The Milwaukee Brewers have received some tough news on the injury front. Left-handed reliever Angel Zerpa is set to undergo season-ending ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction surgery on his left elbow next Monday, the team announced Tuesday.

This is a significant blow for the 26-year-old, who joined the Brewers in a December trade that sent outfielder Isaac Collins and right-hander Nick Mears to the Kansas City Royals. Zerpa's 2026 campaign got off to a rocky start, as he posted a 0-2 record with a 6.39 ERA and two saves across 12 appearances. The lefty struggled with consistency, allowing at least one earned run in each of his last three outings.

Zerpa was placed on the 15-day injured list last week, with the move retroactive to April 26. His final appearance came in the 10th inning of a 6-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 25. Brewers manager Pat Murphy noted that catcher William Contreras spotted something unusual during that outing, prompting the team to pull Zerpa before the inning concluded.

For Brewers fans, this marks another chapter in the team's ongoing battle with pitching injuries. While Tommy John surgery typically requires a recovery period of 12 to 18 months, the hope is that Zerpa can return stronger and help bolster the bullpen in 2027. In the meantime, Milwaukee will need to rely on its depth to fill the void in the late innings.