The Brewers announced that they’ve designated right-hander Jhan Marinez for assignment and recalled lefty Brent Suter to take his place on the roster. The move makes the 27-year-old Suter the lone southpaw on what had been an entirely right-handed Brewers pitching staff.
[Related: Updated Milwaukee Brewers depth chart]
Marinez, 28, was acquired from the Rays in exchange for cash last season. The right-hander turned in a strong performance with the 2016 Brewers, logging a 3.22 ERA with 7.2 K/9 against 3.2 BB/9 in 58 2/3 innings, but he’s struggled to a 5.40 earned run average through his first 16 2/3 innings in 2017. More troubling, perhaps, is that after walking just 21 hitters all last season, Marinez has already issued 11 free passes.
Marinez does average nearly 95 mph on his fastball and has logged a 51.9 percent ground-ball rate across the past two seasons, so it’s possible that he could hold some intrigue to clubs in need of bullpen depth. However, he’s also out of minor league options (likely the primary factor behind Milwaukee designating him for assignment), so any club that picks him up will have to carry him on its 25-man roster.
Suter has seen action with the Brewers in each of the past two seasons, pitching a total of 29 innings with a 3.72 ERA, 6.2 K/9, 2.8 BB/9 and a 42.2 percent ground-ball rate. However, he’s also been shelled by lefties in the Majors, as same-handed opponents have clobbered him at a .356/.408/.511 clip. That production has come in an admittedly minuscule sample of 49 plate appearances, but Suter has never dominated southpaw hitters in the upper-minors, either.
I could see this coming. Marinez pitched 2.2 innings yesterday, which leaves the bullpen a bit thin for today. But worse, Marinez gave up a run in that outing while allowing SIX hits, a walk, and no strikeouts. Combined with his icky ERA to this point, you had to figure that a change was in the works.
Makes me wonder why the dfa him prior to the padres series and not after
What’s the difference?
‘Marinez does average nearly 95 mph on his fastball and has logged a 51.9 percent ground-ball rate…”
This a guy who is just waiting to become a Pirate. That is exactly what they look for in their reclamation projects.
Pirate look for first their command and ability to pitch in
Liriano struggled with command throughout his tenure with Pittsburgh.
4.1BB/9 throughout his time there. That is right in line with his career 4.0/9.
But- he was putting up ground ball numbers around 40-50% while throwing upper 90’s.