The Brewers are heading into the National League Division Series a little thinner on pitching depth, but not by much.
Veteran right-hander Lyon Richardson is no longer in the organization after electing free agency on Sep. 28, according to his official MLB.com profile. Milwaukee had brought him up to the big leagues on Sep. 23, then designated him for assignment two days later on Sep.
- Instead of staying in the system and getting outrighted to the minors, he chose to test the market.
Milwaukee opens its 2026 playoff run on Saturday, Oct. 3 against the San Diego Padres at American Family Field, and Richardson was never expected to be part of that roster. He made only one appearance in a Brewers uniform this season, working 1 2/3 scoreless innings with one strikeout.
Richardson’s time in the majors stretches back to 2023, and he has now appeared in 42 big league games overall. He started his career with the Cincinnati Reds, where his best season came in 2025.
That year, he logged a career-high 34 appearances and posted a 4.54 ERA. Outside of that season, he had never pitched in more than four big league games in a year.
At Triple-A Nashville, Richardson gave Milwaukee some useful innings down the stretch. He made 22 appearances there, finishing with a 4.23 ERA and a 45-to-25 strikeout-to-walk ratio across 44 2/3 innings.
The Brewers signed him to a minor league deal in June, and he had previously elected free agency before returning. In the end, Milwaukee got what it wanted out of the move: a low-cost depth arm for Triple-A and an extra option for the final days of the regular season. The club didn’t need to use him in October, and he won’t be around for the NLDS.
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