his changeup. According to Hook, Henderson worked extensively on the curveball during the offseason, and early spring appearances have shown him testing these pitches in live game situations more frequently than before.
Impact of Henderson’s refined pitching on the Brewers’ rotation options
This enhancement in pitch mix elevates Henderson’s status within the Brewers’ rotation race, complicating the depth chart competition. While Milwaukee prefers to see their pitchers’ performance against actual hitters rather than just statistics from limited innings, Henderson’s strong changeup has already provided a solid pitching foundation. Now the pressing question is whether his added curveball and cutter can perform consistently against major league contact.
Should Henderson’s third pitch prove effective, his potential as a starter could surpass that of some safer pitchers in the current lineup. While it is still likely that the rotation will include Woodruff, Priester, Misiorowski, Harrison, and Patrick, Henderson’s newfound readiness challenges this status quo, possibly pushing one of these candidates out.
How Henderson’s progress could reshape the Brewers’ rotation competition
This development exemplifies the dynamic nature of the Brewers’ pitching race—depth can quickly become contention when a player addresses previous weaknesses. Henderson demonstrating answers rather than uncertainties reflects how Milwaukee’s rotation battles often unfold, potentially altering the hierarchy and impacting the team’s pitching staff composition for the upcoming season.
