The Brewers have designated right-hander Gus Varland for assignment, reports Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. His roster spot will go to righty J.B. Bukauskas, per Hogg.
Varland, 26, was selected from the Dodgers in the most recent Rule 5 draft. He made Milwaukee’s Opening Day roster and was able to make six appearances by the middle of April, with a 2.70 ERA in that time. Unfortunately, the last of those appearances saw him get struck by a comebacker off the bat of Manny Machado. Although X-rays were negative, Varland was placed on the 15-day injured list the next day with a right hand contusion.
He was reinstated from the injured list last week but his most recent appearances haven’t gone well. His first stint off the IL saw him walk three batters, hit another and allow one hit across 1 1/3 innings but he managed to escape without any earned runs crossing the plate. He wasn’t so lucky last night, as he was torched for nine earned runs in two thirds of an inning, spiking his season ERA to 11.42.
Now that he’s been designated for assignment, the Brewers will have a week to trade him or pass him through waivers. If any other club were to acquire him, they would still be bound by the Rule 5 framework, meaning they have to keep Varland in the majors or on the IL all season long in order to retain his future rights. If he goes through waivers unclaimed, he will be offered back to the Dodgers.
Damn he was my pre season pick for cy young
Poor guy was doing just fine up until yesterday’s really bad outing giving up 9 runs…
Being such a small sample size though, and that he missed about a month, he was doing okay, but not great. He had some luck getting out of an outing or two without it being worse from games I’ve seen to.
That being said, I’m sure he can work it out in the minors somewhere and catch on elsewhere and maybe be fine. I doubt he clears waivers though and I believe if he does, I think he was a rule 5 draft pick, so I believe they’d have to offer him back to the dodgers. So his time may be up as a brewer.
He will almost certainly clear waivers because any other team is bound by Rule 5 and must put him on the 26 in order to keep him.
Almost certainly back to the Dodgers (or traded).
What happens if the Dodgers don’t want him back? Assuming they can DFA him or..?
I’ve wondered that too since I’ve never heard of it happening.
The Brewers paid 100K for him and the rule states the Dodgers would have to pay 50K to reclaim him.
I suppose if they don’t want him–which means he will have cleared waivers–that he remains with the Brewers.
It’s hard to imagine any other scenario. I suppose most teams take their prospects back if they liked them, gaining 50K in the long run and letting some other team take the developmental lumps.
I can’t imagine he would have to clear waivers a second time if the Dodgers now think he’s not worth a 50K flyer.
Hop on the bus, Gus.
You cost us, time for Bukauskas.
This guy was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The Cardinals woke up and exploded. This poor guy was just directly in the line of fire.
It was more of a combination. He’d walked a couple tightropes and narrowly escaped but his luck ran out.