Jacob Misiorowski and Chad Patrick Manager Pat Murphy will start the season with the Brewers’ rotation, per MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy. The remaining starting five are still pending depending on injuries and camp performance.
Brandon Woodruff and queen priest When normal, it is a lock on the rotation role. Woodruff is the more likely of the two to be released by Opening Day. The Brewers are cautious about getting him back from a lat injury that ended last season. He is scheduled to make his Cactus League debut tomorrow against the Angels.
Priester fell behind due to minor wrist discomfort. The right-hander took batting practice early in spring training, but hasn’t faced a batter since. Priester told reporters yesterday that he still plays catch but sometimes feels nagging pain (video via Curt Hogg of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel). Tests have revealed nothing structurally, but he is unlikely to be ready for the start of the season within three weeks.
Misiorowski was a lock to make the season-opening rotation regardless of the status of Woodruff and Priester. Patrick came into camp as a candidate for the fourth starting role, but seemed less certain about the job. That’s less a reflection of his own performance than the fact that Milwaukee’s depth pushed him out of the starting five in the second half of last season.
Patrick had a 3.52 ERA in the first 19 games of his career. Nonetheless, Milwaukee optioned Woodruff to Triple-A on July 6, the day he returned from shoulder surgery. Patrick spent six weeks in the minor leagues. The Brewers used him in a swing role when they recalled him in mid-August. He pitched out of the bullpen in the playoffs, recording 11 punchouts and a two-run shot in nine innings over six games.
Patrick, 27, has never received much attention as a prospect. He was a former fourth round pick who was traded. Jace Peterson and abraham toroBefore each made their MLB debut. It would be easy to lose him in the shuffle of Milwaukee’s better-known controllable arms. Nonetheless, Patrick made the roster as a rookie, striking out more than a quarter of his opponents with a 3.53 ERA in 119 2/3 innings. He built up to three innings and 52 pitches in his second spring training start this afternoon.
If Woodruff avoids the injured list, the Brewers will have three-fifths of their opening rotation. deal pickup Brandon Sprott and Kyle Harrison join Logan Henderson and Robert Gasser There is fierce competition for the last two spots.
Murphy is left handed today Aaron Ashby and DL Hall He is also being considered as a potential starter. Both left-handers saw some time in the bullpen or opener last year. If he doesn’t earn a traditional rotation role, he can serve as a tandem starter or multi-inning reliever, but that’s where he’ll likely be used most often.
