The Brewers have settled on their Opening Day rotation, and they’ll be placing a good bit of faith in a young core of arms with limited big league experience, as Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel writes. Veteran Jhoulys Chacin was named the Opening Day starter earlier in camp, and it’s now been confirmed by the team that he’ll be joined by right-handers Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, Freddy Peralta and Zach Davies. While the 26-year-old Davies has been a presence in the Milwaukee rotation for the past couple of seasons, this will mark the first time that Burnes, Woodruff and to a lesser extent Peralta are penciled in as long-term starters. (Peralta did start 14 games for the Brewers last year but finished the season with a pair of relief outings.)
The decision to sandwich that trio of young arms between Chacin and Davies means that 2018 Opening Day starter Chase Anderson will begin the year in a bullpen role. So, too, will right-hander Junior Guerra, who has started 60 games for the Brewers over the course of the past three seasons.
The decision on Anderson is of particular note given that he signed a two-year, $11.75MM contract in October 2017. He’ll earn $6.5MM this year under the terms of that pact, but the Brewers have a pair of club options on him valued at $8.5MM and $9.5MM, respectively. The shift to the bullpen seemingly makes it less likely that he’d be valued at that price point, though Anderson would remain under club control as an arbitration-eligible player even if next year’s option is bought out, as he won’t have six full seasons of MLB service time.
The Brewers drew some criticism for not doing enough to address their rotation last winter in an offseason that saw them sign both Chacin and Wade Miley (who signed as a free agent with the Astros earlier in the current offseason). This winter, they didn’t make a single big league addition to their rotation, knowing full well that the trio of Burnes, Woodruff and Peralta were now ready for big league roles.
It’s unconventional for a team with World Series aspirations to effectively begin the year auditioning three young starters, as promising as they may be, for long-term rotation roles. But, it’s also not difficult to see why the trio has earned the faith of the front office. Both Burnes and Woodruff have previously carried top 100 prospect billing and found some success in Triple-A despite playing their games there in an awful pitching environment (Colorado Springs). Both pitched well in relief roles at the MLB level last season, with Burnes in particular creating intrigue based on his spin rates (99th percentile in fastball, 89th in curveball) and velocity. Peralta, too, fared well in the hitter-friendly Colorado Springs in addition to turning in a 4.25 ERA (3.72 FIP) in his first 78 1/3 MLB frames.
It should also be noted that this iteration of the rotation is hardly permanent. Top starter Jimmy Nelson is on the mend from 2017 shoulder surgery and is nearing a return to the active roster. It’s also possible that either Anderson or Guerra could work his way back into the fold in the event of an injury or some shaky performance from one of the team’s younger arms. Righties Adrian Houser and Aaron Wilkerson are also on hand as 40-man options in Triple-A. And, as ever, the summer trade market will bear numerous options whom the Brewers could consider should the rotation prove to be an area of definitive need.
batty
Anderson, 2 years ago, was thought to be their future ace from what i heard/read. Injuries sure haven’t helped him in that pursuit.
brewpackbuckbadg
I don’t think I ever heard future ace. Maybe future rotation piece (#3,#4, or #5) but not ace. Nelson might have been mentioned as an ace.
Ace Chanderson was a nickname but that was only a nickname when he was pitching well in a particular game. Hope he bounces back regardless of the role.
todd76
Kind of strange to put Chase in the bullpen. That’s a decent amount of money for him to be a reliever.
Steve Adams
I don’t think anyone ever considered Anderson a potential ace. He was a cost-controlled fourth starter when they acquired him from the D-backs as part of the Segura package, and that’s what they generally expected him (and paid him) to be.
ColossusOfClout
They’re getting anywhere near a WS with that rotation.
YelichdaGoat
What do you think about the Brewers getting Melancon and Smith from the Giants? I think it would be a nice fit given the injuries to Knebel and Jeffress. Brewers are not that concerned with Jeffress, he seems to be on the fast track, but the Knebel one does not look good. We need a closer ASAP
Cheeseman Forever
Jeffress not expected to miss much time…Knebel could be another story.
YelichdaGoat
yeah thats what I mean. We need a closer soon. We have a tough April and Hader needs to be rested as much as possible. I dont want to rush Jeffress back so maybe go outside the organization
thomps07
Melancon is garbage now. Way over priced.
aussiegiants53
Please take them! Smith is a weapon (which brewers fans know) Melancon is a sunken cost, what do you give up for them?
YelichdaGoat
saw Marks numbers last year, werent that bad though. Why do you say hes a sunken cost?
Yankeepride88
Look again. He had a WHIP of nearly 1.6 meaning you can’t trust him to get you out of a jam. Yes, his ERA was okay for a middle reliever, but giving up over a hit per inning is terrible.
Also, he makes $15 mil each year
YelichdaGoat
YIKES. nevermind on that Melancan comment lol. didnt know about that 15 mil. Smith though. I like him. never should have traded him to the Giants in the first place. hes a stud
AndyMeyer
And especially now with the 3 batter minimum
bigkempin
He was also lit up away from ATT. Dunno how well he’d do pitching at Miller Park
puigpower
I would imagine they would use them for 3-4 innings out of the pen as a “second starter”
Thomas James
If Anderson regains his velocity he had in 2017, a mid nineties fastball, then he’s a much better option for the bullpen then Davies. I still think he’s being shopped though and is much better suited for a pitcher friendly park given his penchant to being a fly ball pitcher.
YelichdaGoat
i agree. If he can let it go for 2 innings, he may be a better option out there. Clearly, him and starting is not working. He cant go through the order more than once or he gets hit around
dray16
Shopped? No one would want him
DarkSide830
he could start on most clubs
Thomas James
His numbers were better then Gray’s especially away from Miller Park. He’s cheap enough were maybe an Oakland might be interested, or even Minnesota with that pitcher friendly park of there’s.
YelichdaGoat
Brewer fans- what do you think Stearns will do with the bullpen? Will he go outside the organization to work around these injuries, or stay in house? Personally, i think he needs to go outside for some help.
Not Xabial
As a lifelong Brewers fan, I fully anticipate a “Brewers to sign Craig Kimbrel” story popping up on this website within the next few days.
YelichdaGoat
I agree. I say go for it. Stearns is in win now mode more than ever. You do not overpay for a one year deal for Grandal, and bring back Moose, to just fizzle out when it comes to adding a high end reliever. If this was the ‘Doug Melvin” era, he would just go in house. Stearns is not content. Mark Attanasio has said he is willing to open his wallet to whatever, if it brings in high quality talent.
stubby66
Gotta believe Houser will be up very soon. I wonder how much Barker, Ozlack, or Griep could give us. Chase should have been optioned to AAA.
YelichdaGoat
Stubby66 I like Houser a lot. i think he has the makeup to be a solid arm in the bullpen. Not sure why he did not make the roster
stubby66
Agreed I also gotta wonder how Zack Brown will be used after a couple of weeks
spinach
Problem with Kimbrel is the Greg Holland issue, he wasn’t at all ready to pitch missing ST. $18m and giving up a pick… upside is limited, plus a lot of downside- much less flexibility to make in-season additions.
dray16
good luck with that
Phillies2017
I don’t think this is the right move. Personally, I would have kept Burnes in the bullpen with the injury situation and Woodruff as the long reliever, because Im not enthused by what Ive seen out of him
Chacin
Anderson
Peralta
Davies
Guerra
When you’re in a division as competitive as theirs, you can’t be rolling out an entire rotation (minus Chacin) of young and not yet established arms.
Go on a case by case basis. How does Woodruff look when given an opportunity to pitch multiple innings? How does Burnes follow his solid season in relief? Does he fall victim to his middling peripherals? Once you can assess that, then determine when to slide them into the rotation.
I’d give Peralta and Davies the first shot based on the fact that they’re the most established.
brewcrewer
Guerra is a waste. You know what he is and what he’s going to give you. I think it’s better to try to find out early in the year what they can do vs doing it out of necessity later in the year. I can’t imagine the young guys have a super long leash if they falter, but now is a great time to see what they can do and adjust accordingly
YelichdaGoat
I agree with you on Burnes. I liked him more out of the bullpen last year. he was able to come in for an inning or two and throw straight gas. I think in the end, he will be a perfect 7th or 8th inning pitcher. we will see though. Your comment on Junior i disagree with. I dont see him as a starter.
GarryHarris
Wait for mid season to acquire pitching. Everyone is searching for the right mix. Let the youth robe themselves until then.
brewcrewer
this is the move I was hoping they’d make, but didn’t think they had the guts to. I am very happy about this.
afsooner02
Brewers haven’t had a 20 game winner since 1986. (Teddy Higuera). Chacin is the best hope for that this year. I was 7 in 86. I’m 40 now…
Much like seeing a 16 seed beat a #1 seed which we got. I just want to see another brewers 20 game winner…..please!
YelichdaGoat
Dont think you will see many 20 game winners in the game anymore. Starters get pulled after 4 or 5 these days. Managers have a very quick hook
DarkSide830
seems silly to start Burnes in the rotation with the spring he had and his former success in the pen. Anderson in the rotation and him in the pen will be better for MIL then the other way around.
Steve Adams
Unsolicited opinion: I’d bank on Burnes being the best of the young trio long-term and most likely in 2019 as well.
YelichdaGoat
I like all of them but Peralta is my favorite
Prospectnvstr
Seems silly to call a flamed out never successful starting pitcher the greatest pitcher of all time. Yet, that’s exacly what several thousands of people say about Mariano Rivera. It’s silly to move an all star catcher to 2nd base and then move the same all star second baseman to centerfield. That’s what the Astros did with Craig Biggio. Corbin Burnes was having success in the minors as a SP. The Brewers used him in relief to help the team & to break him in gently to the majors. So, in conclusion, i find it silly that you thinking it’s silly that the brewers are giving him a chance to do his dream job. A major league starting pitcher. If he fails he could be the next star reliever.
KF
I don’t get why this writer slings commas around left and right unnecessarily yet won’t use a damn Oxford comma.
Using “too” with two commas instead of “also” is just failed writing peacocking. Happens twice here. Just say “also” for crying out loud.
“So, too, will right-hander”> too is straight-up redundant in that sentence. “So will” functions the same way.
Even when he does use also, Adams still finds a way to fail. “But, it’s also not difficult…” doesn’t even need a comma after but. While it may not be difficult to see why these young pitchers deserve a chance, apparently punctuation is difficult.
Adams, like a few MLBTR writers, abuse commas so much Rob Manfred should suspend them 40 games like Russell.
I don’t know if this is an editing failure or it’s just the writer, but my god, it’s like these guys get paid by the word or by the comma. Amazing what passes for journalism these days. I feel for newspaper editors who have defended the language and cut down on verbosity like this for generations, and now are losing their jobs because mediocre-at-best writers like this can be notable reporters.
There’s something to be said for trying to fit a full story in between small margins within a page. The point comes much quicker, without all kinds of other fluff like you’ll find here at MLBTR.
Android Dawesome
I think this comment, too, is failed writing peacocking.
Illusionist
great starting lineup but too much emphasis on offense vs pitching. Brewers don’t really have a stable ace, moreso decent to above average starters. Should have gone to FA for SP’s, or if the asking price was too much, go for a trade. Defensively Moose might be a liability at second base as well to get another offensive bat, but I’d worry more about the SP. Don’t know why they are looking at a CP aka Kimbrel when you need good SP to get there in the first place. At the very least, they could add one solid SP, like Keuchel(assuming price has dropped), Kluber, Bauer, or even Gio Gonzalez imo would have been a decent add,