The Milwaukee Brewers placed left-handed reliever Angel Zerpa on the 15-day injured list with left forearm tightness on Wednesday.
The move was retroactive to Tuesday. In a corresponding move, the Brewers called up left-hander Brian Fitzpatrick from Triple-A Nashville.
Zerpa, acquired in an offseason trade with Kansas City, was 0-2 with two saves, a 6.39 ERA, six walks and eight strikeouts in 12 2/3 innings over 12 appearances with Milwaukee.
“This looks like it could be serious. He’s not going to be back any time soon,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said before Wednesday’s game against Arizona. “Big blow, but we’re kind of used to that.”
Zerpa, 26, last pitched on Monday, giving up three runs, one hit and one walk with one strikeout in 2/3 of an inning in taking a 6-3 loss in 10 innings to the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates.
The native of Venezuela is 12-9 in his career with two saves, a 4.13 ERA, 59 walks and 158 strikeouts in 189 2/3 innings over 160 regular-season games (eight starts) with Kansas City (2021-25) and Milwaukee. He also was 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA in five playoff appearances with the Royals in 2024.
Fitzpatrick was 1-1 with a 0.00 ERA, two walks and 11 strikeouts in 10 relief appearances with Nashville. The 6-foot-7 pitcher allowed two runs, but none earned, in 10 1/3 innings. Fitzpatrick, 25, has never pitched in the majors.
The Brewers also announced that outfielder Luis Matos has cleared waivers and was outrighted to the Triple-A Sounds. Matos, 24, hit .200 (4-for-20) in nine games in his first season with Milwaukee after parts of three seasons with the San Francisco Giants (2023-25).
