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J.B. Bukauskas

NL Central Notes: Contreras, Edman, Pirates, Bukauskas

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William Contreras underwent concussion testing following the Brewers’ 5-4 win over the Reds today, after the star catcher was involved with a collision with Stuart Fairchild on the game’s final play.  Fairchild was thrown out at home plate trying to score from second base on a Santiago Espinal single, and Contreras was down on the ground for a few moments after being clipped by Fairchild’s forearm.

Placement on the concussion-related injured list would keep Contreras out of action for a minimum of seven days, though it isn’t yet clear if an IL stint is under consideration.  It probably seems likely that he won’t be in Monday’s lineup for precautionary reasons, and the Brewers can only hope that the star catcher has avoided any kind of head injury.  Contreras had two more hits today to raise his season-long slash line to .305/.367/.467 over 316 plate appearances, for an outstanding 137 wRC+ and 2.6 fWAR (17th in all of baseball).

More from around the NL Central…

  • From one Contreras brother to another, as Willson Contreras’ speedy recovery from forearm surgery might take another quick step with a minor league rehab assignment.  Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol told Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat (links to X) and other reporters that Contreras might begin play at one of the team’s affiliates as early as Tuesday, if not necessarily Triple-A Memphis.  Contreras hasn’t played since May 7 when his left forearm was fractured by a J.D. Martinez swing, and he has made remarkable progress considering the 10-week timeline initially projected after his surgery.  The catcher has already been taking part in baseball activities for over a week.
  • In other Cardinals injury news, Tommy Edman seems to be closing in on his first game action of the season, as the utiltyman is moving his rehab work to the team’s Spring Training complex in Jupiter, Florida.  Edman had arthroscopic wrist surgery last October, and his recovery has been slowed by continued discomfort in his wrist.  Today’s news is a good sign that Edman is finally starting to ramp up, even if a lengthy rehab process will still be needed after missing so much time.
  • While the Pirates haven’t gotten much from their relief corps this season, GM Ben Cherington said the team won’t change its lower-cost approach to finding bullpen help.  In his weekly radio appearance on 93.7FM (hat tip to Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette), said “we’re going to keep taking shots on less-proven guys who have pitch qualities that we believe can translate to major league success…and over time, we’re gonna hit on enough of those and it’s gonna add up to a good bullpen.”  These pitchers could come from both outside the organization and from within Pittsburgh’s own farm system.  If Cherington’s tactics seem limited, it should be noted that virtually every team in baseball tries the same methods, given how reliever performance can vary so greatly from season to season and how unheralded pitchers emerge every season to become ace bullpen arms.  This past winter actually saw the Bucs deviate from their usual plan by signing Aroldis Chapman to a one-year, $10.5MM deal, though Chapman’s shaky performance has led to a lot of second-guessing on that acquisition.
  • Circling back to the Brewers for the final item, manager Pat Murphy told reporters (including Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) that JB Bukauskas will undergo an MRI after suffering a setback.  Bukauskas has been out since mid-April due to a lat strain, and pitched in his first rehab outing last Thursday but emerged with continued soreness.  Bukauskas has been in the Brewers’ organization since being claimed off the Mariners’ waiver wire in April 2023, though he has battled multiple injuries during his time in Milwaukee.

Brewers Promote Robert Gasser

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May 10: The Brewers have made it official, announced that they have selected Gasser’s contract today. They also recalled right-hander Janson Junk from Triple-A Nashville. In corresponding moves, right-hander Joel Payamps was placed on the bereavement list while righty Tobias Myers was optioned to Nashville. To open a 40-man spot for Gasser, righty JB Bukauskas was transferred to the 60-day IL. Bukauskas has been on the injured list for almost a month due to a lat strain and has not yet begun a rehab assignment.

May 9: The Brewers are expected to promote pitching prospect Robert Gasser to the majors, per Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The left-hander will be starting tomorrow’s game and making his major league debut. He’s not currently on the 40-man roster, so the Brewers will need to find a way to add him.

Gasser, 25 this month, was selected by the Padres in the 2021 draft. They grabbed him out of the University of Houston in Competitive Balance Round B, with the 71st overall pick. About a year later, he came to the Brewers via the 2022 deadline deal that sent Josh Hader to San Diego.

The Padres had him in High-A at the time of that trade, but the Brewers let him go to Double-A and Triple-A shortly thereafter. He finished 2022 with a combined 3.94 earned run average in 137 innings. He struck out 29.7% of batters faced while giving out walks at a 9% clip.

He spent all of last year with Triple-A Nashville, tossing 135 1/3 innings across 26 outings with a 3.79 ERA. He punched out 28% of the batters who came to the plate while giving out free passes just 8.4% of the time.

The lefty could have been in contention for a rotation spot to start the season but he was sidelined at the end of March due to a bone spur in his left elbow. He didn’t make his first Triple-A start of 2024 until April 24 and he has now taken the ball three times, throwing four frames each time out. He hasn’t been super sharp, with six walks and four homers allowed in his 12 innings, but has struck out 17.

Despite his name, Gasser doesn’t overpower hitters, mostly sitting in the 89-93 miles per hour range with his fastball. But he has a four-seamer, a two-seamer, a cutter, a slider and a changeup, allowing him to keep hitters off balance. Baseball America ranked him the club’s #5 prospect coming into the year while FanGraphs had him at #8 and Keith Law of The Athletic at #7.  MLB Pipeline currently has him in the #5 slot.

The Brewers have been dealing with various moving parts in their rotation since late last year. Brandon Woodruff required shoulder surgery and is going to miss most or perhaps all of the 2024 season. Corbin Burnes was traded to the Orioles in the offseason. Since the season started, Wade Miley required Tommy John surgery while DL Hall and Jakob Junis have also landed on the injured list.

On top of those injuries, Freddy Peralta is going miss one turn through the rotation. He was given a five-game suspension for his part in the fracas between the Brewers and Rays about a week ago. He initially appealed that suspension and took the ball against the Cubs on Sunday, before he began serving the suspension on Monday.

Gasser’s promotion might be a temporary one to cover for Peralta. But at least for now, he’ll jump into the rotation next to Bryse Wilson, Colin Rea, Joe Ross and Tobias Myers. Myers has a 6.23 ERA through three starts and could perhaps be sent down instead of Gasser, especially if things go poorly when he takes the ball against the Cardinals tonight.

Even if Gasser does get optioned after just one outing, opportunities could open up later in the year. Ross will likely hit a workload limit at some point since he hardly pitched over the previous two seasons while recovering from his second career Tommy John surgery. More generally, pitchers injuries are fairly inevitable, though Milwaukee should also have Hall and Junis coming off the IL later in the year.

Time will tell how much time Gasser spends in the majors in 2024. But for now, it’s an exciting day for the young southpaw, who will take the ball tomorrow at American Family Field against the division-rival Cardinals.

Brewers Select Jared Koenig

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The Brewers announced a flurry of roster moves this morning, highlighted by the club selecting the contract of left-hander Jared Koenig. The club also called up outfielder Joey Wiemer. To make room for the duo on the active roster, right-hander JB Bukauskas was placed on the injured list while infielder Andruw Monasterio was optioned to Triple-A, while outfielder Garrett Mitchell was transferred to the 60-day IL to make room for Koenig on the 40-man roster.

Koenig, 30, is getting his second crack at the major leagues after initially making his debut with Oakland back in 2022. A 35th-round pick by the White Sox out of high school in the 2014 draft, the southpaw didn’t receive an offer from the club after being drafted and was never drafted again, instead fashioning a career for himself in independent ball after college. After several years spent in indy ball, Koenig had a strong season with the Frontier League’s Lake Erie Crushers that saw him post a 2.24 ERA in 104 1/3 innings of work with a 30.6% strikeout rate. That performance earned him the attention of the A’s, who signed him to a minor league deal.

The left-hander continued to find success upon being assigned to the Double-A level in 2021, leading to him eventually contributing to the big league club in 2022. Koenig’s long road to the major leagues ended with him pitching 39 1/3 innings for the A’s that saw him post a lackluster 5.72 ERA with a 4.84 FIP, striking out just 12.4% of batters faced. Koenig returned to the minors last year, this time in the Padres organization, before signing on with the Brewers prior to the 2024 campaign.

In Milwaukee, Koenig figures to join the bullpen in a short relief capacity after transitioning out of his previous long relief/starting role last season. He’s looked good in four appearances with Triple-A Nashville, posting a 1.93 ERA while punching out 50% of the batters he’s faced. He’ll try to carry that success over to the big league Brewers, where he’ll join Bryan Hudson and Hoby Milner among the left-handed options at manager Pat Murphy’s disposal.

Coming up from Triple-A alongside Koenig is Wiemer, who appeared in 132 games for the Brewers as a rookie last season. The 25-year-old offers stellar outfield defense (his +8 Outs Above Average placed him in the 93rd percentile of major leaguers last year, per Statcast) and is capable of handling all three positions on the grass, but struggled to a .204/.283/.362 slash line in 410 trips to the plate last year.

While that offense certain left something to be desired, Wiemer was actually well above average against southpaws in 2023, slashing a much stronger .267/.298/.517 with seven home runs and eight doubles in just 121 trips to the plate against lefties. Wiemer figures to provide a right-handed complement to the club’s current center field duo of Blake Perkins and Sal Frelick, while also potentially freeing up Frelick for occasional reps at third base where the club is currently utilizing a combination of Joey Ortiz and Oliver Dunn.

Making room for Wiemer on the active roster is Monasterio, who has struggled in limited playing time this season. He’s gone hitless in nine plate appearances this season despite drawing two walks against just one strikeout, and will now head to Triple-A where he can get more regular playing time. Monasterio made his big league debut with the club last season, slashing .259/.330/.348 in 92 games while splitting time between second and third base.

Meanwhile, Koenig takes the roster spot of Bukauskas, who is headed to the injured list due to a lat strain. Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that Bukauskas is set to undergo imagining on his shoulder before the Brewers determine a timeline for his return due to the right-hander’s lengthy history of lat injuries. Bukauskas has looked good through six appearances with the Brewers this year, striking out 27.3% of batters faced with just one earned run allowed on a solo homer to this point. Mitchell’s placement on the 60-day IL, meanwhile, hardly comes as a shock given the club does not expect him to return until June as he rehabs from a hand fracture.

Brewers Notes: Megill, Uribe, Quero, Mitchell

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Brewers right-hander Trevor Megill was placed on the 7-day concussion list this morning, the team announced. Right-hander JB Bukauskas is up from Triple-A Nashville to take his spot on the roster. The injury occurred in bizarre and frightening fashion, per Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (X link) Megill contracted food poisoning last weekend and in the aftermath felt light-headed, fainted and wound up suffering a concussion when his 6’8″ frame dropped to the ground.

It’s another tough loss for a Milwaukee bullpen that’s without closer Devin Williams for at least the next couple months. Megill, 30, was an unheralded acquisition by the Brewers last offseason who’s tossed 36 2/3 innings with a 3.44 ERA with a massive 35% strikeout rate against a solid 8.3% walk rate. With Williams sidelined, Megill, Joel Payamps and young flamethrower Abner Uribe were slated for significant late-inning work in first-year skipper Pat Murphy’s bullpen.

The Brewers didn’t provide a timetable for Megill’s return, which is plenty understandable given the nature of his injury. Concussions are difficult to predict, and the severity can vary greatly. Even ostensibly minor concussions can have lingering effects that impact a player for extended periods of time.

In Bukauskas, the Brewers will turn a bullpen spot over to a 27-year-old former top prospect whom they acquired off waivers early in the 2023 season. He pitched six shutout innings for Milwaukee last year but carries a 5.92 ERA in a tiny sample of 24 1/3 big league innings. Rough as that may look, Bukauskas also logged a 2.92 ERA, 26.8% strikeout rate and 6.4% walk rate in 37 Triple-A frames for the Brewers last year, and he fanned 16 of his 41 spring opponents (39%) en route to a 3.72 ERA. There’s plenty of uncertainty in the final few spots of the Brewer bullpen, so it stands to reason that with a strong first impression, Bukauskas could potentially carve out a role for himself. He’s controllable for another five seasons if he’s able to do so.

Megill’s injury will only further open the door for the 23-year-old Uribe to establish himself as a viable high-leverage option. He’s 3-for-3 in save opportunities on the young season and, dating back to last year’s MLB debut, carries a 1.87 ERA and 29.9% strikeout rate in 33 2/3 innings. Command is an issue for Uribe, who’s walked 15.3% of his opponents, plunked a hitter and unleashed six wild pitches in his young career. However, he’s also averaged 99.4 mph on his blazing sinker and induced grounders at a hearty 53.4% clip, showing clear late-inning promise.

The Journal-Sentinel’s Todd Rosiak spoke to Uribe and his teammates about the impressive young righty’s rise to meaningful late-inning work. “I live for it,” Uribe said of pitching in adrenaline-charged scenarios like the save situations he’s encountered thus far. Murphy tells Rosiak he’s been impressed with the right-hander’s demeanor despite his youth, noting that Uribe “has learned so far and really kept his emotions under control and focused on his task.”

Payamps has picked up one save in the Brewers’ first four wins of the year as well, but it seems Uribe will be the preferred option for ninth-inning work while Williams and Megill mend. Presumably, when Williams is able to return, Uribe will slide back down into a setup role. It’s always possible the command struggles will flare up and lead to a particularly rough patch, but at least this far in his young career, Uribe looks the part of a legitimate late-inning arm who can stick at the MLB level. If that’s indeed the case, Milwaukee can control him all the way through the 2029 season and he won’t be arb-eligible until after the 2026 campaign.

Elsewhere in the organization, the Brew Crew is still in the early stages of navigating a shoulder injury for touted catching prospect Jeferson Quero. The 21-year-old suffered the injury in Nashville’s season opener, and GM Matt Arnold this week announced that Quero has been diagnosed with a subluxation in his right shoulder (link via Adam McCalvy of MLB.com). He’s had one MRI and is receiving a second opinion to determine the severity of the issue and get a clear sense of his rehab plan. The Brewers haven’t announced a timetable for his return or whether surgery might be required.

Quero is widely regarded not only as one of the Brewers’ best prospects but the best prospects in all of baseball, landing on top-100 lists at The Athletic (No. 12), ESPN (No. 32), Baseball America (No. 33), MLB.com (No. 35), Baseball Prospectus (No. 38) and FanGraphs (No. 40). The Athletic’s Keith Law calls Quero a likely plus defender behind the plate with the potential for 20-homer power during his prime years.

Quero spent the 2023 season as one of the youngest players in Double-A but more than held his own against older, more advanced competition. In 381 plate appearances, he slashed .262/.339/.440 (107 wRC+) with an impressive 10% walk rate against a lower-than-average 17.8% strikeout rate.

In better injury news, McCalvy tweets that outfielder Garrett Mitchell is on a timeline of four to six weeks to return from the fractured finger in his left hand, which is thus far healing as expected. The 25-year-old has gotten brief looks in the outfield in each of the past two seasons, posting a combined .278/.343/.452 slash (119 wRC+) with five homers and nine steals. It’s very strong production, but those numbers are also propped up by a wildly unsustainable .441 average on balls in play and mask a more ominous 38.3% strikeout rate. It’s only 141 plate appearances, but Mitchell will eventually need to significantly cut back on the strikeouts if he’s to carve out a long-term role in Milwaukee’s outfield.

Brewers Place Elvis Peguero On Injured List

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The Brewers announced that they have recalled right-hander J.B. Bukauskas and reinstated righty Julio Teheran from the 15-day injured list. In corresponding moves, righty Colin Rea was optioned while righty Elvis Peguero was placed on the 15-day IL, retroactive to September 17, with right elbow effusion. Adam McCalvy of MLB.com relayed the news prior to the official announcement.

Peguero, 26, got some brief major league looks with the Angels in 2021 and 2022 before coming to the Brewers in the offseason trade that sent outfielder Hunter Renfroe to the Halos. Peguero was optioned to the minors at the start of the year but was recalled a couple of weeks into the campaign and has emerged as a key piece of the Milwaukee bullpen.

Over 59 appearances this year, he’s logged 61 1/3 innings with a 3.38 earned run average. Neither his 21.4% strikeout rate nor his 10.3% walk rate are especially strong, but he’s gotten grounders on 56% of balls in play. His strong results have allowed him to move into a higher-leverage role, earning 21 holds and one save this year.

He won’t be eligible to return during the regular season, even with the move being backdated, since there’s only 11 days left after today. But the Brewers are a virtual lock for the postseason, currently holding a six-game lead over the Cubs in the Central. That perhaps give Peguero a window to return in October, though that’s only if his health cooperates. Manager Craig Counsell tells McCalvy that they anticipate Peguero being ready for the Wild Card series, which suggests he could be in line for a minimum stint on the IL.

Even if he’s unable to return this year, he seems to have set himself up for a role on next year’s club. He surpassed one year of major league service here in 2023 and can potentially be retained by the Brewers for five more seasons before qualifying for free agency.

Brewers Designate Mike Brosseau For Assignment, Select J.C. Mejía

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The Brewers announced a series of roster moves today, reinstating infielder/outfielder Brian Anderson from the paternity list, recalling right-hander Tyson Miller and selecting the contract of righty J.C. Mejía. In corresponding moves, they optioned relievers Clayton Andrews and J.B. Bukauskas in addition to placing first baseman Rowdy Tellez on the 10-day injured list due to right forearm inflammation. To get Mejia onto the 40-man, infielder Mike Brosseau was designated for assignment. Additionally, left-hander Thomas Pannone, who was designated for assignment on the weekend, was released.

Brosseau, 29, has alternated hot and cold in his career, serving as a utility player for the Rays and Brewers. He hit .284/.343/.500 for the Rays over 2019 and 2020 but then slumped to a line of .187/.266/.347 in 2021. He was then traded to the Brewers and bounced back with a .255/.344/.418 showing last year for a 118 wRC+.

He and the club avoided arbitration in the offseason by agreeing to a $1.4MM salary for this year. He had shown an ability to provide above-average offense while playing every infield position, the outfield corners and even some mop-up duty on the mound, making that a relative bargain price. Unfortunately, he’s having another down season at the plate here in 2023. He hit .205/.256/.397 for a wRC+ of 74 and got optioned to the minors about a month ago. He’s been even worse in Triple-A since then, hitting .188/.232/.375 in 69 plate appearances.

The Brewers will now have a week to trade Brosseau or pass him through waivers. He’s obviously having a rough year but has plenty of past success that could interest other clubs. He also has a couple of option years, including this one, meaning he wouldn’t even require an active roster spot. That could hold some appeal for a club looking for a bit of extra versatile depth.

Mejía, now 26, was acquired from Cleveland prior to the 2022 season but received an 80-game suspension for a positive PED test in May of that year. He was outrighted off the 40-man in August. This year, he’s been in Triple-A, tossing 30 1/3 innings over 23 appearances. He has a 3.86 ERA in that time, striking out 25.2% of opponents against a 10.2% walk rate. He’s also kept the ball on the ground at an incredible 64.5% clip.

The Brewers have used their bullpen quite a bit in recent days, including last night’s contest which went to 11 innings and saw the club use six different pitchers. They’ve brought up Mejía and Miller to provide the bullpen with some fresh arms, with five games left before the All-Star break.

Pannone has previously been outrighted in his career and therefore would have had the right to reject another such assignment. The club has skipped that formality and just sent him back to the open market to look for his next opportunity. He made one appearance for the Brewers in his brief time on the roster, tossing 2 2/3 innings with two earned runs allowed. In 53 1/3 Triple-A innings this year, he posted a 2.70 ERA.

Brewers Designate Matt Bush, Thomas Pannone

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The Brewers designated right-hander Matt Bush and left-hander Thomas Pannone for assignment.  In corresponding moves, the team selected the contract of left-hander Clayton Andrews from Triple-A Nashville, and also called up right-hander J.B. Bukauskas from Triple-A.  Milwaukee now has 39 of 40 spots filled on its 40-man roster.

Acquired from the Rangers at last year’s trade deadline, Bush’s numbers dropped off after the deal, in large part to an increase in home runs.  Bush posted a 2.95 ERA over 36 2/3 innings with Texas while allowing five big flies, yet he gave up six homers in 23 innings with the Brew Crew, boosting his ERA to 4.30.

Bush and the Brewers agreed to a $1.85MM arbitration-avoiding salary for 2023, but the righty has struggled to both stay healthy and deliver consistent results out of Milwaukee’s bullpen.  He missed just shy of two months due to tendinitis in his right rotator cuff, and posted a 9.58 ERA in 10 1/3 innings.  Yesterday’s 8-7 loss to the Pirates saw Bush allow three runs in the ninth inning, including Carlos Santana’s two-run walkoff homer.

If another team claimed Bush on DFA waivers, it will become responsible for the roughly $925K still owed to the right-hander over the course of the season.  It seems likely that Bush will clear waivers, therefore putting the Brewers on the hook for the remaining salary while a new club would owe Bush just the prorated portion of a Major League salary.  If Bush clears waivers and is then outrighted to Triple-A Nashville, Bush can decline that outright assignment in favor of free agency, because he has been outrighted in the past.

Pannone also has this option, as he was outrighted off the Blue Jays’ roster back in 2020.  The southpaw left Toronto’s organization after that season, and he bounced around to the Red Sox, Angels, and the KBO League’s Kia Tigers before landing in Milwaukee on a minors deal this past winter.  The Brewers selected Pannone’s contract just three days ago, and his one appearance (also in yesterday’s 8-7 loss to Pittsburgh) marked Pannone’s first Major League game since the 2019 season.

Andrews was a 17th-round pick for the Brewers in the 2018 draft, and the 26-year-old is now close to making his MLB debut.  His career was essentially put on hold for the better part of three years due to first the canceled 2020 minor league season, and then a Tommy John surgery that limited Andrews to 19 2/3 total innings in 2021-22.  However, he has been healthy and effective at Nashville this year, with a 1.65 ERA and 31.8% strikeout rate over 32 2/3 innings of work.  A 12.4% walk rate is cause for concern, as Andrews’ control has been something of an issue even prior to 2020.

If Andrews can limit the walks, he might get a longer-term opportunity in a Milwaukee bullpen that is short on left-handed pitching.  Hoby Milner is the only other southpaw in the relief corps, though Justin Wilson (who underwent Tommy John surgery last year) just started a rehab assignment and might be available by late July or early August.

Brewers Recall Colin Rea, Place J.B. Bukauskas On 15-Day IL

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The Brewers placed right-hander J.B. Bukauskas on the 15-day injured list due to a cervical strain (or whiplash), with the placement retroactive to May 17.  Colin Rea has been called up to take Bukauskas’ spot on the active roster.

It would seem as if Rea is Milwaukee’s choice to replace Wade Miley in the rotation, as Miley will miss the next 6-8 weeks due to a posterior serratus strain.  Rea has already made six starts (out of seven total appearances) for the Brew Crew this season, and the results haven’t been stellar, with a 5.52 ERA and a lot of below-average secondary metrics over 31 innings.  Rea’s old problems with the long ball have again surfaced, as he has allowed six homers over those 31 frames of work.

Even if Rea isn’t an ideal rotation replacement, the Brewers don’t really have many other options, with injuries to Miley, Brandon Woodruff, Jason Alexander, and Aaron Ashby depleting the team’s once-enviable starting depth.  The starting five now consists of Corbin Burnes, Freddy Peralta, Eric Lauer, Adrian Houser, and Rea — still a decent group overall, though obviously far from ideal for a Brewers team that has traditionally relied on its pitching.

Bukauskas was claimed off waivers from the Mariners in April and the Brewers selected his contract to the MLB roster on Tuesday.  Unfortunately, he’ll now head to the IL before officially making his Brewers debut, with something of an unusual injury that doesn’t have a strict timeline.  Bukauskas might only miss the minimum 15 days, or he could face a longer absence if his neck issue continues to linger.

The 15th overall pick of the 2017 draft, Bukauskas’ career has been hampered by injuries, and he has shown only 236 1/3 total innings in the majors and minor over six pro seasons (naturally with the canceled 2020 minor league season also playing a role).  At the big league level, Bukauskas tossed 17 1/3 innings with the Diamondbacks in 2021, and then one inning of work with the Mariners this season.

Brewers Designate Gus Varland For Assignment

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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.

Brewers Claim J.B. Bukauskas From Mariners

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The Mariners announced that right-hander J.B. Bukauskas has been claimed off waivers by the Brewers. The M’s had designated him for assignment last week. To make room for Bukauskas on their 40-man roster, the Brewers have transferred infielder Luis Urías to the 60-day injured list, per Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Bukauskas has been assigned to Triple-A Nashville, per Rosiak.

Now 26 years old, Bukauskas was the No. 15 overall pick by the Astros back in 2017. The ’Stros traded him to the D-backs as part of the four-prospect package that brought Zack Greinke to Houston, but Bukauskas battled injuries and never got much of a big league look in Arizona. The Diamondbacks gave him just 17 1/3 innings in the Majors, during which time he was tagged for 15 earned runs on 24 hits and seven walks with 14 strikeouts.

A flexor strain in 2021 and a teres major strain in 2022 limited Bukauskas to just 52 1/3 innings combined between those two seasons. The Diamondbacks designated him for assignment back in January when opening a roster spot for the re-signing of Zach Davies, at which point the Mariners claimed him. Seattle successfully passed him through outright waivers a few weeks later but selected Bukauskas back to the big league roster early in the season when Andres Munoz hit the injured list.

While he’s had a rough start to his season, Bukauskas posted strong Triple-A numbers in a small sample of 20 1/3 innings last year. Overall, he carries a 3.96 ERA, 26.3% strikeout rate and 6.9% walk rate in 38 2/3 innings at that level. Bukauskas  has averaged 94.5 mph on his four-seamer in the big leagues, and in his lone look with the Mariners this year he was relying on a sinker in place of that four-seamer. Dating back to his prospect days, he was touted for a plus or better changeup. He’s in his final minor league option year, so if he sticks on Milwaukee’s roster, he can give them some flexible bullpen depth for the remainder of the season.

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