Reliever J.J. Hoover changed his pitching style a bit in making a bid for Brewers' bullpen

PHOENIX – In terms of making the Milwaukee Brewers’ opening day roster, reliever J.J. Hoover knows his fate will be decided in the next few days.

Hoover also knows there’s nothing he can do about it but keep pitching as well as he has all spring.

“I feel like I’ve thrown the ball as good as I ever have, honestly,” said Hoover, who signed a minor-league deal over the winter with an invitation to big-league camp.

“I am pleased. We’ll wait and see what happens over the next couple of days.”

Hoover, 30, has done all he can to make an impression on the Brewers’ decision makers. He has not allowed a run in seven Cactus League appearances, though a tainted run did cross the plate in a minor-league appearance Monday on an off day for the major-league team.

RELATED: Corey Ray finally healthy, looking to bounce back in 2018

RELATED: Wade Miley, Boone Logan suffer injuries in Brewers' exhibition game

CAMP REPORT: Thames homers as Brewers outlast A's, 4-3.

BOX SCORE: Brewers 4, A's 3

Hoover has been getting his outs in a different manner, however, especially for a power pitcher who averaged 11.8 strikeouts per nine innings last season with Arizona. Over seven innings, he has surrendered just three hits and no walks but has struck out only two hitters.

“It doesn’t line up with what he did last year," manager Craig Counsell said. "But he keeps having good outings and generating soft contact. He keeps doing his job. His slider is his best pitch but the fastball has been effective this spring.”

The change in Hoover’s modus operandi has come at the suggestion of Derek Johnson, a thinking man’s pitching coach who constantly explores ways to make his proteges better. Johnson convinced Hoover to rely on his fastball just as much, if not more, as his slider.

Last season with the Diamondbacks, Hoover threw his fastball 57.7% of the time and slider 35%.

“D.J. has really helped me,” Hoover said. “He challenged me to be ‘more fine’ with my fastball. That has helped me with weak contact and some fast outs. That’s good for a reliever.

“The only thing that changed was being more focused on truly executing my fastball. That’s what I’ve been doing.  It’s spring training; those (hitters) are super aggressive. But it’s been working.”

The Brewers appear to have six spots locked up in their bullpen with Corey Knebel, Boone Logan, Matt Albers, Josh Hader, Jacob Barnes and Jeremy Jeffress. That likely leaves two spots in what is expected to be an eight-man reliever corps.

Not being on the 40-man roster could work against Hoover making the club, and there’s a chance one of the candidates for the rotation could slide into the pen.

“It’s too much for me to think about,” Hoover said. “All I can do is go out and pitch. I feel even if you have a guaranteed deal, you have to make the club. You have to go out there and show you can still do what you know you can do.”