Brewers manager Pat Murphy told MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy and other reporters that Brandon Woodruff will be back in Milwaukee’s rotation sometime during the team’s series with the Reds that begins on Monday. Woodruff posted a 3.60 ERA over six starts and 30 innings for the Brew Crew before he was placed on the 15-day injured list on May 1 due to shoulder inflammation. While the injury wasn’t too serious, the Brewers took a cautious approach to Woodruff’s throwing progression, probably in a nod to the veteran’s recent health history.
With Quinn Priester‘s season now officially over and Logan Henderson and Coleman Crow still on the 15-day IL, Woodruff’s return will help a Brewers rotation whose depth has been tested by injuries. Robert Gasser is probably the likeliest candidate to be dropped from the rotation upon Woodruff’s return, which lines up Milwaukee’s rotation as ace Jacob Misiorowski, Kyle Harrison, Brandon Sproat, Shane Drohan, and Woodruff.
More from around the NL Central…
- The Cubs placed Daniel Palencia on the 15-day IL earlier this week with what was initially termed as elbow inflammation, but manager Craig Counsell told ESPN’s Jesse Rogers and other reporters that an MRI revealed that Palencia is dealing with a minor flexor strain. The injury isn’t thought to be too severe, as the plan is for Palencia to begin throwing after a week-long shutdown. Palencia has a 2.70 ERA over 16 2/3 innings this season, yet his solid performance has been undermined by a lack of availability, as he already missed a few weeks in April and early May due to a mild oblique strain.
- Elly De La Cruz and Pierce Johnson both began Triple-A rehab assignments yesterday, and the duo are expected to be activated from the Reds‘ injured list within a few days’ time. De La Cruz has been sidelined since suffering a hamstring strain on May 31, while Johnson hit the 15-day IL a few days prior due to right elbow inflammation. Emilio Pagan also faced live hitters during a 20-pitch simulated game session on Friday, as the reliever is close to starting a rehab assignment of his own. Reds manager Terry Francona told reporters (including Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer) that the plan is for Pagan to throw another sim game on Monday before likely starting a rehab assignment next weekend.
- Nolan Gorman was optioned to Triple-A last week but has yet to play in Memphis, as the infielder has instead been working on his swing mechanics at the Cardinals‘ Spring Training complex. As Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes, Gorman was fully on board with the idea, and there isn’t any timetable as to when Gorman might see action in either Triple-A or even in the Florida Complex League. “Sometimes there might be ways that you can attack certain issues more effectively away from games. All of this is designed to get his swing to a less steep place, where he’s got a much better chance to make quality contact on a variety of pitches,” Cards president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom said. Gorman is hitting only .194/.279/.318 over 229 plate appearances, with 74 strikeouts in those 229 PA.
