Milwaukee left-hander Robert Gasser is set to make his MLB pitching debut on Friday as the Brewers face the St. Louis Cardinals. Gasser, who just turned 25, joined the Brewers in a trade during the 2022 season that involved sending star closer Josh Hader to San Diego. He was with the team on Thursday as they began their series with the Cardinals, eagerly awaiting his official roster addition before his first game.
Excited for the opportunity, Gasser mentioned how this is a dream come true for him with family and friends in attendance to watch his debut. The Brewers acquired Gasser along with outfielder Eury Pérez and pitcher Dinelson Lamet in the trade that sent Hader away. While Pérez was later traded to Oakland, Gasser remains the sole player from that deal still with the Brewers.
Earlier in the season, Gasser had to deal with a setback due to bone chips in his elbow, which prevented him from starting in the majors. After recovering, he worked on building up his pitch counts through appearances with Triple-A Nashville. In three starts, Gasser recorded an 0-1 record with a 5.25 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 12 innings.
Despite the injury earlier in the season, the Brewers had been optimistic about Gasser’s potential in the majors and assured him that he would have his opportunity. Gasser had an impressive season with Nashville in 2022, boasting a 9-1 record and a 3.79 ERA with a high strikeout rate. Brewers Manager Pat Murphy highlighted Gasser’s swing-and-miss ability, poise, and versatile pitching repertoire that could match up well against both right-handed and left-handed batters.