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Brewers set catching rotation

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Craig Counsell

Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell unveiled his catching rotation plans for the upcoming season and barring injury, veteran Erik Kratz is the odd man out.

The Brewers aren’t expected to break spring training camp with more than two catchers, but the 38-year-old Kratz gives them insurance if something were to happen with either starter Yasmani Grandal or his top backup Manny Pina.

“It’s a tough spot for Erik; we understand that,” Counsell said on Wednesday.  “He made a very meaningful contribution. Acquiring Yasmani kind of put us in that spot.

Grandal started 110 games and played in 135 games for the Dodgers last season.  Manny Pina made 84 starts for the Brewers while Kratz started 54.

The Brewers first official workout with pitchers and catchers was cut short on Thursday by rain.  There is more precipitation in the forecast today.

Brewers get Free Agent Grandal on a one-year deal

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The Milwaukee Brewers got some offensive catching help when they agreed to a one-year free agent deal with free agent Yasmani Grandal on Wednesday.

The deal is for one season and will pay the former Dodger $18.25 million, which makes him the highest-paid player on the Brewers roster in 2019.

Grandal struggled against the Brewers in the NLCS last season, but is still considered one of the top players at his position in the game.  It’s also an offensive upgrade after the Brewers split catching duties last season between Manny Pina and Erik Kratz.

Grandal hit .241 with 24 home runs and 68 RBI in 140 games last season.  In seven seasons, he’s a .240 lifetime hitter with 113 home runs and 339 RBI.

Grandal is considered one of the better catchers at framing pitches, but he’s committed 43 passed balls over the last four seasons.  That tops the majors.  He hit .139 in 14 postseason games last year.  He was 2 for 11 with six strikeouts and committed three passed balls against the Brewers in the NLCS.

The Brewers will surrender their third-highest draft pick as compensation for Grandal.  The Brewers have already given up a Competitive Balance Round A pick to Texas for reliever Alex Claudio.

 

Brewers meet with catcher at winter meetings

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The Milwaukee Brewers have both of their catchers back for the upcoming season, MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy reported the Brewers met Monday with free-agent Wilson Ramos at the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas.

The 31-year-old Ramos was named to the American League all-star team before being traded from Tampa Bay to Philadelphia.  He hit .306 with 15 home runs and 70 RBI in 382 at bats.  He’s considered a better offensive catcher than Manny Pina and Erik Kratz.

Ramos also reportedly met with the New York Mets.

The Brewers don’t have as much flexibility in their budget, but GM David Stearns said principal owner Mark Attanasio is open to expand the payroll if the right opportunity comes along.

Brewers blank Dodgers, take 2-1 lead in NLCS

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Jhoulys Chacin

The Milwaukee Brewers blanked the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-0 in game 3 of the NLCS, giving the Brewers a 2-1 advantage in the best-of-seven series.

The Brewers have now pitched shutouts in three of their six postseason games.

Jhoulys Chacin tossed 5 1/3 innings of shutout ball to start, allowing just three hits while walking two and striking out six.  The Brewers used a total of five pitchers in the win, capped off by Jeremy Jeffress.  Jeffress loaded the bases in the ninth and then pitched out of the jam by striking out the last two hitters to preserve the victory.

The Brewers jumped out in front in the very first inning.  Christian Yelich drew a one-out walk and Ryan Braun doubled him home.

The Brewers wouldn’t score again until the six when Travis Shaw tripled and scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-0.

The Brewers scored their final two runs in the seventh when Erik Kratz doubled and Orlando Arcia homered to right.

The Brewers will look to go up 3-1 in the series against the Dodgers with game four on Tuesday night.  Gio Gonzalez (0-0, 4.50) pitches for the Brewers.  The Dodgers will send Rich Hill (0-0, 4.15) to the mound.

Monday’s win guaranteed at least one more game at Miller Park, but it also put the Brewers in a position to win the series in Los Angeles.

 

Brewers celebrate again after capturing NLDS against the Rockies

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The Brewers celebrate their sweep of the Rockies in the NLDS.

The Milwaukee Brewers ran their win streak to 11 games by knocking off the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Sunday, sweeping the best-of-five National League Divisional Series.

Wade Miley and five relievers blanked the Rockies while Jesus Aguilar, Orlando Arcia and Keon Broxton all homered to power the Brewers 12-hit attack.

The Brewers advanced to the NLCS for the first time since 2011.  It starts on Friday at Miller Park against the winner of the other NLDS between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves.

Brewer pitchers held the Rockies to just two runs in the three games.

After taking a 2-0 lead early, the Brewers scored twice in the sixth on a balk and a wild pitch to jump out in front 4-0.

Orlando Arcia started the 9th with a home run to left off of Rockies closer Wade Davis.  Keon Broxton followed with a home run to right.

Josh Hader got the final two outs to close it out for the Brewers.

 

Brewers move one win away from trip to NLCS

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Jhoulys Chacin

The Milwaukee Brewers blanked the Colorado Rockies 4-0 on Friday at Miller Park, and is now just one victory away from winning the series and advancing to the National League Championship Series.

Jhoulys Chacin, on short rest, pitched five shutout innings while striking out three and walking three.

It’s also the 10th straight win for the Brewers as the series now shifts to Coors Field in Denver for games three and four.

The Brewers had struggled with runners in scoring position in the first two games of the series, but they finally saw their luck change in the 8th.  With the bases loaded, Mike Moustakas singled to right to push their lead to 2-0.  Then, after Hernan Perez and Travis Shaw struck out, catcher Erik Kratz singled to score Braun and punch runner Orlando Arcia to make it 4-0.

Jeremy Jeffress, who had already worked the eighth, returned to pitch the ninth and lock down the victory.

The Brewers also got scoreless relief from Corey Knebel, Joakim Soria and Josh Hader.

Saturday is a workout day for both teams at Coors Field with game three set for 3:37 p.m. CT on Sunday.  Lefty Wade Miley (5-2, 2.57) will start for the Brewers in game three.  The Rockies will counter with German Marquez (14-11, 3.77).

Brewers climb to within one game of Cubs in Central

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Mike Moustakas scored on a wild pitch in the sixth inning as the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Chicago Cubs 3-2 in Chicago on Monday night.

Jonathan Schoop and Orlando Arcia also drove in runs for the Brewers, who climbed to within one-game of Chicago for the Central Division lead.

The Brewers have now won four straight games and 10 of their last 12, while the Cubs have dropped three straight.

After a slow start for Cubs starter Jon Lester, he was in control, retiring the first two hitters in the sixth inning.  But that’s when Lester started to suffer lower back stiffness, allowing a single to Moustakas and a double to Erik Kratz.

The Cubs went to Carl Edwards Jr., who uncorked a wild pitch on the very first pitch, allowing Moustakas to score what turned out to be the game winning run.

Josh Hader took over for the Brewers in the seventh inning and struck out all six batters he faced.  Jeremy Jeffress came on to save it for the Brewers in the ninth.

The Brewers and Cubs play game two of their series at Wrigley Field tonight.  Jhoulys Chacin (14-6, 3.59) goes for the Brewers.  Jose Quintana (12-9, 4.14) gets the nod for the Cubs.

 

Brewers use long ball to blank the Cubs

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Ryan Braun File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI

With the wind blowing out at Wrigley Field, the Milwaukee Brewers clubbed four home runs to shutout the Cubs 7-0 on Tuesday.

Lorenzo Cain and Ryan Braun homered in the first inning to push the Brewers out to a 3-0 lead.  Braun would homer again in the third and Erik Kratz also went deep as the Brewers finally beat Cubs left hander Jose Quintana.

Braun continued his hot offensive play at Wrigley Field.  In 78 career games there, he is hitting .338 with 17 home runs, 55 runs and 67 RBI.

Jhoulys Chacin held up his end of the bargain as well, pitching seven scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and striking out 10.  Chacin improved to 12-4 in securing the victory.  He improved to 2-0 against the Cubs and hasn’t allowed an earned run in 13 innings in two starts.

Corey Knebel and Dan Jennings pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth to close out the shutout victory.

Cubs manager Joe Maddon was ejected by home-plate umpire Phil Cuzzi in the sixth inning after a called third strike on Ben Zobrist.  Zobrist would later get ejected for the same reason, the first time he’s been kicked out of a game in his career.

Junior Guerra pitches the final game of the series for the Brewers today, against Chicago’s Kyle Hendricks.

 

Brewers suffer ugly loss in series finale with L.A.

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Brent Suter File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI

Matt Kemp homered twice to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to an 11-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday at Miller Park.  The loss for the Brewers is their 9th in the last 11 games, as they dropped two of three in the series.

The Dodgers hit Brewers starter Brent Suter hard and continued their assault on reliever Taylor Williams.  Suter left after three innings with a left forearm strain, the same injury that landed him on the 10-day disabled list previously.  Manager Craig Counsell said Suter is headed back for another stint on the DL.

“It’s a really disappointing setback,” said Suter.  “I’m really disappointed for letting the team down today.  I didn’t pitch well and then I got hurt to boot.  It was just a real disappointing day.

Suter allowed six earned runs on eight hits.  His replacement, Taylor Williams allowed five runs, three of which were earned, in just one inning of work.  In two outings since the all-star break, Williams has allowed nine hits and seven runs (5 earned) in two innings. [Read more…]