The Brewers have claimed right-hander Chi Chi Gonzalez off waivers from the Twins, per a club announcement. Right-hander Freddy Peralta was transferred from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day injured list to make room on the 40-man roster. Minnesota had both selected Gonzalez’s contract for a spot start and subsequently designated him for assignment over the weekend. He’d also been up for a start as a Covid-related replacement when the Twins were in Toronto.
The Twins signed Gonzalez to a minor league pact over the winter and got some decent innings out of him in Triple-A St. Paul, where he posted a 3.44 ERA with a 23.2% strikeout rate and 9.3% walk rate in 36 2/3 innings (five starts, three relief appearances). Gonzalez tallied seven total big league frames with the Twins but was tagged for six runs on the strength of a dozen hits, including two homers.
A former first-round pick of the Rangers back in 2013 (23rd overall), Gonzalez has now seen action in parts of six Major League seasons between Texas, Colorado and Minnesota but has never had much success. He posted a 3.90 ERA in 67 innings as a rookie in 2015, but he did so while walking more hitters (11.4%) than he struck out (10.7%), so that production never felt sustainable. Indeed, in 201 2/3 frames since that rookie showing, he’s pitched to a collective 6.29 ERA with just a 14.2% strikeout rate (albeit against a solid enough 8.4% walk rate).
Though he hasn’t had much in the way of Major League success, Gonzalez clearly showed enough with the Twins to pique the interest of a Milwaukee front office that has done well when it comes to coaxing new levels of performance from pitchers. The 2022 version of Gonzalez, notably, is a bit different than prior iterations, too. He’s entirely scrapped his curveball, going from a five-pitch mix to a more concise four-pitch mix: sinker, four-seamer, changeup, slider. Gonzalez had begun to move away from the sinker in 2019 upon signing with the Rockies, but he’s using it nearly a quarter of the time in 2022 and enjoying standout ground-ball rates both in Triple-A (55.7%) and the big leagues (55.6%) as a result. He’s also back to sitting at 92 mph with the sinker after seeing his average velocity dip to 90.6 mph in 2021.
Gonzalez doesn’t have any minor league options remaining, so the Brewers will try to elevate his game while he’s working at the big league level. There’s no immediate need in the rotation even with injuries to Peralta and Brandon Woodruff, as the Brewers are getting strong work from Corbin Burnes, breakout lefty Eric Lauer, rookie Aaron Ashby and quietly solid righty Adrian Houser. Rookie Jason Alexander has given them a handful of good starts, too, though like a younger Gonzalez, he’s walked more hitters than he’s fanned along the way. It’s possible Gonzalez will get a spot start for the Brewers, but he’ll otherwise likely be ticketed for a long relief role for now.
I like this move with all our injuries rn, maybe he can throw 50 solid innings with a solid 3 era in a few spot starts
What would make you think he’s capable of that? He has a 5.69 career ERA and has never come close to a 3.00 ERA in any of his six seasons.
Brewers have done it so many times over the last few years it is possible.
Guy hasn’t had a 3 ERA in a long time. I bet you get 50 innings of high 4 ERA at best
Stay off the drugs please
The Twins would have kept him if he could have done that. Likely ERA of 5+
Why didn’t the Giants get ChiChi?
Makes no sense to pick this guy up when you got Small in the minors ready. Once again just trying to manipulate time and then we sit at the end of year with no WS.
Small has less than 140IP for his minors career. Over 40 just this season. They are protecting his usage as I for 1 would prefer Small to be able to pitch in September games vs being shutdown right after the trade deadline. There’s limits I believe this season on shuttling players from minors. And team needs a bat desperately. Expect him to go via a trade with 1 of the 1st rd OFs. It’s comical the under-performance the hitting jas been for last 6? Seasons now
Another dumpster dive for Stearns. It might be time for him to move on to the Mets. Obviously he can’t get the Brewers over the winning the central hump.
Pitching may be the depth the Brewers need to use to get a bat before the deadline. Let’s see what he can do.
Twins fan here. He was a human batting practice machine during his disastrous 2 starts over here. The way pitchers are going on the IL, it is what it is. Options are limited.
Unless another starter goes down, my guess is he’ll be used out of the pen. I don’t know enough about him to say that will make much difference in results, but I think we have the rotation covered..for now.
I speak for Twins fans everywhere when I say a sincere thanks to the Milwaukee front office.
You wouldn’t by chance be interested in Cole Sands as well?
Why is Sands still pitching!? I’m so confused by that
Mr Adams,
I see you fixed your BOO BOO, paragraph #2, line #4, word #2.
I wasn’t sure if you were referring to Derrek Rodriguez or Chi Chi Rodriguez.