MILWAUKEE BREWERS

September return forecast for Junior Guerra

Todd Rosiak
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Junior Guerra was placed on the 15-day DL Monday.

Junior Guerra won't rejoin the Milwaukee Brewers' starting rotation before the calendar flips to September, manager Craig Counsell confirmed Monday.

Guerra, who's been on the disabled list since Aug. 8 with a right-elbow injury, is scheduled to pitch a live batting practice on Tuesday along with reliever Jacob Barnes. Even if that session goes well for Guerra, he'll still need to head to the minor leagues afterward.

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"He’s going to make a start in the minors," Counsell said. "And really more just to build up his pitches, otherwise he wouldn’t have enough pitches built up to start him in a game.

"It’s going to be in September (that he returns). That’s where the days are at."

Guerra last pitched in a game on Aug. 3 in San Diego. He reported discomfort in his elbow the next day and has slowly been working his way back since. Most recently, he threw a bullpen session in Seattle on Friday.

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Relying on an effective split-finger fastball, Guerra had become one of the Brewers’ two most reliable starters along with Zach Davies since joining the rotation on May 3. He sports a 7-3 record, and his 2.93 earned run average and WHIP of 1.09 are both tops among Milwaukee starters.

Guerra also has struck out 90 in 107 1/3 innings over 17 total starts.

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Although he's already 31 years old, Guerra would appear to figure prominently in the Brewers' plans for 2017. Because of that, getting the former waiver claim back on the mound to close the season out strong will be an important September goal.

"It’s important that Junior’s healthy. And if he’s healthy, he’s going to pitch," Counsell said. "So we’re trying to get him healthy and on that track. We’re taking a conservative route with it, for sure. But the important thing is he’s healthy. "

Barnes, a rookie right-hander, has been on the DL since July 27 with an elbow injury.

Milestone moments:Jonathan Villar on Monday became the fourth player in franchise history to steal 50 bases, yet after the game he was already studying up on Jon Gray – Colorado's Tuesday starter – for clues on how to further increase his total.

"I want to finish hard so I can make more," Villar said. "I'm ready for 60 or something like that. Tomorrow's another day. I'll try to make 51. I'll keep working."

Villar is the first Brewers player to reach 50 in a season since Scott Podsednik in 2004. Pat Listach (1992) and Tommy Harper (1969) are the others. With 50, Villar is now three behind Cincinnati's Billy Hamilton for the National League lead.

Also, Chris Carter reached the 30-homer mark for the second time in his career. He becomes the first Brewers player since Ryan Braun (41) and Corey Hart (30) did in 2012 to reach that mark.

"All the fives and zeros are big numbers from 20 on," said Carter, who hit a career-high 37 homers in 2014 with the Houston Astros.