MILWAUKEE BREWERS

Jesús Aguilar slugs his way onto the Brewers

Todd Rosiak

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Jesus Aguilar takes an at bat in spring training.

PHOENIX - Tuesday was a day to remember for Jesús Aguilar.

About 30 minutes after crushing a three-run, game-tying home run against his former team, the Cleveland Indians, the burly slugger was informed by manager Craig Counsell that he'd made the Milwaukee Brewers' opening-day roster.

"I'm just very happy," Aguilar said through translator Carlos Brizuela. "I did my work and the team took notice. Now I'm part of the team."

Aguilar, 26, was a one-man wrecking crew in Cactus League play. Entering the finale Wednesday, the Venezuelan is leading the team in hitting (.463), hits (25), total bases (47), homers (six), runs batted in (16), on-base percentage (.525), slugging percentage (.870) and OPS (1.395).

In short, he forced the Brewers' hand and made them keep him on the roster despite the fact he only plays first base.

"We've said all spring, 'Prove to us you belong on the team,' " Counsell said. "He has had a spring where he earned a spot on the team."

Also helping Aguilar was the fact he's out of minor-league options. The Brewers claimed him off waivers from the Indians on Feb. 2 and couldn't cut him loose without putting him on waivers and exposing him to other teams.

With the way he hit the ball, he almost certainly would have been claimed.

"He's on the roster, he's out of options and he's a player we're interested in," Counsell said. "The challenge now is to find a role for him as we get started here, and I think it's important that we do."

Aguilar hit .172 in 35 games over the 2014-'16 seasons with the Indians, who signed free-agent first baseman Edwin Encarnacion to a big deal in the off-season.

"I think he's getting his chance and he's taking advantage of it. Good for him," Indians manager Terry Francona said after his team's 13-12 loss to the Brewers. Aguilar's three-run homer off Bryan Shaw in the eighth highlighted a five-run inning for Milwaukee and tied the game at 12-12.

"He wanted an opportunity. Well, he's getting it and it looks like he's taking advantage of it. Good for him."

The Brewers signed Eric Thames to a three-year contract in the off-season to be their starting first baseman. But with Aguilar able to play only first base in the National League, Thames has been used in the outfield over the last week. It's a position he came up playing in the major leagues, and one he'll see some time at in the regular season now that Aguilar is in the fold.

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"That's what Eric Thames playing the outfield has been about the last week or so. That's one way he gets at-bats," said Counsell. "There will be some games where Eric doesn't play and he gets at-bats. But (Aguilar is) a first baseman, so it's going to be at first base.

"I think it's important we get him some at-bats the first few weeks."

Counsell still isn't ready to divulge the team's pitching situation beyond naming Junior Guerra the opening-day starter and Zach Davies the No. 2. But for the time being the Brewers are going with four reserves in Aguilar, utility man Hernán Pérez, outfielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis and one of two catchers in Jett Bandy and Manny Piña.

That leaves the Brewers with 12 position players in camp. The Brewers have only one off-day in the first three weeks of the season, and an extra bullpen arm could come in handy should they decide to go with 13 pitchers.

"We have a lot of balls in the air, internally and externally," general manager David Stearns said. "We don't have to make those decisions yet."

Utility men Ivan De Jesus Jr. and Eric Sogard and catcher René Garcia were informed they wouldn't be on the opening-day roster, but will accompany the team to Milwaukee to take part in the team's weekend exhibition games against the Chicago White Sox at Miller Park.

If De Jesus is able to land a major-league job elsewhere, he would be free to leave the Brewers.

Teams don't have to set their final 25-man rosters until Saturday, and other players could become available up to that point the Brewers could be interested in adding. Last season they signed reliever Carlos Torres two days before the opener.

"There's still possibilities of things happening," Counsell said. "The position players are not necessarily set. But we've made decisions on the guys here. That's what the next six days are about.

"You see what's out there."

So far, so good: Leftfielder Ryan Braun closed out his Cactus League season in style by homering.

The schedule moving forward has Braun taking off Wednesday for the Brewers' Arizona finale, playing all of Friday's exhibition game against the White Sox at Miller Park and then part of Saturday's game as a final tuneup for opening day.

Braun hit .261 with three homers and six RBI in 23 at-bats – one fewer than minor-leaguer Lucas Erceg compiled, for comparison's sake. Never one to need much action in spring to prepare himself for the season, Braun's best accomplishment is heading into the season fully healthy.

"He's fine. He's healthy," Counsell said. "I feel like if we can get him in a good spot health-wise, it's kind of common sense that's the best chance that we're going to get the Ryan Braun season we expect. I'm very confident that if we have him healthy, he'll produce.

"That's kind of the way I approach it."

With Braun returning from off-season back surgery in 2016, Counsell spotted Braun periodic days off throughout the season in an attempt to keep him fresh and productive. He missed a stretch of games in May with wrist, neck and lower-back issues, but wound up playing in 135 games and hit .305 with 30 home runs and 91 RBI – his best season statistically since 2012.

Counsell will use a similar approach with Braun this season, he said.

"Whatever number it turns out to be, there's going to be off-days during the season," he said. "There's going to be looking ahead at the schedule and scheduled rest. Whatever the number is, let's get the best for 130, 140, 145 games or whatever.

"I think the specific number boils down to does he have anything, some small injury during the season that keeps him out for a week or something like that."

Still hurting: It's appearing likely the Brewers will place catcher Andrew Susac on the 10-day disabled list with tightness in his trapezius. Susac entered camp competing with Bandy and Piña for the two catching spots on the roster but hasn't been able to play since March 13.

Susac hit .192 with one run batted in and 15 strikeouts in 26 at-bats.

"Improving, I would say. But looking pretty unlikely that he's going to be healthy to start the season," Counsell said. "He's running out of days. You'll start to see him on the field. He's come down there for stretching and things like that. But he's not throwing, hitting, things like that.

"So he's becoming more active but not there yet."