The Anthony Swarzak deal is paying dividends for the Milwaukee Brewers.
Swarzak has allowed just one earned run in six appearances for the Brewers, while their bullpen, a source of consistent stress for manager Craig Counsell this season, has stabilized since the trade.
The Brewers' bullpen has a combined 1.69 ERA since Swarzak's first appearance (July 28, a 2-1 win over the Chicago Cubs), and is averaging 13.9 strikeouts per nine innings, both good enough for first in the majors over that span.
| ERA | 1.69 | 1st (MLB rank) |
| K/9 | 13.8 | 1st |
| K % | 37.3 | 1st |
| Holds | 8 | 3rd |
For Swarzak, the Brewers' upcoming series against the Minnesota Twins will be a homecoming of sorts.
The 31-year-old reliever was drafted by the Twins in 2004, and pitched at Target Field from 2011-14, including two games against the Brewers in which Swarzak was credited with a win.
With second-year pitcher Brent Suter set to take the mound Monday, Swarzak may not have much to do in the series opener.
Suter has the lowest ERA of any left-handed rookie (he made 14 appearances for the Brewers last year, but pitched just 21 2/3 innings) in Brewers history, a list that also features FOX Sports Wisconsin analyst Jerry Augustine.
He's allowed 10 earned runs in 35 1/3 innings of work since joining the Brewers' rotation full time in early July.
| Player | Season | ERA |
| Brent Suter | 2017 | 3.04 |
| Earl Stephenson | 1972 | 3.25 |
| Angel Miranda | 1993 | 3.30 |
| Jerry Augustine | 1976 | 3.30 |
| Joel Adamson | 1997 | 3.54 |
Statistics courtesy of STATS LLC
