Brewers left-hander Justin Wilson began a rehab assignment yesterday, per Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. The lefty required Tommy John surgery in June of last year and Milwaukee signed him knowing that he would miss the first half of 2023 even in a best-case scenario. He’s making $850K this year and the club has a $2.5MM option for next season with a $150K buyout.
The 35-year-old has plenty of experience as a solid left-handed reliever, having appeared in 527 career games with an ERA of 3.41. He’s struck out 25.9% of batters faced, walked 10.7% of them and kept the ball on the ground at a 46.8% rate. If he’s able to get healthy and back to his old self, he could give the club a second lefty in the bullpen alongside Hoby Milner.
Wilson will likely need some time to get into game shape, but the fact that he’s beginning a rehab assignment barely a year after going under the knife is an encouraging sign that things are progressing well. His health and performance down the stretch will undoubtedly impact how much interest the Brewers have in picking up that option.
Some other health notes from around the league…
- Athletics right-hander Drew Rucinski has had a frustrating season in the health department and those frustrations seem to be continuing. He landed on the injured list in late May due to a stomach illness but that was followed by a low-grade MCL sprain in his right knee suffered during a bullpen session. Now Martín Gallegos of MLB.com relays that Rucinski will be undergoing MRIs on his left hip and lower back due to some apparent degenerative changes. That testing will hopefully shed some light on what’s ahead for the righty, whose return to North America isn’t going as hoped. He parlayed a strong performance in the KBO into a $3MM deal with the A’s plus a $5MM club option for 2024. He began the year on the IL due to a hamstring strain then got healthy enough to make four starts, allowing 18 earned runs in 18 innings before this recent cascade of setbacks. He’s already been transferred to the 60-day injured list and isn’t eligible to return until late July.
- Twins right-hander Brock Stewart was placed on the 15-day injured list yesterday, retroactive to June 26, with right elbow soreness. His agent Joe Speed told Darren Wolfson of Skor North that it wasn’t a big issue and expressed confidence that Stewart would be able to contribute in the second half of the season. Manager Rocco Baldelli also seemed to think it wouldn’t be a huge problem, telling Bobby Nightengale of the Star Tribune that it appeared to be a minor bout of tendinitis. If it ultimately proves to be true that it’s no big deal, that’s a tremendous break for the Twins. Stewart has been utterly dominant this year, with an ERA of 0.70 through 25 2/3 innings, striking out 35.4% of opponents against an 11.1% walk rate. It’s been an incredible comeback story for a guy who is in the big leagues for the first time since 2019 and the club would undoubtedly be thrilled if he could make a quick return after the All-Star break.
Never did I even expect Phillies legend Hoby Milner to be mainstain of the Brewers bullpen. Congrats to him
From yesterday and unreported here.
Padres Steven Wilson was placed on the 15 day IL yesterday with a right pectoral strain
Yu Darvish was scratched from his scheduled start with “illness”. .
mlb.com/padres/news/padres-injuries-and-roster-mov…
At least try to keep up guys.
You said it Pads Fans.
I commented yesterday that I thought I was surprised at how the Matthew Boyd injury wasn’t reported after he left his start early or even the next day. It wasn’t until it was determined that TJ was happening the post went up.
Dan Rudinzki or however it’s spelled gets a post but not Stephen Wilson or Yu?
But Max Scherzer has been heard to say he would consider (insert Dumb and Dumber “so you’re saying there is a chance?” here – waive his no trade clause!
If only Wilson could hit – another reliever is not at the top of their list of needs
The Padres relief staff have handed away 6 of their last 10 leads. Yes, reliever is a huge need for the Padres.
The Padres have 5 players with an above average OPS+ for the season, both Soto and Tatis Jr. are top 12 in MLB in OPS+, and Machado has a 118 OPS+ since returning from the HBP in May. As a team the Padres have a 115 OPS+ in June which is the 4th highest in baseball, yet they are only playing .500 baseball this month. They are not lacking in good hitters. They are lacking in timely HITS. As a team they are hitting .208 with runners in scoring position. THAT is the problem on the hitting side of the equation.
BARISP is not a sexy number. Those solo homers add to the next contract, however. Contract time does not involve a discussion of how many wins the team had.
@Pads Fans, your point is well taken, but I think FullMontilla was referring to Justin Wilson coming back for Milwaukee, not Steven from San Diego. He’s right the Brewers need to find more hitting and soon.
Replace him on the active roster with Kohl Stewart.
No need for a new uniform.
How does Rocco still have a job? Twins front office and management needs to be sent packing.