Kyle Harrison’s September slide deepened Thursday at PNC Park, where the Brewers watched a one-run lead disappear in a 7-4 loss to the Pirates and saw another troubling audition for a potential October role.
A fast turn from co-ace to question mark
With nine games left on Milwaukee’s regular-season schedule, the club does not need to settle its postseason rotation immediately. But Harrison’s recent work has put him squarely among the roster decisions that will shape the weeks before October, particularly if the Brewers reach the best-of-seven series, when a deep stable of starters becomes essential.
The 25-year-old left-hander arrived from the Red Sox in a six-player trade shortly before Spring Training. Three months ago, he and Jacob Misiorowski were being discussed as legitimate National League All-Star candidates. Harrison closed May with a 1.57 ERA, the best mark by a left-handed Brewers pitcher through his first 10 starts, surpassing CC Sabathia’s 2008 club mark.
Even an eight-run start against the A’s in Las Vegas on June 8 initially looked like an outlier in a difficult offensive environment. Remove that game, and Harrison would have finished June carrying a 1.93 ERA.
Since then, the results have changed sharply. Over his past four appearances, including one relief outing, Harrison has allowed 21 earned runs in nine innings for a 21.00 ERA.
Second-inning trouble buries the Brewers
Milwaukee had moved in front 1-0 when Harrison took the mound for the second inning. He got two outs, then walked Pittsburgh right fielder Ronny Simon. That was the opening the Pirates needed: seven straight hitters reached base, Harrison was chased after 1 2/3 innings, and Pittsburgh took control of the game.
- Simon drew a two-out walk to begin the rally.
- An infield hit followed, then catcher’s interference.
- A 1-2 fastball was driven for a two-run double.
- Another fastball, this one with a 2-2 count, became a two-run single.
- A changeup hit Bryan Reynolds on the foot.
- Harrison issued another walk after getting ahead 1-2.
- Brandon Lowe was grazed on the hand by a slurve, forcing home another run.
Harrison was charged with five runs, four earned, on Thursday. Chad Patrick entered with the bases loaded and kept any additional runs from scoring, limiting the damage to Harrison’s ERA.
Attempts to reset have not worked
The Brewers had already tried to steer Harrison back toward form. They used him in relief against Cincinnati, hoping a different assignment might help him find his footing, but he yielded four runs without recording an out. The start in Pittsburgh was another opportunity against a club he had previously handled well.
Neither route produced the needed correction. Harrison has gone from an early-season fixture near the top of Milwaukee’s staff to a pitcher searching for a clean inning at the moment the Brewers are weighing which arms can be trusted for postseason games.
