Brewers designate Kirk Nieuwenhuis for assignment
With their bullpen thin on fresh arms after a busy start to the week, the Milwaukee Brewers recalled left-hander Brent Suter from Class AAA Colorado Springs on Friday to return to an eight-man bullpen.
In order to make room for Suter, outfielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis was designated for assignment.
"We were at a point where we needed relievers. That was really the genesis of the move," manager Craig Counsell said. "We just have to have additional inning coverage in our bullpen in case something happens like a short start, an extra-inning game. Even a standard game, we need arms to kind of rest some guys in the right situations and not have to pitch guys in the wrong situations.
"That was the reason for it."
Nieuwenhuis, 29, was hitting .080 with one home run and one run batted in with 15 strikeouts in 25 at-bats. He started five games as Keon Broxton received the lion's share of playing time in center field. He was a popular player in the clubhouse and a favorite of Counsell's, but the need for a bullpen reinforcement won out.
"It was tough to DFA Kirk, for sure," Counsell said. "For me, he was a great member of this team as far as how he went about his business and how he treated everybody. He did a good job for us. He was off to a bit of a slow start this year but he did a nice job for us last year.
"We have a lot of players at that position coming, but I think currently he was still pretty valuable. So he's tough to lose."
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The Brewers claimed Nieuwenhuis off waivers from the New York Mets on Dec. 23, 2015, and he proved to be a valuable reserve in 2016. He hit .209 with career highs of 13 homers and 44 RBI in 125 games but was especially effective in the 47 games he played at Miller Park, where he hit .290/11/31.
Taking Nieuwenhuis off the roster leaves the Brewers a bit vulnerable in center, where only Broxton has significant experience. Milwaukee has four players at Colorado Springs capable of playing center in top prospect Lewis Brinson along with Brett Phillips, Ryan Cordell and Kyle Wren, but the plan, for now, is to use utility man Hernán Pérez.
Pérez has made one start in center this season and seven in 2016.
"We're thin," Counsell said. "HP is going to have some duties out there. Obviously, Broxton is the main guy, but Hernán is going to have to play out there a little bit."
Broxton returning to his late 2016 form would alleviate some of the concern about the lack of depth. He was hit in the face by a pitch April 6 and is hitting just .119 with one homer, two RBI and 21 strikeouts in 42 at-bats.
"The goal here is to get Keon going," Counsell said. "That's the important thing. We have to get that happening first."
As for Suter, it will be his second stint with the Brewers this season; he posted a 10.80 earned run average in three appearances (3 1/3 innings) after being recalled when Junior Guerra suffered a strained right calf on opening day.
The Brewers were able to beat the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday despite setup man Corey Knebel and closer Neftali Feliz both being ruled off-limits before the game after each threw 30 or more pitches Wednesday in Chicago. Counsell used Oliver Drake, Jhan Mariñez and Carlos Torres to get to Jacob Barnes in the ninth, who delivered his first save of the season.
"They all did a nice job," Counsell said. "They got big outs and we got them matched up against the right guys. It was a good group effort from those four guys."
Garza to start: Counsell said that Matt Garza will return to the rotation and make his first start of the season Monday against the Cincinnati Reds.
Garza has been on the disabled list since March 31 with a strained right groin suffered in his final Cactus League start. He finished a two-start minor-league rehab assignment Monday.
Left-hander Tommy Milone went 1-0 with a 5.14 ERA in three starts in Garza's place. His best outing came in his final start Wednesday, a five-inning, five-strikeout performance against the Cubs.
"I’m eager to see him pitch," Counsell said of Garza. "I know he’s anxious. He had to wait a little longer, but he’s ready to go."
The Brewers asked Garza to throw more off-speed pitches in spring training in an attempt to get him more comfortable with expanding his repertoire in the regular season. He went 6-8 with a 4.51 ERA in 19 starts in 2016 and used his fastball more than he had since 2010 (68.9%).
"The purpose of spring training was not to change who he is. It’s just to give him other possibilities during a game and other ways out, if that makes sense," Counsell said. "More weapons. More choices.
"You still rely on who you are and what you’re really good at, but you’re also able to shift gears if you need to a little bit."