With Less Than A Week Of Spring Training Remaining, The Brewers Make More Cuts

[Ryan Pollak]

With questions surrounding Eric Haase, the starting rotation, and the rest of the bullpen still looming, the Brewers reduced their roster to 31.

Image courtesy of © Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

We are now less than a week away from Opening Day, and the Brewers are still figuring out their roster.

Besides the All-Stars on the roster, we already know Jackson Chourio has made the roster, Devin Williams and Wade Miley will begin the season on the IL, and Sal Frelick could be a regular at third base. However, before the Brewers split-squad games Thursday afternoon, Brewers beat writer Curt Hogg reported a few roster cuts.

Christian Arroyo signed a minor league deal with the Brewers. He would compete with Andruw Monasterio, Brice Turang, Joey Ortiz, Vinny Capra, and Oliver Dunn for spots on the roster.

Entering today, Arroyo hit .182/.217/.227 with four hits and three RBI. With Pat Murphy confirming Turang as the starting second baseman and Frelick and Monasterio logging more time at third base, it seemed like a matter of time before the Brewers reassigned Arroyo to the minors.

He does have an opt-out clause in his contract, so there is a chance we may have seen the last of Arroyo in a Brewers uniform. With this move, the Brewers infield seems all but set.

As for Joey Weimer, he was one of the six outfielders remaining in major league camp. Christian Yelich was guaranteed a spot, and Chourio was already confirmed to be on the team. This leaves Weimer, Frelick, Blake Perkins, and Garrett Mitchell to battle for the remaining spots on the roster.

In 50 plate appearances, Weimer was hitting a .200/.280/.200 stat line striking out 15 times, more than the number of bases he has collected (9).

Yelich, Chourio, and Frelick round out the outfield. Mitchell will have plenty of opportunities when Frelick plays the hot corner. Whether the Brewers decide to keep Perkins as a fifth outfielder remains to be seen.

Ashby has only had two spring training game outings but has thrown simulated games throughout the spring. Recent reports suggest he was consistently touching 92-94 MPH.

The Brewers have spoken highly of Ashby this offseason, hoping to get him starts this season. He will continue his recovery from his shoulder injury in Nashville.

The rotation is looking clearer by the day. Peralta and Rea are the only confirmed starters. Murphy has said he’d prefer to see Joe Ross as a starter, but it hasn’t been confirmed that he’s made the roster. DL Hall, Jakob Junis, and Bryse Wilson are still fighting for spots in the rotation but are expected to take a good chunk of innings.

With Weimer and Ashby optioned To Triple-A and Arroyo reassigned, there are now 31 players remaining in major league camp. This includes Miley and Williams, who are both expected to start on the injured list at the beginning of the season.

Should that be the case, the Brewers must cut three more players before the regular season begins next Thursday. The Crew must decide on two pitchers since MLB allows a maximum of 13 on the 26-man roster.

As for the final position player, Eric Haase is the biggest decision the club still has to make. Will the team carry three catchers? Could the Brewers send down Perkins and use Haase and Jake Bauers as emergency outfielders? Stay tuned.

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[Rick Daltons Flamethrower]

Would be great if Haase could be traded ... catchers are a commodity.

[Jim French Stepstool]

I was a proponent all along of Wiemer & Ashby starting the year at Nashville, save for a red-hot spring which obviously didn't happen. 

I'd be curious to know how hard--if at all--they checked out the FA starters floating around.

[BrewerFan]

2 hours ago, Jim French Stepstool said:

I was a proponent all along of Wiemer & Ashby starting the year at Nashville, save for a red-hot spring which obviously didn't happen. 

I'd be curious to know how hard--if at all--they checked out the FA starters floating around.

I wasn't necessarily in favor of starting the year in AAA(I do want to get that year back for Wiemer)...but I thought STing would just clear it up. That's what happened and it happened to the two most obvious candidates. 

Wiemer has as much upside as any position player other than Chourio(I am not saying he's the #2 prospect) and Ashby...I think people forget how electric he was. As long as he's making progress, let him continue to do so. He's so filthy when he's on, it's ridiculous.

[Jim French Stepstool]

8 hours ago, BrewerFan said:

 

Wiemer has as much upside as any position player other than Chourio(I am not saying he's the #2 prospect) and Ashby...I think people forget how electric he was. As long as he's making progress, let him continue to do so. He's so filthy when he's on, it's ridiculous.

I was crowing about Wiemers' tools & upside all last year; I agree with you. Sometimes wonder what kind of year he'd have had If Urias & Mitchell hadn't gone down early & he stayed with a 'normal' progression at Nashville.

Agree about Ashby too. Now it's just a question of getting enough command back where he can work from ahead.