The Milwaukee Brewers have agreed to a one-year deal with right-handed pitcher Colin Rea, with a club option for the 2025 season. The deal, which was announced on Wednesday, is worth $1.5 million plus incentives.
Rea, who turns 30 in April, spent the 2020 season with the San Diego Padres, where he posted a 3.95 ERA in 11 starts. He also made two relief appearances in the postseason, allowing one run in three innings of work.
Rea is expected to compete for a spot in the Brewers’ starting rotation this season. He has a career 4.36 ERA in parts of five major league seasons with the Padres and Miami Marlins. He has made at least 10 starts in each of the last four seasons and has never thrown more than 130 innings in a season.
The Brewers are hoping that Rea can provide some stability to their rotation, which has been plagued by injuries in recent years. He will join a rotation that includes Brandon Woodruff, Corbin Burnes, Adrian Houser, and Brett Anderson.
Rea’s signing is the latest move by the Brewers to bolster their pitching staff. They also recently signed free agent left-hander Brett Anderson and re-signed right-hander Josh Lindblom.
The Brewers are hoping that Rea can help them return to the playoffs for the first time since 2018. They finished second in the NL Central last season with a 29-31 record.
Rea is the latest addition to a Brewers team that is looking to make a playoff push in 2021. With his experience and durability, he could be a key piece of the puzzle for Milwaukee this season.
