Aaron Ashby’s 2027 Role: Brewers Face a Starter-or-Reliever Decision

Aaron Ashby’s postseason surge has made a familiar Brewers question newly pressing: should the left-hander return to the rotation in 2027, or stay in the bullpen where he has become one of the National League’s best relievers? His path offers evidence for both jobs, but injuries and command trouble have repeatedly complicated the starting-pitcher case.

Milwaukee drafted Ashby in the fourth round in 2018 out of Crowder College in Missouri, the same junior college that later produced Jacob Misiorowski. The Brewers quickly put him in the rotation. After an uneven start in the rookie-level Pioneer League, he struck out 47 and walked nine over seven Low-A starts. He followed with strong seasons at both A-ball levels in 2019.

By 2020, Ashby ranked third among the Brewers’ prospects. Baseball Prospectus described him as a “crafty lefty” with a plus curveball and an above-average fastball, while flagging command as a possible obstacle to a full-time starting role. A bullpen assignment or a bulk role built around facing a lineup twice looked plausible.

The canceled 2020 minor-league season interrupted his development, but Ashby impressed at the alternate training site and in instructional ball. He held a mid-90s fastball, touched 98 mph and kept a full pitch mix. In 2021, he opened with six strong Triple-A starts, then began preparing for relief work ahead of his major-league call-up.

A career shaped by injuries and command

Ashby spent the second half of 2021 and all of 2022 in a swing role for Milwaukee. He missed plenty of bats, though walks remained a concern. The Brewers signed him to a five-year, $20.5 million extension in 2022, with team options for 2028 and 2029, anticipating a breakout along the lines of Freddy Peralta’s. Instead, shoulder injuries cost Ashby most of 2023.

His return brought more command trouble. He struggled in the minors late in 2023 and remained among the International League’s least effective pitchers through July 2024. Milwaukee moved him into short relief at Triple-A, where he found a brief run of success, then brought him back to the majors in late August. He pitched well in low- and medium-leverage relief.

The shift to the bullpen, at least for now, came down partly to timing. The Brewers entered 2025 viewing Ashby as rotation depth, but an oblique injury in spring training delayed his return. When he was ready around Memorial Day, Milwaukee needed him in relief. He responded with one of the NL’s strongest relief performances, then dominated this October against some of the league’s best hitters.

His postseason run has drawn comparisons to Hall of Fame relievers Mariano Rivera, Goose Gossage and Rollie Fingers. That kind of performance makes the bullpen case compelling: Ashby’s power and effectiveness have translated in high-stakes innings, and Milwaukee already knows how to deploy him there.

The rotation question

Still, Ashby’s history as a starter isn’t incidental. He developed with a broad pitch mix, succeeded in the minors and opened 2021 with six effective Triple-A starts. The case for trying him again rests on those skills, along with the value of a left-hander who can cover more innings than a typical reliever.

The concern is whether he can consistently locate enough pitches to navigate a lineup multiple times. Command problems surfaced before his shoulder injury and persisted during his minor-league return. A move back to the rotation would test whether his recent success reflects lasting improvement or a role that lets his best stuff play in shorter bursts.

For Milwaukee, the choice is less about whether Ashby can pitch well than about where his impact will be greatest. His October performance has raised the cost of removing him from a relief role, while his earlier development leaves a starting assignment worth considering. The decision will hinge on whether the Brewers see enough command and health to trust him with a starter’s workload in 2027.