The Milwaukee Brewers are looking to maintain their lead in the NL Central as they’ll play host to the Cleveland Guardians this week, a team right in the mix in the AL Central. The Brewers, at 43-26, sit five games ahead of the second-place Cardinals in the division and currently hold the No. 3 seed in the league, behind only the Braves (46-25) and Dodgers (45-27). The Guardians, at 39-33, are tied with the White Sox atop the AL Central, though they lost their best player in José Ramírez to a hamate
bone fracture (the same injury that shelved Andrew Vaughn earlier this year) over the weekend.
The Brewers are currently without pitchers DL Hall (late July), Brandon Woodruff (mid- to late June), Coleman Crow (late June), Quinn Priester (TBD), Carlos Rodriguez (TBD), Brian Fitzpatrick (likely out for season), Rob Zastryzny (late June/early July), Logan Henderson (early July), Jared Koenig (close to returning), and Angel Zerpa (out for season). The lone position player currently on the IL is outfielder Brandon Lockridge, who is slated for a late June return, though he’s had several injury flare-ups in his knee in recent weeks.
The Guardians are without the aforementioned Ramírez, who will be out until after the All-Star break after undergoing surgery. Outfielders Chase DeLauter and Angel Martínez are both currently listed as day to day, as DeLauter is awaiting MRI and CT scans after a crash into the right-field wall, and Martínez took a foul ball off his left foot, though the hope is he’ll return for this series. The lone pitcher on the IL is lefty Erik Sabrowski, who began a rehab assignment over the weekend.
Jake Bauers sits atop the Brewer home run leaderboard with 13 this season, though Jackson Chourio is quickly closing on him with nine homers in just 35 games. Speaking of Chourio, after a big week, he’s now slashing .322/.370/.572 for the year. Brice Turang has cooled off considerably but still has a .261/.378/.457 line with 10 homers and 12 steals, while Gary Sánchez and William Contreras have also flashed their power this year. Garrett Mitchell, Christian Yelich, Sal Frelick, Andrew Vaughn, Joey Ortiz, and David Hamilton round out the regulars, with Blake Perkins and Luis Rengifo serving as depth, though if speculation is to be believed, Rengifo will be replaced one way or another by shortstop prospect Cooper Pratt on Tuesday, as Pratt has already been confirmed to be headed to the majors. As a team, the Brewers are hitting .255/.340/.394 (.734 OPS ranks eighth), with 63 homers (27th), 370 runs (third), and 70 steals (tied for third).
Angel Martínez leads the Guards with 11 homers this season, adding 11 doubles, nine steals, and 33 RBIs. DeLauter and Kyle Manzardo both have seven homers, while former Brewer Rhys Hoskins has six homers, though he’s hitting just .185 (with a much more solid .330 OBP thanks to 34 walks). Brayan Rocchio, Steven Kwan, Daniel Schneemann, and former No. 1 overall pick Travis Bazzana are also in the mix. Austin Hedges and Patrick Bailey share time behind the plate, while David Fry, Gabriel Arias, and Stuart Fairchild provide depth. As a team, the Guardians are hitting .232/.317/.372 (.689 OPS ranks 27th), with 66 homers (24th), 289 runs (23rd), and 69 steals (fifth).
The Brewer bullpen is led by Aaron Ashby, who sports a 2.72 ERA with 59 strikeouts over 43 innings. Trevor Megill, Abner Uribe, and Grant Anderson have also been reliable pieces, while Chad Patrick has been mostly good but struggled mightily against the A’s and Phillies in the last week. Drew Rom and Joel Kuhnel fill the back of the bullpen. As a staff, the Brewers have a 3.45 team ERA (fourth), including a 3.40 starter ERA (fourth) and a 3.51 bullpen ERA (ninth). They’ve struck out 675 batters (first) over 618 1/3 innings.
Tim Herrin and closer Cade Smith lead the Cleveland bullpen, as Herrin has a 2.92 ERA and 23 strikeouts over 24 2/3 innings, and Smith, who is 23-for-25 in save opportunities, has a 2.48 ERA with 49 strikeouts over 32 2/3 innings. Matt Festa ranks third on the team with 30 appearances, though he has a 4.30 ERA. Hunter Gaddis (3.86 ERA over 18 2/3 IP), Shawn Armstrong (3.32 ERA over 19 IP), Colin Holderman (1.73 ERA over 26 IP), Daniel Espino (no MLB appearances), and Will Dion (4.35 ERA over 10 1/3 IP) round out the bullpen. As a staff, the Guardians have a 3.75 team ERA (sixth), including a 3.80 starter ERA (sixth) and a 3.68 bullpen ERA (11th). They’ve struck out 658 batters (third) over 638 1/3 innings.
Probable Pitchers
Tuesday, June 16 @ 6:40 p.m.: LHP Robert Gasser (0-3, 6.38 ERA, 7.25 FIP) vs. RHP Slade Cecconi (3-5, 4.83 ERA, 4.29 FIP)
Gasser has had a rough go of it in his return to the majors, with a 6.38 ERA, 7.25 FIP, and 19 strikeouts over 18 1/3 innings in four starts. He’s taken the loss in each of his last three starts, though his last start came in Las Vegas, meaning it comes with the caveat of a lot of homers — six runs allowed on eight hits (four homers) and two walks, striking out seven over five innings. This marks Gasser’s first career appearance against Cleveland.
Cecconi, 27 next week, is in his fourth MLB season and second with the Guardians after beginning his career in Arizona. He’s been a serviceable albeit not great arm for them, with a 4.83 ERA, 4.29 FIP, and 61 strikeouts over 72 2/3 innings this year. He went five innings in a no-decision his last time out, allowing two runs on six hits and a pair of walks while striking out seven against the Yankees. This marks Cecconi’s first career appearance against Milwaukee.
Wednesday, June 17 @ 6:40 p.m.: RHP Brandon Sproat (1-4, 5.70 ERA, 5.56 FIP) vs. RHP Gavin Williams (9-3, 3.32 ERA, 3.81 FIP)
Sproat has still not quite been able to put things together with a 5.70 ERA, 5.56 FIP, and 57 strikeouts over 60 innings, though he’s coming off arguably the best start of his young career in Vegas. Over six innings, he allowed just one run (a solo homer) on four hits and one walk, striking out three on just 68 pitches. Unfortunately, the bullpen let him down, as they immediately allowed three runs in the seventh en route to a 4-3 A’s win. Like Gasser, this marks Sproat’s first career appearance against Cleveland.
Williams, 26, has quickly turned into a top-of-the-rotation type starter, as he turned in a 3.06 ERA season last year and has been nearly as good this season, with a 3.32 ERA, 3.81 FIP, and 99 strikeouts over 86 2/3 innings. After rattling off four consecutive wins from mid-May through early June, he took a no-decision his last time around, allowing four runs (three earned) on four hits and three walks, striking out five over five innings as the Guardians would go on to lose to the Yankees in extras. Williams has started against Milwaukee in each of the last two seasons, totaling nine innings with seven runs allowed on 10 hits and three walks, striking out 11 as he took a loss and a no-decision.
Thursday, June 18 @ 1:10 p.m.: LHP Shane Drohan (3-2, 3.59 ERA, 2.73 FIP) vs. LHP Parker Messick (6-3, 2.68 ERA, 3.33 FIP)
Drohan, who has now made three consecutive appearances from the rotation, hasn’t been quite as sharp as a starter, though he’s still keeping the Brewers in games. With a 3.59 ERA, 2.73 FIP, and 44 strikeouts over 42 2/3 innings, there’s clear potential for the young lefty. He’s coming off a loss, in which he allowed four runs on eight hits and no walks, striking out seven over five innings in a 9-8 loss to the Phillies. As is the case with Gasser and Sproat, this marks Drohan’s first career appearance against Cleveland.
Messick, 25, is in his second season and is off to a great start to his young career, with a career 2.69 ERA, 3.21 FIP, and 120 strikeouts over 120 1/3 innings through 21 starts. He’s coming off back-to-back losses against the Rangers and Yankees, though, as those two outings spanned 11 1/3 innings with eight runs allowed (seven earned) on 10 hits and four walks, striking out eight. This marks Messick’s first career appearance against Milwaukee.
How to Watch & Listen
Tuesday, June 16: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Wednesday, June 17: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Thursday, June 18: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)
Prediction
This series features a trio of young pitching matchups, with the oldest starter among the six being Drohan at a whopping 27 years of age (Gasser is also 27, though slightly younger). Give me the Crew to win two of three.
