Padres fans may be kicking themselves as Robert Gasser dominates World Series Game 3
A strong postseason run
Gasser has made three postseason starts, and his results have improved the conversation around Milwaukee’s return for Josh Hader. In Game 3 of the NLDS against San Diego, he gave up one run in four innings; against the Dodgers in the NLCS, he allowed three hits and no runs over five innings.
In World Series Game 3 against the Rays, Gasser yielded one hit and no runs in six innings. He was the first Brewers starter this postseason to pitch into the sixth, and he faced the minimum over those completed frames. His ERA across the three starts is 0.60.
The trade’s changing legacy
San Diego acquired Hader from Milwaukee at the 2022 trade deadline. Hader struggled after arriving, then pitched like one of baseball’s top closers in 2023 before signing a five-year contract with the Houston Astros.
The Brewers’ return included Gasser and Esteury Ruiz, who was later moved in the deal that brought William Contreras to Milwaukee. Gasser had a 3.87 ERA across 21 regular-season appearances before his playoff run.
Value for a changing rotation
The article describes Gasser as a potential mid-rotation starter, rather than an ace or a likely No. 2. At 27, the left-hander has out-pitched Jacob Misiorowski and Logan Henderson in the postseason, with all three of his starts coming in important road games.
The Padres’ projected 2027 rotation includes Joe Musgrove as its ace and Jagger Hayes as its No. 5 starter. Gasser, who would have been on a minimum salary, might have offered useful depth, though the value of the trade was difficult to judge before his development in Milwaukee.
Key points
- Robert Gasser allowed no runs and one hit in six innings in World Series Game 3.
- He has a 0.60 ERA through three postseason starts, all on the road.
- San Diego traded Gasser to Milwaukee in its 2022 deadline deal for Josh Hader.
- Gasser’s emergence comes as the Padres face uncertainty in their projected 2027 rotation.