Decision Time Looms on DL Hall, Others, But Brewers Have None But Champagne Problems

[Matthew Trueblood]

Though they appear to have been trying to avoid it, the Brewers might need to use the final option year on their southpaw swingman--and even that won't alleviate their looming roster crunch. Right now, though, they only have good problems on their pitching staff, and good problems are no problem at all.

Image courtesy of © Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

It could be that, when the Brewers return home Friday to face the Reds and try to oust the last gasps of hope Cincinnati retains to come back in the NL Central, they have at their disposal yet another impressive left-handed hurler. DL Hall has made a number of rehab appearances, on a stop-and-start basis, and it's decision time for the team when it comes to reinstating him from the injured list.

Unless someone is nursing an unmentioned injury, adding Hall to the rotation would mean stretching that unit to six members. That's plausible, and perhaps even advisable, given that it's clear they'll need to pitch into October and that each current starter has some manner of workload concern worth monitoring. If the team does go that route, though, managing the bullpen quickly becomes a difficult juggling act for Pat Murphy, because he'd be down to seven relievers working behind a corps of starters who tend not to work very deep into games.

One alternative is to bring Hall back in a relief role, which worked well for him with Baltimore last fall. However, in addition to whatever developmental setbacks that might cause, it would surely squeeze either Joe Ross or Bryse Wilson off the roster. Hall is on the 60-day injured list, which means that whenever he comes back, the team has to create a spot on the 40-man roster for him, as well as one on the active roster. Losing either Ross or Wilson would be a bitter pill to swallow, though, because of what Wilson has meant to the team and the clubhouse over the last year and a half and because cutting either would reduce the team's stock of starting pitching depth, in case of an injury.

For that second reason, especially, it might make more sense to option Hall and have him to continue to work as a starter, stretched out at Nashville and ready to fill in if injury strikes. His performances in his rehab outings--especially a persistent lack of swing-and-miss and a persistent problem finding the fastball shape that made him such a prized acquisition over the winter--leave plenty of room to wonder whether he's as valuable to the current team as Ross or Wilson, even before accounting for the fact that he can be sent to the minors and they can't be.

The downside of sending down Hall would be that the team couldn't do it again next year. All his minor-league outings so far this season have officially been rehab appearances. The team hasn't used up an option on him yet, and if they do, it will be his last season of eligibility to be thus treated. If the Brewers still see potential in him but worry he might need further polishing in 2025, there would be some value in retaining that option year heading into this winter.

For me, though, that's a picayune little thought. The team should move beyond it. Either Hall will figure things out, and it will be clear by the end of spring training next year that he's a vital cog in their pitching staff, or he won't, and it will be clear by the end of spring training next year that the team needs to move on. He's not as young as his lack of big-league experience would suggest. He's had myriad injury issues. He's shown only inconsistent ability to succeed as a starter. The team should just option him and keep working to prepare him for the possibility of high-leverage spot starts or an emergency bullpen transition at the end of the season.

Even if they do so, though, they won't be out of the woods, roster-wise. Bryan Hudson has made multiple rehab appearances for Nashville already, and his stuff looks pretty much normal. Jared Koenig worked through some rocky patches coming back off the injured list after the All-Star break, but is back to full strength and mowed down Atlanta batters Wednesday night. The returns of Devin Williams and Ross and the trades the team made for Frankie Montas and Nick Mears have loaded the roster with hurlers whom they can't option, and whom they probably wouldn't consider demoting, anyway.

The optionable pitchers on the active roster are Williams, Tobias Myers, Koenig, Elvis Peguero, and Hoby Milner. It's unthinkable that Williams or Myers would be sent down, of course. Koenig has been too good, and while we all wait to see how much of Hudson's velocity comes back with him when he rejoins the roster, it's Koenig who offers the highest-octane stuff from the left side. Milner is such a rubber arm, and such a quiet but steady clubhouse presence, that sending him down feels unlikely, too. That leaves Peguero.

It's a little surprising how immune to being optioned Peguero has seemed to be, despite often being an apparent candidate during the team's roster shifts over the last two seasons. Since he came up from Nashville in mid-April 2023, Peguero has not gone back, despite inconsistent (though often brilliant) work out of the pen. It's hard to figure out how he'd avoid getting sent down or shelved for at least a short period this time, though. In addition to Hall and Hudson, Trevor Megill is perhaps a week away from a return; he could pitch for Nashville this weekend.

Again, Hall's move requires a 40-man swap somewhere, so it could involve jettisoning either Wilson or Ross. The easier move would be to dump Tyler Jay, who was recently optioned, especially if Hall himself is then optioned and stays in Nashville. Hudson's return will force someone from the group of Peguero, Milner, Wilson and Ross to go, though, and then Megill's will force another. Optioning Peguero, and maybe even Milner if no one else gets hurt in the process of these players marching back through the clubhouse doors, makes more sense than losing valuable pitching depth at this stage of the game, given the way the last two seasons have played out for the Crew.

Jacob Misiorowski is not on the 40-man roster, but he is on the radar for some late-season and postseason secret weapon work. Ditto for Craig Yoho. There's a crunch coming even after the crunch, then, although those two pose less of a problem. If the team wants to add either to the 40-man, they still have Aaron Ashby and Kevin Herget to drop therefrom, and as part of a bigger reorganization of the pitching staff in the very last days of the season, it would make more sense to cut Wilson or Ross, or one of them could be placed on the injured list to allow the team to make Misiorowski or Yoho eligible to pitch in the playoffs.

Whatever choices they make, the Brewers have an embarrassment of riches. They're six games up in the division, as pages keep tearing off the calendar, and they have more useful, healthy or healing pitchers than they can roster. They're not only surviving, but thriving--the envy of, perhaps, every other team in baseball. A bye to the DIvision Series is within reach, and a pitching staff more formidable than anyone else's come October is a remote but real possibility. They just need to spend some time sifting through their options.

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[Brian]

I sure haven't had much faith in Aaron Ashby the past couple years,  An exceptional outing for him would be 3 innings with 2 runs allowed or back on the injured list.  Personally I think he is shot or we could trade him for a prospect. 

[Matthew Trueblood]

4 minutes ago, Brian said:

I sure haven't had much faith in Aaron Ashby the past couple years,  An exceptional outing for him would be 3 innings with 2 runs allowed or back on the injured list.  Personally I think he is shot or we could trade him for a prospect. 

Well, his trade value is zero, or it's negative. But you can pretty safely DFA him, because no one else is going to claim him with the contract attached to him. He'd end up playing on that same deal in Nashville, as he is now, but not taking up a 40-man spot. I'm sure we'll see that happen some time in the next three weeks.

[Sixtolezcano]

The best move might be to keep Hall pitching in Nashville this season as long as possible.  I’m not familiar with the 60-day IL rules as how long he can continue his rehab stint. Even though he has pitched adequately during his rehab in the MiLB this year with all the other options available he is still down on the list of MLB ready pitchers. At this point in the season I would rule out even looking at him as a SP with the stats he accumulated with the Brewers earlier this year (16.1 IP, 7.71 ERA, 2.265 WHIP, 27 H, 10 BB, 4 HR) unless he would fill the 1 inning starter role. Pitchers that are ahead of him if healthy and ready as you noted would be; Megill, Hudson and Wilson. With the experience of Peguero, Milner and even Ross in a pressure filled pennant race they would be preferable to Hall’s 1 year with Baltimore in 2023. Misi and Yoho should be completely off the table unless utter disaster happens. There is no reason to do anything with Ashby any longer this year.

[Kripes - Brewers]

Recency bias from Joe Zarr's article the other day has me cringing a bit. If he's not right, he probably needs to stay down there and figure out what's missing from his fastball grip or arm angle, or move a bit along the rubber one way or another. Otherwise, it feels like they may be ready to cut bait on Joe Ross, doesn't it? He only signed a one year deal for $1.75M, so it won't hurt all that bad to cut him, and he doesn't seem to be particularly effective anyway. The rest of the guys are in there doing their thing. Hopefully Mears settles in a bit more after that debut game. These are the horses you have, so ride 'em!

[bensheeps]

With the Brewers listing "TBD" for Sunday's start, will that be Hall's move back into the rotation?  (Guess it could also be Ross coming back from the bullpen, but that's so much less exciting)

[Bratwithspecialsauce]

Peguero is an easy choice when the time comes to send someone down.  But it shouldn't be for Hall, who showed nothing before his injury. Wait until Hudson is ready to make a move.

Peguero has looked good on occasion but has come in and been very hittable with poor location on too many occasions.

Good article, spelling out all the options. Hall hasn't shown enough to warrant coming back up unless there is an injury.

When Hudson is ready, Peguero should go. Ross would be the second guy to go, although he seems to be effective for 2 to 3 inning stints, middle relief might be the best place for him..

[Team Canada]

Agree that it seems easiest to just leave Hall down, and Peguero has been inconsistent enough that you could justify (although he wouldn't like it I imagine) sending him down.
I would think Ross is far more likely to be jettisoned than Wilson, who's done solid work both as a starter and reliever.

Hoby has generally been solid and is always available, but with the emergence of Hudson and Koenig (and the aforementioned 40-man crunch coming), I wouldn't be surprised if he's not on the team next year.

[Outlander]

Not mentioned but Hall could still be optioned and still not lose that final option if he stays under that 20 day mark. By that time the rosters expand by another pitcher and no option lost.

If Hall is the first one ready to come off the IL the easiest thing to do is DFA Ashby and keep Hall down. Everybody stays in the organization and mantain depth.

 

[Jim French Stepstool]

A lot of opinions here, and pretty much all of them have merit as there are so many different directions they could take.

I think Ashby being dropped from the 40 is a real strong possibility, as well as Ross being released.

Unless he suddenly gets religion w/regards to the command, and I mean to the extent none of us expect at this point in his career, I wouldn't even consider Misiorowski in 2024. If it's between the two IMO Yoho is a better option for the 40-man.

 I think a phantom IL stint would happen to Milner before he's simply released. But you have options from the left side--let's say they believe in Zastryzny or even Jay filling a role--that it's not out of the question.

From the RH setup department, it looks like Payamps has firmly jumped over Peguero on the 'trust meter', so that increases the chances of Elvis' tour playing a short stint in Nashville (sorry, couldn't resist).😁

[BrewerFan]

9 hours ago, Sixtolezcano said:

The best move might be to keep Hall pitching in Nashville this season as long as possible.  I’m not familiar with the 60-day IL rules as how long he can continue his rehab stint. Even though he has pitched adequately during his rehab in the MiLB this year with all the other options available he is still down on the list of MLB ready pitchers. At this point in the season I would rule out even looking at him as a SP with the stats he accumulated with the Brewers earlier this year (16.1 IP, 7.71 ERA, 2.265 WHIP, 27 H, 10 BB, 4 HR) unless he would fill the 1 inning starter role. Pitchers that are ahead of him if healthy and ready as you noted would be; Megill, Hudson and Wilson. With the experience of Peguero, Milner and even Ross in a pressure filled pennant race they would be preferable to Hall’s 1 year with Baltimore in 2023. Misi and Yoho should be completely off the table unless utter disaster happens. There is no reason to do anything with Ashby any longer this year.

How does Peguero or Ross trump Hall's '23 performance in a playoff race or in the post-season?

Peguero pitched one year in a playoff race and threw a couple of innings as did Hall.

Ross hasn't done so since 2019 and he wasn't exactly a key pitcher for the Nats making 3 appearances in Sept and 2 in the post-season.

[Bashopolis]

Hoby Milner likely has a minor injury that will free up space in the 26 for Hall to get 3 or 4 multi-inning bullpen games.  
 

As Hudson and McGill are ready Ross may have another injury.  We are getting closer to slightly expanded rosters, I think the Brewers work shuffles to make sure they don’t totally cut anyone who has been contributing.