Kyle Harrison Is Already Proving the Brewers' Gamble Was Worth It, and the Nationals Are About to Find Out Why

Kyle Harrison came to Milwaukee with a reputation and some serious skepticism. The southpaw bounced around the Giants and Red Sox before the Brewers rolled the dice on him in February as a replacement for departed Freddy Peralta. Two starts in, he's already showing the organization exactly why they made that trade.

Harrison is 1-0 with a 2.61 ERA and 14 strikeouts through his first two outings. In his debut on March 30 against Tampa Bay, he threw 87 pitches over five innings, scattering four hits and one run with eight strikeouts in a no-decision during a 3-2 loss. The next time out, against Kansas City in an 8-5 win, he went 5 1/3 innings on 90 pitches, struck out six, and walked two. Five of those strikeouts came on his four-seam fastball.

The Kid's Got It, and Pat Murphy Knows It

Brewers manager Pat Murphy isn't shy about what he's seeing. "I think everyone has known that this kid's got a chance to be pretty damn good," Murphy told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "So, yeah, he's showing me something. He's got a long ways to go and he knows it, and it'll be fun."

Harrison himself is locked in on the process. "That's where we start," he told the Journal Sentinel about his fastball. "All my pitches tunnel off the fastball, and it's important to get ahead in counts and attack these hitters and try to get into the dugout as quick as possible."

The 2024 campaign was rough. Harrison went 7-7 with a 4.93 ERA in 24 starts for San Francisco. Last year he split time between the majors and Triple-A. Now? He's a legitimate threat in Milwaukee's rotation and a guy the Brewers believe in.

Washington's Bullpen Has Been a Disaster, But They're Turning It Around

The Nationals will counter with Foster Griffin, a 30-year-old lefty who spent the last three seasons pitching in Japan. Griffin is 0-0 with a 1.80 ERA to start the season and has never faced the Brewers. He's 2-0 lifetime with a 4.50 ERA in nine appearances.

Washington's bullpen, though? That's been an absolute mess early on. They're tagged with three losses and an eye-popping 5.92 ERA, third-highest in baseball heading into Saturday. They've got one save and four blown saves.

But here's the thing: Friday night showed a different group. After starter Jake Irvin gave up three runs in five innings, four Washington relievers combined for four shutout innings with only two hits allowed. Paxton Schultz, recently recalled from Triple-A Rochester, threw two shutout innings across two games this week and is helping stabilize things. Cionel Perez, PJ Poulin, and Clayton Beeter all threw scoreless innings Friday, with Poulin grabbing the win with a perfect eighth. The Nationals still won 7-3.

Nationals manager Blake Butera isn't hitting the panic button. "Don't wanna overreact to a guy having a rough outing, but also wanna give other bullpen arms opportunities to earn leverage roles, so it's a combination," Butera told Sports Illustrated.

Saturday's game between Harrison and Griffin is a test for both. The Brewers want to see their young arm keep rolling. Washington needs to prove those relievers can stay sharp.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.