Peralta's future with Brewers seems bleak as he is unable to make transition to bullpen
The Milwaukee Brewers' brain trust knew it might be a somewhat difficult transition for Wily Peralta as he shifted from a spot in the starting rotation to the bullpen.
But they didn’t think it would be this bad.
“Frankly, it’s getting tough,” manager Craig Counsell said late Monday night in what might have been foreshadowing of Peralta’s fate with the club.
After getting roughed up again for four runs in an 8-1 loss to Pittsburgh at Miller Park, the numbers were just plain ugly. Peralta was moved from the rotation after posting a 6.08 earned run average over eight starts, with a 1.550 WHIP and .890 opponents’ OPS.
It has been even worse as a reliever. In nine games covering 13 2/3 innings, he has been tagged for 19 hits and 16 earned runs, resulting in a hideous 10.53 ERA and 2.195 WHIP. Overall, Peralta has a 7.21 ERA for the season with 64 hits and 28 walks allowed in 53 2/3 innings.
Peralta said his struggles reminded him of the start of last season, when he went 4-7 with a 6.68 ERA over his first 13 starts and was demoted to Class AAA Colorado Springs. When he returned nearly two months later, he was a changed pitcher and posted a 2.92 ERA over his final 10 outings.
BOX SCORE: Pirates 8, Brewers 1
RELATED:Garza, Peralta struggle in loss to Pirates
NOTES:Jonathan Villar almost ready for rehab assignment
MLB: Live scoreboard, box scores, standings, schedules
Where that pitcher went is anyone’s guess. He still is throwing with good velocity but can’t get the ball down. His sinker has vanished and his slider went with it, leaving him naked out there on the mound in terms of stuff. Understandably, his confidence has gone AWOL as well.
“It’s pretty much the same thing right now as (early) last year,” said Peralta, who allowed five hits, a walk and the four runs in only one inning of work. “It feels like my sinker stays flat every time I throw it.
“It’s rough right now but I’m trying to continue to work hard and figure it out. As a reliever, it’s different because as a starter you can have one bad inning and settle down after that. I feel like I have to make quick adjustments, so that’s a little different.
“Earlier it was (uncomfortable in the bullpen) but right now it feels pretty much normal. Everything is off right now, and I’m trying to put it together. I have to keep my head up and keep working.”
Peralta had a minor-league option remaining last year, allowing the Brewers to send him down to work on things. They don’t have that luxury this season, meaning they’d have to designate him for assignment to remove him from their roster.
The Brewers officially released former closer Neftali Feliz earlier in the day, eating the remainder of his $5.35 million contract, third highest on the club. Peralta is next in the financial pecking order at $4.275 million. Would the Brewers be willing to eat that money as well?
“Wily’s definitely struggling,” Counsell said. “We’re all kind of searching for answers. Obviously, we haven’t found any yet. So, at this point, we’ve got to keep searching. It’s been rough.”
Some folks wonder why the Brewers have stuck this long with Peralta, 28. Beyond the great stuff he flashes when on top of his game, the Brewers wanted to give him time to make the transition to relief. But the leash is likely only so long.
“We’re hoping at some point to make progress with (the switch),” Counsell said. “We haven’t made any progress up to this point. Frankly, it’s getting tough, so that’s where we’re at. There’s a lot of hard contact.”
Starting pitcher Matt Garza pitched in some bad luck during his outing. He didn’t get an outside fastball far enough outside in the sixth and Andrew McCutchen flicked his bat and poked it into the picnic area in right for a cheap two-run homer.
During a long two-run rally in the third inning, every ground ball found a hole.
“When we shifted right, they hit it left, and when we shifted left, they hit it right,” said Garza, shaking his head.
Peralta did not pitch in bad luck, however. And, now, the Brewers must decide if it can go on any longer.