Nick Mears DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Milwaukee Brewers right-handed reliever Nick Mears (illness) is starting his minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Nashville on Tuesday, the team announced. Mears only appeared in three spring training games due to an illness that landed him on the 15-day injured list to begin the 2025 regular season. He's eligible to come off the IL on April 8, but it's unclear if he'll start the year at Nashville or with the Brewers in their bullpen. The 28-year-old hard-throwing righty has intriguing swing-and-miss stuff but has been inconsistent in his brief time in the big leagues with three different teams because of his inability to locate effectively in the strike zone. Mears has the stuff to work in a high-leverage relief role for the Brew Crew, but fantasy managers can avoid him for now with his 5.20 ERA and 1.53 WHIP in 107 1/3 career innings.

Per Adam McCalvy of MLB.com, Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Nick Mears (illness) is set to begin the season on the injured list. Mears reportedly lost ten pounds due to a severe stomach illness he picked up last week and will require some building-up before he is game-ready. Fortunately, he returned to the mound on Monday, but will still need a series of bullpen sessions and sim games to get back up to speed. The 28-year-old spent time with the Brewers and Rockies last season, striking out nearly a third of the batters he faced (29.3%) while dropping his walk percentage into single digits for the first time in his career (9.4%). Though Mears' ERA stood at a bloated 5.93, he severely underperformed his xERA of 3.31, which was more in line with his 2023 production -- albeit in far fewer innings. Fantasy managers can expect him back around the time he's eligible to return in mid-April.

Milwaukee Brewers right-handed pitcher Nick Mears (illness) has been battling an illness. Mears has been sidelined for a few days. Manager Pat Murphy noted that if he remains sidelined, it could impact the construction of their bullpen for Opening Day. Fantasy managers should continue monitoring his status as he could be in danger of missing time in the regular season if he cannot build up to full strength. Last summer, Mears spent time with the Rockies and Brewers. Across 57 2/3 innings of relief, the 28-year-old posted a 5.93 ERA with a 1.47 WHIP. He tallied an impressive 75 punchouts but held a high 9.4 percent walk rate. He also generated a strong 3.31 xERA which suggests he should face some positive regression when he returns to the bump. If he does make the Opening Day roster, he will likely see time as a middle-relief option.