Brewers' rotation takes another hit with Wade Miley expected to miss 6-8 weeks with injury
ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. -- The Milwaukee Brewers' starting-pitching depth is quickly approaching critical mass.
Wade Miley, who'd been one of the most consistent rotation performers, is expected to miss the next six to eight weeks after being diagnosed with a left serratus posterior strain.
"It's the back of the shoulder. Controls the movement of the scapula," manager Craig Counsell said. "It's a muscle strain. It's not a very common pitcher injury, or throwing injury. But that's what the tests from the doctors confirmed. So, it's treated as essentially a muscle strain and go from there."
Miley was injured in his start in St. Louis on Tuesday and lifted after 1 ⅔ innings with what was diagnosed at the time as a lat strain.
Subsequent imaging revealed the actual injury, however, and a season that began with a 3-2 record, 3.67 ERA and WHIP of 1.13 in eight starts (41 ⅔ innings) is now on hold.
"It's a unique injury," general manager Matt Arnold said. "I don't think it's actually been found that often in baseball players, is my understanding. And so, think we're still learning more about it. He feels OK.
"In talking to him, he seems like he's good and in good spirits. But we just have to be cautious with something that's this unique."
Now the Brewers are down two of the original members of their opening-day rotation (Brandon Woodruff is the other) with another contender in Aaron Ashby also out for the season with a shoulder injury.
Additionally, Eric Lauer had recently been moved to the bullpen for something of a mental reset.
"Injuries are part of the baseball season and it doesn't really do any good to have a 'woe is us' reaction to them," Counsell said. "They happen, we've got other guys who have got to step up and take their spots and perform and we'll do our best to get them back as safely and as quickly as possible.
"And that's how it works. That's how it works for every other team, too. Other teams have injuries, too."
Milwaukee entered Friday's series opener against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field without a scheduled starter for Saturday.
Asked if Lauer might return to the rotation, Counsell said: "He's going to pitch a lot tomorrow."
Brewers trade Lucas Erceg to Oakland
Lucas Erceg, the Brewers' second-pick in 2016 who transitioned from position player to reliever, was traded to the Oakland A's on Wednesday for cash considerations.
The 28-year-old, who's from the Bay area in California, was off to a 3-1 start at Class AAA Nashville.
He'd logged a 6.46 ERA, but much of the damage was done in one bad outing among his 13 this season. The right-hander had also struck out 16 in 15 ⅓ innings with a fastball that approaches triple digits.
While Erceg never broke through to the majors with the Brewers, he received his first callup Friday after first being assigned to Oakland's Class AAA affiliate in Las Vegas.
"That was part of the deal," Arnold said of Erceg's promotion. "And obviously, for him to have that kind of opportunity is great. I heard that he was in tears when he got the message, which is awesome.
"So, to have such an incredible story with what he's overcome in his life,I'm really, really happy for him. When those kinds of things come up, you certainly don't want to get in the guy's way to do that."
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Brewers' rotation takes another hit with Wade Miley 6-8 weeks with injury
