Once-Convoluted Milwaukee Brewers Roster Picture is Coming into Focus

[Jack Stern]

After a spring training of twists and turns involving the infield and pitching plans, the Brewers are inching closer to finalizing the roster they’ll take to New York next week.

Image courtesy of © Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Pat Murphy succinctly summarized the challenges he and the front office face in crafting the Brewers’ initial 26-man roster.

“It’s hard,” Murphy said on Tuesday, minutes after meeting with Matt Arnold and other Brewers executives to discuss precisely that. “We sat and went over every scenario we’re talking about right now. We didn’t solve anything.”

With Opening Day a week away, the catching tandem of William Contreras and Eric Haase is the only position fully set in stone. Club decision-makers already had to mull moving pieces around the infield, and recent injuries have further complicated the process on both sides of the ball.

Blake Perkins fractured his right shin early in camp, cutting into the outfield depth. After the Brewers flipped their preferred middle infield alignment, moving Brice Turang to shortstop and Joey Ortiz to second base, the former’s shoulder ailment prompted them just as abruptly to switch it back. DL Hall, Aaron Ashby, Tobias Myers, and Nick Mears will open the year on the injured list, making the pitching puzzle more complex.

While not every question has been answered decisively, things are starting to take shape after the latest round of cuts and an approaching decision deadline for a handful of players.

On the pitching side, Brewers camp is down to the 13 hurlers who will not begin the season on the injured list and figure to comprise half of the roster:

• Freddy Peralta
• Nestor Cortes
• Aaron Civale
• Jose Quintana
• Tyler Alexander
• Trevor Megill
• Jared Koenig
• Joel Payamps
• Bryan Hudson
• Elvis Peguero
• Abner Uribe
• Connor Thomas
• Elvin Rodriguez

Murphy confirmed that Peralta, Cortes, and Civale will start the first three games of the season in New York. He also said Peralta will start the sixth game of the year against the Kansas City Royals, indicating the Brewers do not plan to utilize a four-man rotation through its first turn with an early off day.

The skipper stopped short of naming Tyler Alexander the fourth starter in Myers’s stead, but the signs point that way after he stretched to four innings in his latest Cactus League outing. Quintana will round out the rotation, but not until he’s ready to go after a delayed start to spring training. Because he’d likely be ready before the 15-day minimum absence mandated by an injured list placement or agreed-upon optional assignment, he’ll likely make the roster regardless of his immediate availability.

The Brewers could still recall Logan Henderson or Chad Patrick shortly into the season to cover innings, particularly if Quintana isn’t ready to go for the season’s fifth game. Murphy also raised the possibility of waiting until the club’s road trip at the end of April to recall Uribe to serve his suspension, in which case it would likely recall Grant Anderson to round out the initial bullpen. In any case, they’ll exchange an optionable reliever for a fresh one from Triple A a few days into the season, if not sooner.

On the position player side, the Brewers optioned Andruw Monasterio on Wednesday, and they must inform non-roster veterans Mark Canha, Jake Bauers, and Manuel Margot by Friday morning whether they’ve made the team.

So as not to tip the club’s hand, Murphy said the Brewers could roster more than one of those veterans, but assuming Caleb Durbin will join Vinny Capra as the other part-time infielder, it seems those three non-roster guys are competing for the final spot on the bench. Tyler Black also remains in camp, but is still an apparent odd man out due to his continued lack of defensive improvement at first base.

As somewhat versatile pieces who can play first base and the corner outfield, Canha and Bauers appear to be the leading contenders for the last spot. Bauers has outperformed Canha this spring, posting a .985 OPS compared to his competitor’s .511. However, Canha has never performed well in preseason play, and his signature plate discipline has still looked strong. Murphy has also intimated repeatedly that the Brewers perceive Bauers as the more likely of the pair to accept a reassignment to Triple A.

A surprise roster decision could still be in the cards, but it is becoming less likely by the day. What was a convoluted roster puzzle is starting to come together, and there should be even more clarity by the weekend.

View full article

[Outlander]

Did they give any indication how they will "exchange an optionable reliever for a fresh one from Triple A a few days into the season" since they wouldn't have spent the minimum amount in the minors. In particular Patrick and Henderson. Is Uribe somehow going to get hurt during his suspension so they can be called up?

[sveumrules]

Feels like having both Capra and Durbin on the MLB roster would be a little redundant (pun intentional).

I’d personally keep Margot and Canha for the last two spots so Caleb can get regular playing time in Nashville.

[JohnBriggs12]

I think Murphy would love to keep both Canha and Bauers.  I'm guessing if they can't trade Capra, they'll DFA him and hope he clears waivers.