The Brewers are taking another look at a familiar arm, bringing back right-hander JB Bukauskas on a minor league deal. The 29-year-old missed all of the 2025 season after suffering a lat injury in spring training, but Milwaukee clearly isn’t ready to move on from a pitcher they’ve spent the past few years trying to develop.

Bukauskas joined the Brewers organization in 2023. Although his time in the majors has been short, it has been intriguing. He has only pitched twelve innings for Milwaukee, but he allowed only one run in that time. He has also played for the Mariners and Diamondbacks, where he made his debut and had the most experience in the majors. However, his durability has been an issue. Injuries have prevented him from playing much, and he has been called up and down between the majors and minors, including a DFA that ultimately kept him in the organization.

Before landing in Milwaukee, Bukauskas had one of the more winding paths for a recent first-rounder. Drafted 15th overall by Houston in 2017, he later found himself involved in the blockbuster trade that sent Zack Greinke to the Astros in 2019. That deal was a reminder of the potential evaluators saw in him, even if injuries and inconsistency have made it difficult for that talent to fully surface at the big league level.

Despite those setbacks, Bukauskas has managed to carve out a solid track record in the minors. Across seven seasons, he’s posted a 3.78 ERA while working primarily as a reliever, often stabilizing Triple-A bullpens when healthy. That reliability in the upper minors is likely what keeps Milwaukee circling back; the organization knows what he can provide when he’s on the mound.

This signing reads as a depth move on paper, but there’s an element of upside still attached. The Brewers value familiarity and tend to give second (and third) chances to pitchers who’ve shown flashes within their system. If Bukauskas can finally stay healthy, he could push his way into the bullpen conversation next season. At the very least, Milwaukee adds another experienced arm to its list of internal options heading into 2026.