Brewers Swap Oliver Dunn and Caleb Durbin in Hopeful Infield Upgrade

The Brewers are shaking up their infield mix. The club announced on Thursday morning that it had optioned third baseman Oliver Dunn to Triple-A Nashville, and MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy reported that Caleb Durbin will be promoted for his big-league debut this weekend.

It’s still early, but Milwaukee has experienced dreadful offense at the hot corner. Through 20 games, Brewers third basemen have combined for a 12 wRC+ that ranks 29th out of 30 teams. 

Most of the playing time has gone to Dunn, who received the initial opportunity on the strong side of a platoon with Vinny Capra. However, an early string of left-handed opposing starters and Dunn’s low floor limited his offensive contributions. Unfortunately, the work he’s put in on his swing has not paid off, as the issues that hindered him last year have not subsided at all. Pitchers continue to attack him relentlessly in the strike zone, with the confidence that he won’t touch such pitches—and they’ve again been proven correct.

Dunn’s power and speed still give him a tantalizingly high floor, and Pat Murphy emphasized his potential on Wednesday. However, he’s never received an extended chance to develop in Triple A. A long-term demotion could prove beneficial.

Durbin’s offense comes with its own questions (most importantly, whether he can achieve any game power in the big leagues), but the Brewers will hope he can provide a boost. The greater concern is his defense. Primarily a second baseman for most of his career, the 25-year-old’s reads and actions at third base were rough in spring training, and it’s been a mixed bag in Nashville. Nonetheless, the Brewers evidently see him as the best option there for the time being.