Brewers make Boone Logan deal official, add reliever J.J. Hoover on minor-league deal

The Milwaukee Brewers' bullpen, an area of strength in 2017 before suffering some key losses after the season, began to take new shape Wednesday with the additions of two veteran relievers, left-hander Boone Logan and right-hander J.J. Hoover.

Logan, 33, had come to terms previously on a one-year deal with a club option for 2019 that guarantees a minimum of $2.5 million. Hoover, 30, signed a minor-league deal with an invitation to big-league spring camp and will get a $1.1 million salary if he makes the Brewers' roster.

The Brewers made room on the 40-man roster for Logan with a somewhat surprising move. Right-hander Taylor Jungmann, a first-round draft pick in 2011, was given his release to pursue an opportunity in Japan.

Brewers general manager David Stearns has been looking for established relief help since allowing workhorses Carlos Torres and Jared Hughes (67 games each in '17) to become free agents and losing valuable setup man Anthony Swarzak to a two-year deal with the New York Mets.

"We are going to go into spring training with some competition," Stearns said. "I don't know we'll have an exact formulation of what the bullpen is going to be, but we are giving ourselves options. As we make some of these moves, the shape of our bullpen is more defined."

Asked if he will pursue more bullpen help, Stearns said, "We're open to adding. I do think we've built some nice depth in that area with the guys coming back from last year and the arms we've added, both with minor-league deals and major-league deals.

"I do think we're getting to the point where we're in a good spot. ...There are a lot of pitchers out there still, and a lot of players in general. We're engaged (in talks), and we'll see where it leads."

Logan, a side-arm specialist, has pitched 12 seasons in the majors for the Chicago White Sox, Atlanta, New York Yankees, Colorado and Cleveland. His 2017 season with the Indians was cut short by a strained lat muscle behind his pitching shoulder, but the Brewers were convinced by his physical exam that he will be fully healthy in spring training.

"He's a pitcher with a significant track record of being a successful major-league reliever, particularly against left-handed hitters," Stearns said. 

"Ultimately, we did our medical due diligence. We believe he will be ready in spring training. The goal is to get a healthy Boone Logan because we believe a healthy Boone Logan is going to be effective."

Logan has been used almost exclusively against left-handed hitters during his career, holding them to a .234 batting average over 619 games with a .672 OPS. Righties have compiled a .846 OPS against him.

The Brewers could have two other lefties in the bullpen – Josh Hader and Brent Suter, both of whom have starting backgrounds. Thus, if Logan is used primarily against lefties, Stearns said there will be coverage with other relievers, including right-handers Jacob Barnes and Jeremy Jeffress.

"It really depends on the makeup of the bullpen in its entirety," Stearns said. "If you look at our bullpen right now, we are likely to have length from multiple sources. So, you can afford to have someone who might be a little shorter (in batters faced).

"We actually do think Boone has the ability, with his stuff, to be more than a left-on-left guy. But, clearly, that's been his track record."

Logan was 1-0 with a 4.71 ERA in 38 games last season for Cleveland before suffering the high-grade lat strain on July 19. He will receive a $1.875 million salary in 2018 with a club option for 2019 at $4.125 million, with a $625,000 buyout. He can earn as much as $3.2 million in incentives both years.

Hoover, 30, pitched for Arizona last season, but the Brewers are more familiar with his work from the prior five years, when he worked out of Cincinnati's bullpen. Overall, in 288 games in the majors, he has posted a 19-20 record and 4.09 ERA, with 240 hits and 139 walks allowed in 283 2/3 innings, with 294 strikeouts.

Hoover has a 1.336 WHIP in the majors with 4.4 walks per nine innings and a ratio of 9.3 strikeouts. 

"He has a nice fastball/slider mix," Stearns said. "He's able to generate swing and misses with both (pitches). He's had fairly consistently high strikeout rates at the major-league level."

After a tough and abbreviated showing with the Reds in 2016 (13.50 ERA in 18 games), Hoover bounced back with Arizona last season. In 52 appearances, he posted a 3.92 ERA with 54 strikeouts in 41 1/3 innings, though he did have a 1.766 WHIP, due in large part to his ratio of 5.7 walks per nine innings.

Not wanting to go through the arbitration process with Hoover after the season, the Diamondbacks did not tender him a contract for 2018, making him a free agent.

"We noted him as a player to pursue on a minor-league deal," Stearns said. "He's had success at the major-league level. Except for 2016, he has been a pretty consistent reliever. He'll come to camp and compete for a spot in our bullpen, and we're certainly happy to have him on board.

"Ultimately, the guys who perform are the guys who work their way into higher leverage situations. We saw that last year. Roles change throughout the year."

With two first-round picks in the 2011 draft, the Brewers selected highly regarded college pitchers Jed Bradley (Ga. Tech) and Jungmann (Texas), expecting both to have success in their starting rotation at some point. But Bradley eventually was released without making it to Milwaukee, and now Jungmann is gone after only briefly experiencing success in 2015 (9-8, 3.77 in 21 starts).

Jungmann, 28, began the '17 season in the Brewers' bullpen but was sent to Class AA Biloxi after only one appearance. He was promoted later to Class AAA Colorado Springs and excelled there (9-2, 2.59) but was not called up in September despite the Brewers being in dire need of help with an injury-thinned rotation.

"Any time you have talented players, it's tough to let go," Stearns said. "In this case, we worked with Taylor and his representation to try to find a good situation for him. Taylor performed well at Triple-A level last year (but) never got an opportunity at the major-league level.

"He was coming back to spring training as an out-of-options player. At this point, he had real interest in pursuing something overseas."

Once it is announced which Japanese team is signing Jungmann, the Brewers will receive financial compensation from that club.