Brewers' Robert Gasser, acquired in Hader trade, to debut Friday

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Milwaukee’s left-handed pitcher, Robert Gasser, is set to make his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut today as the Brewers face the St. Louis Cardinals.

Trade and Acquisition

Gasser, who will turn 25 on May 31, became a part of the Brewers in a trade in 2022, which saw star closer Josh Hader move to San Diego.

Even though Gasser hadn’t officially joined the roster, he joined the team on Thursday as they began their four-game series with the Cardinals.

“This is what everybody dreams of,” Gasser said before Thursday’s game. “I’m going to have family and friends here to watch it. I know they’re all as excited as I am.”

The Brewers acquired Gasser, along with outfielder Eury Pérez and pitcher Dinelson Lamet, when they gave up Hader, who made four of his five career All-Star appearances with Milwaukee.

Gasser remains the only player from the Hader trade still with the Brewers organization. Lamet was designated for assignment, and Pérez was traded to Oakland in December 2022.

Injury Setback and Recovery

A diagnosis of bone chips in his throwing elbow halted Gasser’s bid to start this season on the major league roster. However, he has since recovered and feels “great.”

“They were happy with how I was in spring, what I was bringing to the table,” Gasser said. “It was more so just making sure I was sharp when I got back and getting my pitch counts up.”

After his recovery, Gasser made three starts with Triple-A Nashville and posted an 0-1 record and a 5.25 ERA with 17 strikeouts in 12 innings.

Manager’s Confidence

“We told Gass in spring training, even before the injury, that you’re going to pitch in the major leagues, so prepare for your debut,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said.

Last season, Gasser had an impressive record with Nashville, going 9-1 with a 3.79 ERA in 26 games and striking out 166 in 135⅓ innings.

“There’s some swing-and-miss in there, There’s a poise” Murphy said. There’s a good repertoire that I think matches up with both righties and lefties.”

This report used information from ESPN.