After taking the first two games of a three-game set against the Minnesota Twins, the Brewers have now won three straight games and eight of their last nine. Looking to make it four straight is left-hander Robert Gasser, who will make his season debut as today’s starting pitcher after he was recalled from Triple-A Nashvile earlier this morning. In a corresponding move, righty Peter Strzelecki was designated for assignment.
Gasser, whom the Brewers acquired in the Josh Hader trade, owns a 2.67 ERA
through his first seven major-league starts. He’s already shown he can compete at the highest level, but Milwaukee’s pitching depth has made him one of the odd men out to begin the season. Still, Gasser has continued to produce in Triple-A, posting a 3.72 ERA with 32 strikeouts across 21 2/3 innings.
On the mound for Minnesota is right-hander Bailey Ober (3.46 ERA, 1.02 WHIP), who’s coming off a complete-game shutout against the Marlins. Despite standing 6’9”, Ober doesn’t rely on velocity to get outs. His average fastball sits at just 88.6 mph — ranking in the first percentile leaguewide — and he threw only three pitches over 90 mph during that shutout.
Although it’s Sunday, most of the Brewers’ regular starters are in today’s lineup. Jackson Chourio, Brice Turang, and William Contreras make up the top of the order. Cleanup hitter Christian Yelich makes his return after missing a few games with back soreness, followed by Jake Bauers and Sal Frelick. Rounding out the lineup are Garrett Mitchell, Joey Ortiz, and David Hamilton.
