For months, the Brewers looked unstoppable. A dominant rotation, a relentless lineup and a swagger that screamed “World Series favorite.” However, every great run has a crack point and lately, that crack has appeared where the Brewers least expected it—on the field. Suddenly, their young pitcher, Jacob Misiorowski, once hailed as the team’s secret weapon, has become the largest concern in their playoff equation.

The team was cruising with an 82-50 record, holding the best mark in MLB, powered by the one-two punch of Freddy Peralta and Brandon Woodruff. Then came their rookie phenom, dazzling in the first three starts with a 1.16 ERA—electric stuff that had fans buzzing. Jacob Misiorowski was supposed to be the star who completed the Brewers’ postseason juggernaut. However, MLB seasons are long and hype can become worry in the blink of an eye.

The slide has been sharp. In Jacob Misiorowski’s last two outings, the 23-year-old has surrendered eight runs in just 5 1/3 innings, raising red flags across the team. A minor shin injury earlier this month appears to have disrupted the star’s rhythm; however, fatigue could be the bigger culprit. “Between Triple-A and the majors, he’s already at 102 innings pitched, more than he’s ever thrown,” said The Athletic’s Johnny Flores Jr. “Fatigue is a real thing and Misiorowski is in the thick of it,” he added.

Fans are asking: Can Jacob Misiorowski bounce back? Is the Brewers‘ dream rotation crumbling at the worst possible time? Owen Jonas of FanSided provided perspective: “In late July, with Peralta, Woodruff and Misiorowski dealing, this team looked like an October nightmare. Now, asking him to be elite again might be a tall ask.” This is not just related to one star—it is related to the entire structure of the team’s playoff plan shifting under force.

The Brewers management and coaching staff know they can not afford to rely solely on Peralta and Woodruff. Jacob Misiorowski’s struggles mean contingency plans need to be drawn—extra bullpen support and altered rotation strategies could be an outside arm for insurance. And yet, Jacob Misiorowski’s power still looms as the ultimate swing factor. If the star regains form, the team’s October path clears again. If not, the league’s best team could find itself vulnerable when the lights shine brightest.

And just when they thought it had enough to juggle with its rotation woes, another curveball came its way.

Brewers bullpen takes a hit as Grant Anderson lands on the injured list

The timing could not be worse. As the Brewers navigate questions related to their starting rotation, the team’s bullpen—once a pillar of consistency—just lost another vital star. Grant Anderson, a reliable reliever with a 2.87 ERA across 57 appearances, has been placed on the 15-day injured list with tendinitis in his right ankle, retroactive to Sunday.

For the team that has built its success on depth, such a move stings. Anderson’s 66 strikeouts over 62 2/3 innings have made the star one of Pat Murphy’s go-to options in tight spots. Without the star, the Brewers’ late-game security blanket looks thinner.

In reaction, the Brewers recalled Easton McGee and Tobias Myers from Triple-A Nashville, while optioning Chad Patrick back to the minors. However, time to be honest—these are not one-for-one replacements. McGee’s 7.36 ERA in seven major league appearances does not exactly inspire confidence and while Myers has highlighted flashes of power (3.90 ERA in 12 games), neither has the proven reliability that Anderson brings in high-leverage situations.

There is at least a silver lining: Jackson Chourio, the team’s dynamic young outfielder, is inching closer to a return from a hamstring injury. “I don’t think it’s today or tomorrow, but I think we’re closing in on it,” Murphy said, highlighting a powerful boost to the lineup. Still, the tradeoff—losing a dependable bullpen piece while waiting on reinforcements—adds yet another layer of intricacy to the team’s postseason preparations. The question now becomes: How much more adversity can this team handle before October?