Brewers Claim Danny Ray Herrera Off Waivers

The Brewers claimed reliever Danny Ray Herrera off waivers from the division-rival Reds, reports John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer.  The Brewers will have to open a spot on the 40-man roster for the 5'6" lefty, who is currently at Triple-A.  Baseball Prospectus' Kevin Goldstein first tweeted that Milwaukee made the claim on Herrera.

The 26-year-old Herrera came to the Reds from the Rangers in December of 2007 along with Edinson Volquez for Josh Hamilton.  Herrera logged 92 big league innings from 2008-10, posting a 3.62 ERA, 6.5 K/9, 3.2 BB/9, and 0.8 HR/9.  Against southpaws, he has a 7.2 K/9, 2.7 BB/9, and 0.41 HR/9 in 44 career innings.  He's the definition of a soft-tosser, with an average fastball in the 83-84 mile per hour range.  Herrera's out pitch is a screwball, as ESPN's Tim Kurkjian explained in this article a couple of years ago.

The Brewers are the only contender currently without a left-handed reliever on the active roster.  Zach Braddock, Manny Parra, and Mitch Stetter are all on the DL.