The Brewers placed Garrett Mitchell on the injured list. Here's what we know.
SEATTLE – Injuries continue to bite the Milwaukee Brewers.
Against the backdrop of Brandon Woodruff going on the injured list at the outset of their 10-game, three-city road trip and Corbin Burnes being pulled from his start Monday against the Seattle Mariners with tightness in the left side of his torso, Garrett Mitchell has become the latest key contributor to be sidelined.
The Brewers on Wednesday placed Mitchell on the 10-day injured list with a left shoulder subluxation – a partial dislocation – and recalled outfielder Blake Perkins from Class AAA Nashville before their finale against the Mariners at T-Mobile Park.
"Look, they happen and you have to move forward," manager Craig Counsell said about the recent spate of injuries. "The medical staff has to try to treat them and get them better as fast as we can, and somebody else gets an opportunity.
"That’s how it goes."
How was Garrett Mitchell injured?
It was tough to tell in the midst of what turned out to be a 6-5, 11-inning victory but Mitchell injured himself making a head-first slide into third base in the 10th inning.
As the "ghost runner" at second base, he advanced to third on a sharp ground ball to the right side by Victor Caratini. Mitchell actually overslid the base but was able to reach out and grab it before being tagged and then went on to score a go-ahead run.
Mitchell remained in the game in center field but on a throw home felt more discomfort and had to depart.
"When I dove into third," Mitchell said Wednesday morning when asked exactly when he was hurt. "I'm not quite sure where the impact was that caused it, but when I dove into third my thumb did get caught up and when I grabbed around the bag I felt a little shift in my shoulder. I didn't feel a pop or anything like that; I just know when I turned I felt my shoulder start to hurt pretty quickly.
"Got checked last night and was able to put my shoulder over my head so I felt comfortable going back out there. Then, once I made that throw, I felt it shift again."
How much time is Garrett Mitchell going to miss?
We know he's going to miss a minimum of 10 days due to his IL placement.
But until Mitchell is able to have imaging done on his shoulder and he meets with the team doctor, there's no way to know if he might miss more time than that.
Mitchell was sporting a sling to support his left shoulder when he arrived at the ballpark.
"I'm a little sore. Definitely uncomfortable, but I'm doing good," he said. "All I really know right now is I subluxed my shoulder. I don't have a time table. I don't know a course of action. I know tomorrow I'll get an MRI and see Dr. (William) Raasch.
"That's the only information I've got right now."
Who is Blake Perkins, the player called up to take Garrett Mitchell's place on the Brewers roster?
Perkins, 26, will be making his major-league debut whenever he sees the field for the Brewers.
Signed as a free agent last November, he was a second-round draft pick of the Washington Nationals out of high school in 2015 and has also played in the Kansas City Royals and New York Yankees organizations, reaching as high as the Class AAA level.
Perkins is considered a solid defender capable of playing all three outfield positions, has some speed and is also a switch-hitter. He actually was leading Class AAA Nashville in hitting at the time of his call-up with a .292 average. He also had a home run, three runs batted in and an OPS of .787 to his credit.
"He’s off to a good start," Counsell said. "He’s going to play. Everybody who gets here is going to play. He’s a good defender. We’re on the second day of Owen (Miller) in the outfield, so we’re trying to get Owen some reps in the outfield. And then we’ll just see how this all plays and fits together moving forward.
"We have some options on the roster here. So, we’ll see how we do it."
Perkins arrived a couple hours before game time Wednesday after some arduous cross-country travel and made his debut by pinch-running and scoring a run in the decisive rally in the seventh.
He also played the final three innings in center.
Why didn't the Brewers bring up Sal Frelick?
A couple reasons – one bigger than the other.
In a case of bad timing, the Brewers' No. 2 prospect injured his left thumb on a slide during the Sounds' game Tuesday night at Jacksonville.
"Sal is out of the lineup today, so it’s a factor," Counsell explained. "He injured his thumb last night. He finished the game. He injured it on a slide and was sore today, so he was scratched from the lineup.
"We’ll kind of see what’s going on there."
Another factor – although it certainly wouldn't have kept the Brewers from figuring a way to make it work if the team deemed Frelick healthy and the best option – was that Perkins is a member of the 40-man roster while Frelick has yet to crack it.
The Brewers adjusted their 40-man earlier Tuesday when they claimed right-hander J.B. Buskauskas off waivers from Seattle and assigned him to Nashville. In adding him, infielder Luis Urías had to be shifted from the 10- to the 60-day IL.
Frelick certainly would have brought more buzz than Perkins. But until the severity of Frelick's injury is known, Perkins will get his shot.
There might be more help coming for the Brewers outfield
Counsell also offered some encouraging news about outfielder Tyrone Taylor, who has been out through spring training and and the start of the season with a right elbow sprain.
Taylor began playing games in extended spring training in Arizona this week and, barring any setbacks, is scheduled to be transferred to Nashville early next week to begin an official rehab assignment.
"We're doing good," is how Counsell described Taylor's progress.
To be able to add a player of Taylor's experience and prior production would be big. Taylor is considered an excellent defender capable of playing across the outfield and while his average (.233) and on-base percentage (.286) were subpar last season he did hit 17 homers and drive in 51 runs in a career-high 12 games.
Speaking of Corbin Burnes
Burnes had a successful round of throwing before Wednesday's game, meaning he's a go for his next start Sunday at home against the Boston Red Sox.
"He's all good," Counsell said. "He played catch today. We're on schedule."
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Brewers put Garrett Mitchell on injured list for shoulder subluxation
