Jonathan Lucroy – UPI/Bill Greenblatt
The Milwaukee Brewers announced today that catcher Jonathan Lucroy is expected to be sidelined four to six weeks with a mild strain of his right hamstring.
Lucroy told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel he actually played with the injury late last season. He said the hamstring was feeling OK until he ramped up his running drills recently and began to feel it again.
The Brewers said the hamstring injury was diagnosed Monday be team physician William Raasch and confirmed Tuesday by Miami Marlins medical director Lee Kaplan. Brewers assistant general manager Gord Ash said Lucroy’s agent called with news of the injury but did not specify exactly how Lucroy suffered it.
The Brewers are hopeful that Lucroy will be ready to play when the regular season begins on April 6. He’ll be totally shut down during spring training.
The Brewers were hoping to get Lucroy more time at first base this spring to serve as a right-handed option at first base. Now, time at first base will have to come without the benefit of work in the spring.
The 28-year-old Lucroy set a franchise record with 53 doubles. That total also led the majors last season. He hit .301 with 13 home runs and 69 RBI. The doubles total was a record for a catcher and Lucroy finished fourth in the NL MVP balloting.
Lucroy started 133 games for the Brewers last season, the second-highest figure in the major leagues.