Opening Day arrives on a sour note for the Brewers, who announced this morning that star outfielder Jackson Chourio has been placed on the 10-day injured list due to a fracture in his left hand. Outfielder Blake Perkins is up from Triple-A Nashville to take his spot on the active roster. The early estimate for his return to game action is two to four weeks, per Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, who adds that a recent MRI detected a hairline fracture at the base of his third metacarpal. It’s believed that the injury dates back to a March 4 exhibition ahead of the World Baseball Classic.
Chourio went for imaging at the time he was plunked by that pitch, but initial testing resulted in a diagnosis of a contusion. He played, presumably through a good bit of discomfort, for Venezuela during the WBC and for Milwaukee following the tournament and wound up delivering a solid spring line during Cactus League play (.267/.333/.400).
Milwaukee has five off-days in the next month, so it’s possible Chourio only winds up sidelined for around 10% of the team’s 162 games. Even a short-term absence from one of the roster’s most talented players stings, however, particularly in what most expect to be a tightly contested division.
Though Chourio is only 22 years old, he’s already entering his third big league season. He’s a .272/.317/.463 hitter (115 wRC+) through his first 279 major league games and has coupled that above-average production with plus baserunning and quality outfield defense. Chourio is better suited for corner work than center field, but he’s capable in all three spots and played primarily center last season. A healthy Garrett Mitchell could push him to the corners with more regularly this season, but for now his focus will shift to rehabbing his ailing hand.
With Chourio out, the Brewers’ outfield mix now includes Perkins, Mitchell, Sal Frelick, Christian Yelich, Jake Bauers and Brandon Lockridge. Frelick, one of the game’s top defensive players, will be locked into right field on a daily basis. Mitchell should handle center against right-handed pitching at the very least, and the switch-hitting Perkins is much better from the right side of the dish, making him a natural platoon pairing in center. The left-handed Bauers and righty-swinging Lockridge create a viable platoon in left field. Yelich can mix in some left field work but has been primarily a designated hitter in recent seasons.
That’s a tenable enough setup for the short term, but the Chourio injury already puts a strain on Milwaukee’s outfield depth. All of the outfielders on the Brewers’ 40-man roster are now in the majors. Milwaukee has begun getting former top prospect Tyler Black, a corner infielder, some reps in the outfield corners and could turn to him in the event of another injury. Current top prospect Jett Williams has plenty of outfield experience should the need arise, though he’s not yet on the 40-man.
Already!
Check out his 24 vs 25 numbers, just about identical.
Ouch
I mean at least Blake Perkins is consistent. Unfortunately that consistency is putting up a .647 OPS in the last two seasons.
Oh my gosh, another injury that didn’t happen at the WBC.
Didn’t happen at the WBC, but for sure if he didn’t go to the WBC he would have rested it and not tried to play through it. Good chance it would have been healed by now.
Damn, hate to see it. Hand injuries are tricky. Uber talented kid though. Hope he comes back healthy.
That’s a bad start. What’s with all the hand injuries lately? Seems like every year there’s a rash of 1 kind of injury or another. These guys basically are armored from head to foot now and still things happen. Just shows how unpredictable life is. Hope it’s not bad. Hate seeing good players go down even if they are the competition. Not as much fun.
Got in a fight at the bat rack excited to face our beloved WSox starting rotation.
Maybe a bat should have been added in the offseason. Now looking at 3 AAA players in the lineup to start the season. Always threading the needle
Unfortunate! Hope for a speedy recovery for this young man.
Brewers devil magic working in reverse already!
Well that escalated quickly
He suffered the broken hand while playing for venezuela in wbc exhibition game
wbc strikes again!
Smart move to get back to 100% rather than playing with a compromised swing, only to end up on the IL later anyway.
Ouch this isn’t good for the Brew Crew
Yearly reminder to $100 million athletes to get out of the f***ing way
Definitely makes sense he didn’t look like his usual self at the plate during the WBC. Get well soon one of my favorite players in the league to watch sucks to see the IL stints start for the stars already
The dude is like 25 years old. Just saying