The Milwaukee Brewers needed some extra pitching ahead of the 2026 Major League Baseball trade deadline and turned to righty Dustin May as a result after swinging a deal with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Now, May has another World Series ring, but he is a free agent and doesn't seem likely to return to Milwaukee. Fortunately for the Brewers, there are plenty of intriguing options heading to the open market that could replace May without breaking the bank.

Here are four starters for the Brewers to sign.

Shane Bieber — Most Recent Team: Toronto Blue Jays

When Bieber is healthy, he has shown that he can be among the best overall pitchers in baseball. In fact, he was the 2020 American League Cy Young Award winner. This is a guy with a career 3.31 ERA in nine seasons. Unfortunately, injuries have derailed him over the last few years. His price tag shouldn't be high. If the Brewers could get him back on track, he could be a low-cost option with ace upside.

Jack Flaherty — Most Recent Team: Detroit Tigers

Flaherty had back-to-back tough seasons with the Detroit Tigers in 2025 and 2026. Flaherty had a 4.48 ERA in 20 appearances in 2026. That's not terrible, but it's not great. But this is a guy who is two years removed from logging a 3.17 ERA in 2024 in 28 starts. Flaherty is another buy-low option with upside. Plus, he's just 31 years old.

Nick Pivetta — Most Recent Team: San Diego Padres

Injuries kept Pivetta off the mound for much of the 2026 season. The righty made just eight starts, but he was electric when he was on the hill. Pivetta had a 2.86 ERA. This was in line with his performance in 2025. That year, he had a 2.87 ERA in 31 starts. After missing time, he needs to rebuild his value to then go out and get an expensive long-term deal. Milwaukee is the perfect place to bounce back.

Lucas Giolito — Most Recent Team: San Diego Padres

We've seen it a handful of times in recent years. When a pitcher signs late in free agency, struggles tend to pop up. That was the case for Giolito in 2026. He only made seven appearances with the Padres and had a 5.16 ERA. In comparison, the righty had a 3.41 ERA in 26 starts the year before with the Boston Red Sox. The talent is there. He's someone who should cost almost nothing this winter but he could be a middle-of-the-rotation starter, at least.