When it comes to relief pitchers, the Brewers have preferred to look at internal candidates as much as possible. Additions to the relief core have come mainly through trades and minor league deals, with a few smaller contracts here and there. Spending on outside targets to improve the team has been very minimal.

Despite that, it’s not out of the question that the Brewers will look at outside options this offseason. As they move toward 2025, who could they add to bolster their bullpen? Here are a few options.

Michael Soroka, 2.75 ERA, 2.75 FIP as a reliever (free agent)

If the Brewers go for an established free agent, Soroka could be a target for them. He started the season in the White Sox rotation, and it was a rough start. Over nine starts in the rotation, he had a 6.39 ERA and 6.76 FIP. After another bad start on May 12, the White Sox took him out of the rotation and put him in the bullpen.

The switch to the bullpen boosted his results. For the remainder of the season, his ERA and FIP dropped to 2.75. His strikeout rate jumped to 15 K/9 and he held batters to a .189/.303/.291 batting line. He did miss some time with a shoulder strain, but came back at the end of 2024 and was just as strong.

MLB Trade Rumors predicts that Soroka could land in Milwaukee, with a projected contract of two years at $14 million. That does feel a little high for the Brewers to pay for a relief pitcher, especially when they have Devin Williams projected to make a bit more than that.

Brooks Raley, 2.80 ERA, 3.68 FIP in 2023 (free agent)

If the Brewers want to take a chance on a free agent returning from injury, Brooks Raley is a possibility. He missed most of the 2024 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, and likely won’t be ready until the middle of 2025. He’ll also be 37 next season.

Despite his age, Raley has been solid in his last few years in the majors. He’s consistently maintained a strikeout rate over 10 K/9, and his ERA in 2022 and 2023 was 2.68 and 2.80, respectively. Even before his injury in 2024, he had struck out nine batters in seven innings and did not allow a run.

A weighted two-year deal, or a one-year deal with an option, could be enough to sign Raley this offseason. With him expected to miss the start of 2025, he could be signed for a lower salary next season. The Brewers have taken chances on recovering players in the past, and they’ve found a few good players that way.

Miguel Ullola, 4.24 ERA in Double-A (Houston Astros)

If the Brewers are looking to trade Williams this offseason, they’ll need to find a team that’s looking to upgrade their bullpen. One of those teams is the Astros, who are expected to look for help this offseason but are also running into payroll issues. If the Brewers wanted to dig into the Astros farm a little bit, Ullola would be an interesting target to include in a package.

Ullola is the Astros’ top pitching prospect according to MLB Pipeline, ranking at No. 7 in their system. He’s mainly served as a starting pitcher in Double-A, though he’s not expected to remain as a starter. Control is his main issue as he had a walk rate of 5.16 BB/9 in 2024. However, he’s got a fastball that can reach 97 mph and a strong strikeout rate of 11.73 K/9 in 2024.

If the Brewers end up trading Williams, they’ll need to get good value back for him. The Astros have one of the weaker farm systems in MLB, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have the names to make a trade. It just means they’ll have to dig a bit deeper to make a deal happen.

Justin Topa, 2.61 ERA, 3.15 FIP in 2023 (Minnesota Twins)

The deadline to tender candidates is today, and some relievers will end up as free agents by the end of the day. One player that could end up on that list is Justin Topa. Despite being projected to earn just $1.3 million in 2025, he may end up on the non-tender list after missing almost all of 2024.

There’s a definite injury risk here, but he’s shown good results when healthy. In 2023 — the one full season he was able to remain healthy in the majors — he was a late-inning reliever for the Mariners, posting a 2.69 ERA and an 8.0 K/9 ratio that season.

The non-tender list will be an interesting place to look for some smaller deals this offseason, and if Topa ends up on it, he could be worth a look.