Brewers place reliever Nick Mears (back) on IL

Field Level Media|published: Fri 5th September, 15:07 2025

MLB: Philadelphia Phillies at Milwaukee Brewers

Sep 1, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Nick Mears (25) delivers a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies in the fifth inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Brewers placed right-handed reliever Nick Mears on the 15-day injured list on Friday.

The move is due to back tightness and is retroactive to Sept. 2.

In a corresponding move, the Brewers recalled Carlos Rodriguez from Triple-A Nashville.

The news of Mears' injury is not welcome for a team that is already struggling with injuries in the bullpen.

The Brewers have already lost Shelby Miller (right UCL sprain) for the season and Logan Henderson (right flexor tendon strain) for at least the remainder of the regular season.

DL Hall (right oblique strain) isn't expected back until late September. Grant Anderson (right ankle tendinitis) is starting a rehab assignment this weekend at Triple-A Nashville. Closer Trevor McGill (right flexor strain) threw a bullpen session on Thursday and could return by Sept. 16, per Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy.

Mears, 28, is 5-3 with a 3.42 ERA over 52 2/3 innings in 59 bullpen appearances for the Brewers this season.

He is 7-9 with a 4.61 ERA in 165 career games (zero starts) with the Pittsburgh Pirates (2020-22), Colorado Rockies (2023-24) and Brewers.

Rodriguez, 23, pitched 6.1 innings over two games out of the bullpen this season for the big-league club, earning a 1-0 record and a 9.95 ERA. He is 3-4 with a 3.89 ERA in 17 games (15 starts) in Triple-A this season.

--Field Level Media