Milwaukee Brewers DFA Their Second-Longest Tenured Pitcher

Time has run out on the Milwaukee Brewers for their second-longest tenured pitcher, as a lack of confidence, leading to a very uncharacteristic 8.35 ERA, has led the Brewers to DFA reliever Joel Payamps.

The Brewers have DFA'd reliever Joel Payamps.
— Adam McCalvy (@AdamMcCalvy) May 22, 2025

Payamps arrived in Milwaukee for the start of the 2023 season. Only Freddy Peralta has been with the team longer amongst the pitching staff. Whether that says more about Payamps or about the extreme turnover on the mound for the Brew Crew is up for debate.

Payamps came into the 2025 campaign with a 2.80 ERA in his first two seasons in Milwaukee, registering nine saves, while holding the opposition to a batting average just slightly above the Mendoza Line.

But after getting off to a dreadful start to this season, surrendering 13 runs in his first 12 innings pitched, he never truly recovered, and manager Pat Murphy could see that Payamps had let it get to him.

"His confidence is shaken," Murphy said recently. "... That's concerning."

Payamps does have options left, so if after a week, he is not claimed on waivers, the Brewers could try to get him righted down at Triple-A Nashville.

In his seven-year career, he has a 3.41 ERA with a 1.18 WHIP, respectable numbers, along with a decent strikeout to walk ratio of 8.1 K/9 vs 2.7 BB/9. He's also pitched for the Kansas City Royals, Toronto Blue Jays and Oakland Athletics. He tossed a handful of innings for the Arizona Diamondbacks in his first major league appearances.