The Brewers have inked righty JB Bukauskas to a minor league deal, reports Matt Eddy of Baseball America. Bukauskas had a non-roster invite to Spring Training with Milwaukee last season, but missed the entire year with a lat injury. It’s the same issue that cost him much of the 2024 campaign.
Bukauskas has been in the Brewers’ organization since April 2023, when the club claimed him off waivers from Seattle. He tossed six scoreless innings out of the bullpen that season, but missed time with neck and finger injuries. Bukauskas allowed just one earned run over six frames to open the 2024 season, then went down in mid-April with a lat injury that ended his season. Milwaukee designated him for assignment at the end of the year, which he accepted.
Houston took Bukauskas with the 15th overall pick in 2017. Injuries limited him to 17 appearances over his first two professional seasons. Bukauskas reached Double-A for his final start of 2018. He remained at the level in 2019, posting a 5.25 ERA across 20 appearances (14 starts). The Astros shipped Bukauskas, Corbin Martin, Josh Rojas, and Seth Beer to the Diamondbacks at the trade deadline for Zack Greinke.
Bukauskas debuted for Arizona in 2021. He struggled to a 7.79 ERA in 17 1/3 innings out of the bullpen. Bukauskas’ 4.50 xFIP and 4.49 SIERA suggest he pitched better than his ERA would indicate. He missed time with a flexor strain midway through that year, then went down with a shoulder injury ahead of the 2022 season. He made 23 minor league appearances that year. Arizona designated Bukauskas for assignment at the end of the 2022 campaign, and Seattle scooped him up. Bukauskas made a single appearance with the Mariners in 2023, allowing one earned run over an inning.
The 29-year-old Bukauskas has an ERA over 5.00 in his brief time in the big leagues, but his pedigree and minor league results could give Milwaukee hope that he could contribute in the bullpen if he manages to stay healthy. Bukauskas has a 3.35 ERA with more than a strikeout per inning across 76 career appearances at Triple-A.
Photo courtesy of Michael McLoone, Imagn Images
What a name
Despite rumors. He’s not a Distant ascendant of the late Dick Butkus
Hes looked pretty good in Milwaukee, shame hes never healthy. I think fangraphs is wrong about him having 0 options, he was granted a 4th option, and I dont believe that was burned as he was on the IL
Fangraphs says he has zero.
Hence my “i think fangraphs is wrong about him having 0 options.”
well I think your wrong.
Me:I think fangraphs is wrong about x
Albert Einstein:actually fangraphs says x.
He had an option year coming into 2025, and was injured the whole year, he was outrighted to Nashville after being waived, not optioned.
In case you were wondering, fangraphs now agrees with me and has since updated his player page to show a remaining option year.
To me his last name sounds similar to Moustakas. I mean it as a compliment.
I was thinking of Youkilis.
JB is the Greek god of lat strains.
Isn’t this guy part of the A-Team?
I always get him confused with Jim J Bullock
AAA Team
Had a Mohawk and lots of chains?
I wonder how the team gets him on a plane for road trips.
If he could ever stay healthy for one full season…
Brewers know Bupkis
Isn’t this the dude with a bowl haircut and robotic charm who looked nerdy driving a tank while running for dog catcher. Nice he landed on his feet