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Brewers Key Bullpen Arm Set to Return Ahead of Cubs Series
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- Brewers Key Bullpen Arm Set to Return Ahead of Cubs Series
Heading into Friday, the Milwaukee Brewers hold a commanding 6.5-game lead over the Chicago Cubs atop the NL Central.
However, Milwaukee faces a challenging stretch before the All-Star break, playing 18 games in 17 days beginning with a weekend series against Chicago. Fourteen of those 18 games come against National League opponents currently above .500.
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Fortunately for the Brewers, a major bullpen reinforcement appears set to return.
According to MLB .com's Adam McCalvy, left-handed reliever Jared Koenig is expected to be activated from the injured list before Friday's game against the Cubs. Koenig, 32, has not pitched since April 4 due to a sprained UCL in his left elbow. To make room on the roster, the Brewers optioned reliever Craig Yoho to Triple-A Nashville.
Yoho's most recent appearance came on Wednesday against the Cincinnati Reds , when he allowed three runs on two hits and a walk in one inning, including a home run. The 26-year-old owns a 6.00 ERA across six innings in five appearances this season.
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Koenig, meanwhile, has been limited to just three appearances in 2026 because of the elbow injury. Since arriving in Milwaukee in 2024, he has established himself as one of the club's most reliable relievers.
Across 130 appearances with the Brewers, Koenig owns a 2.62 ERA over 130.1 innings. Last season, he posted a 2.86 ERA in 72 appearances while recording 68 strikeouts and 20 walks across 66 innings. He played a key role in a Milwaukee bullpen that finished with a 3.63 ERA, the sixth-best mark in baseball.
Koenig is an important bridge between setup man Abner Uribe and closer Trevor Megill . Both relievers have seen their ERAs rise from 2025, with Uribe's increasing from 1.67 to 3.38 and Megill's climbing from 2.49 to 3.72. Koenig's return should help ease some of the workload on Milwaukee's late-inning arms.
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Although Koenig has appeared in only three games this season, he has yet to allow a run across 2.1 innings.
Milwaukee's bullpen owns a 3.56 ERA this season, the seventh-best mark in MLB . Still, bullpen help is always in high demand ahead of the trade deadline. The Brewers' demanding schedule over the next few weeks could help determine whether the club needs additional reinforcements as it pushes toward the postseason.
Milwaukee opens its series against the Cubs on Friday at 7:45 ET, with NL Cy Young frontrunner Jacob Misiorowski set to take the mound.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jun 26, 2026, where it first appeared in the MLB section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
