The Dallas Keuchel experiment in Milwaukee appears to be over.
In four starts with the Brewers, Keuchel posted a 5.40 ERA, allowing 10 runs and 23 hits in 16 2/3 innings, without a decision. The 36-year-old left-hander made it past the fourth inning just once, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits in 5 1/3 innings in his second start against Colorado.
Milwaukee staked Keuchel to a 5-0 lead in the first Saturday, be he was lifted after allowing five hits and three runs without an out in the fourth inning, giving up eight hits overall in a 65-pitch outing.
The Brewers are expecting several injured pitchers to return after the All-Streak break, which contributed to the decision.
“Obviously, Dallas is a great pedigree and what he did, he kept us in a lot of games,” Brewers General Manager Matt Arnold said Sunday. “He did a really good job for us. … I think it comes down to the number of players we have coming back.”
The Brewers have seven days to either work out a trade involving Keuchel or see if he clears waivers. Keuchel also can reject an outright assignment and opt to become a free agent.
“We spoke to him last night,” Arnold said. “He was great, he’s a real pro. Obviously, we want what’s best for him.”
Keuchel, who won the 2015 AL Cy Young with Houston, was 7-4 with a 3.93 ERA this season with the Mariner’s Triple-A affiliate Tacoma, when he was acquired by Milwaukee.
Keuchel pitched in 10 games, including six starts, with Minnesota in 2023, with a 2-1 record and 5.97 ERA. In 2022, he was 2-9 with a 9.20 ERA in 14 starts with three different teams.
Keuchel is 103-92 with 4.04 ERA in his 13-year major league career, with two All-Star appearances. He was 20-8 with a 2.43 ERA with Houston in 2015 when he won the Cy Young.
