Ryan

Brasier

No word yet from the Cubs on any sort of timeline for Brasier’s return. The 37-year-old hurler had posted a 4.50 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and a 20/5 K/BB ratio over 26 innings in 28 appearances. Javier Assad was recalled from Triple-A Iowa in a corresponding move on Friday.

The expectation is that Chris Flexen will then follow him as an opener, though that has yet to be confirmed. Expect Braiser to work around an inning in the start, which won’t help much for fantasy purposes.

Brasier will give the Cubs a middle-inning option now that he’s back from his groin injury. The 37-year-old will be with the Cubs for their series against the Reds, so Ethan Roberts is sent down to Triple-A to make room.

He gave up a hit and struck out two batters on 16 pitches in the outing. Brasier will likely need a few more outings before he returns to the big league bullpen, but the Cubs could certainly use his experience at the end of games.

Brasier heads to the Windy City after being jettisoned last week from the Dodgers’ 40-man roster following the addition of veteran closer Kirby Yates. The 37-year-old hurler was a key component of Los Angeles’ relief corps during their World Series title run last year after posting a serviceable 3.54 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 25/5 K/BB ratio across 28 innings (29 appearances) during the regular season. He’ll most likely occupy a setup role for Chicago alongside Porter Hodge behind closer Ryan Pressly.

The Dodgers’ 40-man roster is so loaded that they had to make a very difficult decision on who to remove to free up a spot for Kirby Yates and unfortunately this time it was Brasier left on the outside looking in. The 37-year-old hurler should attract plenty of attention on waivers after registering a 3.54 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and a 25/5 K/BB ratio over 28 innings with the Dodgers in 2024.

Nightengale noted that the Dodgers need to clear spots on their 40-man roster for new additions LHP Tanner Scott, RHP Roki Sasaki, and potentially more players that the Dodgers want to add. To do that, they need to trade away some current players, and Brasier with a $4.5 million salary makes some sense. The 37-year-old was solid for the Dodgers last season, posting a 3.54 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and 25/5 K/BB ratio in 28 innings of middle relief. There is a chance a team will be interested in acquiring him because he has previous experience working in the late innings as well.

Landon Knack will be available to go long tonight, but in a do-or-die game with everyone available and pretty fresh, this might turn into a true bullpen game for the Dodgers.

It’ll be a straight bullpen game for the Dodgers, as Brasier will likely go two innings at most before giving way to the next arm. There’s no fantasy significance in that role.

Brasier is back following a nearly four-month absence recovering from a right calf strain that sent him back to the injured list in late April.