The World Series has brought out a dangerous weapon in the Milwaukee Brewers’ bullpen. MLB Insider Tom Verducci believes Aaron Ashby is unlike any other pitcher. With a remarkable ability to shut down games and handle multiple innings, the Brewers’ $20.5 million star has become a major threat.
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“Aaron Ashby, to me… might be the most valuable pitcher as far as changing outcomes of games because he just completely shuts the game down… he’s just a freak in terms of his availability and his stuff,” said Tom Verducci.
Verducci described the Brewers reliever as a “freak” because of his availability and stuff, and the Brewers got all this for just $20.5 million after drafting him in 2018.
Ashby has become one of Milwaukee’s most valuable weapons during the World Series. His ability to pitch multiple innings has given manager Pat Murphy a major weapon. And through the first 2 games against Tampa Bay, Ashby has delivered.
“It’s just crazy,” Verducci said, talking about Ashby’s availability.
Across 15.2 postseason innings, Ashby has been nearly untouchable: 0 runs, 17 strikeouts, just 5 hits and 3 walks. He has given hitters very little room to respond. The Brewers’ reliance on Ashby also reflects how October baseball has changed, with teams increasingly turning to trusted relievers for multiple innings.
Relievers accounted for nearly 49% of innings through the 2026 Division Series, compared with 41.2% during the regular season. Milwaukee’s offense ranked second in MLB with 832 runs, but its power remained limited, finishing tied for 28th with 154 home runs.
That makes Ashby’s ability to shut down opponents across several innings especially valuable when the Brewers need to protect a narrow lead.
Ashby’s numbers become even more impressive when compared with his previous postseason experience.
In 2025, he appeared in 7 playoff games, allowing 4 earned runs across 6.2 innings. The leap from 2025 to 2026 suggests Ashby has refined his approach—or the Brewers have learned how to deploy him.
This October, he has already thrown more than twice as many innings without allowing a single run. His 2026 regular-season workload also shows why Murphy trusts him in demanding situations.
Ashby appeared in 75 games, finishing with a 13-3 record and a 3.12 ERA. He also recorded 4 saves with 116 strikeouts in the regular season.
However, Ashby’s postseason success is not simply about pitching more innings.
His arsenal gives him several ways to challenge hitters, even when they know what is coming. His 97.7-mph sinker, thrown half the time, generates ground balls at a 56.3% rate—elite by any measure. His slider, curveball, and changeup have each produced high whiff rates, making him difficult to predict.
The Brewers have also benefited from Ashby’s unusual delivery and movement, which make his pitches harder to track.
His mechanics changed after shoulder surgery sidelined him during the 2023 season. Since returning, he has developed stronger lower-body movement and a more consistent delivery. Ashby’s late spine tilt helps him release the ball from an unusual angle. His sinker and changeup can appear similar before separating sharply near the plate. That movement gives hitters less time to adjust, especially when Ashby is throwing at high velocity.
Verducci believes Ashby’s ability to handle different hitters makes him especially valuable in October.
He described the reliever as “platoon neutral,” meaning he can be trusted against almost everyone. That matters when managers face difficult decisions late in close games.
Ashby can enter with runners on base and remain in the game through multiple innings. He can also take pressure off the Brewers’ other relievers, including Abner Uribe and Trevor Megill. Murphy’s willingness to use Ashby early has helped the Brewers preserve leads, like in Game 2 of the World Series, where Ashby came in with a 1-run lead and did his job perfectly.
The postseason workload has also brought Ashby closer to several notable relief-pitching records.
He is approaching Andrew Miller’s 16 scoreless innings during the 2016 postseason. Ashby has already recorded multiple three-inning saves during Milwaukee’s playoff run. He has also delivered several appearances of at least 4 outs without allowing a run. Those outings have helped the Brewers win games where their offense could not do much.
With Tampa Bay’s lineup capable of changing a game quickly, Ashby’s role remains crucial.
Ashby has shown he wants the ball whenever Murphy needs him, but having pitched in postseason games already, they can’t push him too much.
The Brewers have DL Hall as another option if Ashby needs rest. Their championship hopes may depend on how well they balance his workload.
Ashby’s rise has changed the way the Brewers approach high-leverage situations. He is no longer simply a reliever asked to finish an inning. Instead, he has become a pitcher Murphy can use to reshape a game’s outcome.
His postseason numbers show why Verducci considers him unlike other pitchers. MLB.com states Milwaukee has won 25 of the 28 games in which Ashby recorded more than three outs in 2026, including postseason.
As the World Series moves forward, the Brewers will keep turning to him. If Ashby continues this run, his impact could become one of the defining stories of the championship.