The Brewers announced that left-hander Justin Wilson was signed to a one-year contract with a club option for the 2024 season. Since Wilson underwent Tommy John surgery last June, it isn’t known whether or not he’ll be able to pitch this season, but Milwaukee will retain control over his services when he is healthy.
The ACES client will make $850K in 2023 and the option is valued at $2.5MM with a $150K buyout; it’s a $1MM guarantee overall. To clear a spot on the 40-man roster, Milwaukee placed righty Jason Alexander on the 60-day injured list after he suffered a shoulder strain. He’ll be out until the end of May at the earliest.
Wilson will remain in the NL Central, as he had been a member of the Reds organization since he was dealt from the Yankees as part of a deal prior to the 2021 trade deadline. Wilson ended up posting a 2.75 ERA over his 19 2/3 total innings with Cincinnati, but his elbow problems limited him to only 3 2/3 innings of work in 2022. Wilson averaged 67 games and 61 innings per season from 2013-18, though he missed significant time in 2019 due to elbow soreness and then in 2021 due to a hamstring.
Through 11 MLB seasons, Wilson has a 3.41 career ERA, a solidly above-average 25.9% strikeout rate, and a subpar 10.7% walk rate. The free passes are the only real weak link on Wilson’s resume, as the southpaw has done well to induce grounders and limit hard contact over his career. The 35-year-old also has roughly identical career splits against both left-handed and right-handed batters.
This solid performance hasn’t prevented Wilson from bouncing around the league, as he has seen big league action with six different teams over the course of his career. The Brewers are certainly hopeful of being the seventh, perhaps as early as this summer if Wilson is on the short end of the usual 14-16 month recovery period for Tommy John patients. On the plus side, Wilson won’t require as much arm build-up since he’ll be working out of the bullpen, so it would seem like there’s a decent chance that he’ll be able to get on the mound before the 2023 campaign is over.
Hoby Milner is the only left-hander projected for Milwaukee’s Opening Day bullpen, and Alex Claudio, Thomas Pannone, and Robert Gasser are the southpaws in camp as non-roster invitees. Aaron Ashby might have also factored into the Brew Crew’s relief plans if he wasn’t kept stretched out as rotation depth, but Ashby is now going to be out of action for several months due to shoulder inflammation. While Wilson doesn’t provide any immediate help to the bullpen, he at least represents some left-handed relief depth down the road, while the Brewers figure out their plans for the start of the season.
Solid bullpen pickup once he’s able to return
meh….
Woo wee!
3 solid lefty relief options remaining. Britton, Smith & Hand.
It would be quite a slap in the face if Will Smith couldn’t get a MLB deal before the season.
^^^^^^^^^Responses like this are the reason I come to this site lol. Well, that and baseball news.
Best comment so far this year. Even Jada laughed
I liked him with the Mets
would rather have Will Smith as a LHR that can help this year
The Cookin’Cajun on board for the Crew…
“GARONTEE…”
Every time he came in for the Reds I yelled “woo wee!” and everyone under 30 looked at me like I was losing my mind.
My wife would say that ship sailed a long time ago….
Very nice pen addition if he’s healthy. Still would have liked Will Smith back. Helping Milner out will be nice.
Seems odd to sign a 35 year old reliever with a spotty recent track record as a future contributer.
The Brewers are spending as little as possible. Bally Sports is going belly up and not paying them. Sucks being a small market team
Brewers are not a small market team when it comes to attendance and stadium revenue!!!
Now just need the Cardinals to finish the NL Central quintet.
Yet another former Pirate who I thought was destined for greatness when he came up. Always thought they errored in making him a reliever. The guy sure has traveled a lot
WILSON!!!!!!!!