The Brewers announced that they have optioned infielder Luis Urías to Triple-A Nashville and recalled infielder Brice Turang in a corresponding move.
Urías, 26, seemed to have established himself as a solid part of the Milwaukee over the past two years. Over 2021 and 2022, he launched 39 home runs and hit a combined .244/.340/.426 for a wRC+ of 111. This year, however, has been an entirely different story.
He was placed on the injured list with a hamstring strain after the first game of the season and wasn’t able to return until June 5. In the past three-plus weeks, he’s yet to get into a groove, hitting just .145/.299/.236 for a wRC+ of 60. A .179 batting average on balls in play isn’t doing him any favors, but his exit velocity, hard hit rate and barrel rate are all down a few points, suggesting it’s more than just luck. That cold spell was pronounced enough for the Brewers to send him to the minors, his first time being optioned since he was a Padre back in 2019.
The infielder has already had two passes through arbitration as a Super Two player, earning a salary of $2.5MM last year and $4.7MM. He has already surpassed four years of service time here this year and would be eligible for two more arb seasons, though his rough season might give the club some pause about tendering him a contract. The arbitration system is designed so that player salaries essentially always climb, meaning Urías could be looking at jumping over $5MM even with his struggles so far this year.
The Brewers are unsurprisingly looking for more offense, as Urías isn’t the only one struggling. The club is hitting .226/.305/.370 as a whole for a wRC+ of 85, which puts them ahead of only the Athletics and the Rockies. They will surely be hoping that today’s swap can give them a boost in that department.
Turang himself was a part of those struggles, as he made the club’s Opening Day roster but hit just .205/.254/.307 through his first 177 career plate appearances. That performance got him optioned to Nashville in early June, where he has been faring much better. He’s hit .298/.365/.561 over the past three weeks since getting sent down, posting a 127 wRC+. Though he struck out in 27.1% of his major league appearances, it’s been just a 15.9% clip in Triple-A.
He’ll now get another shot against major league pitching to see if he can find better results. Due to that optional assignment, he’ll come up short of a full year of service time here in 2023, though he would be on track to get Super Two status after 2025 if he can stay up for good.
Wow!
Wouldn’t mind seeing the Brewers move on from Urias/Tellez permanently
Add Winker to this list
You could add another 7 or 8 hitters lol. Whole lineup is mid. Owen miller though. MVP
I saw Owen his last Spring Training with the Padres. He wasn’t impressive but he just looked like he had “it”. I always thought he was the guy that was going to come out of this trade as being the one that got away. Urias had lost the confidence of the Padres which turns out to be fair – still young and all that so who knows. Anyway, been pulling for Owen even after the trade.
Miller is part of the problem, absolutely terrible in June.
I can keep adding- Adames, Taylor, Perkins, Caratini and Anderson.
Between Tellez, Winker, Anderson and Adames, it’s a race to see who can beat the Mendoza line.
I’m all for a full reset. This team isn’t a bat or two at the deadline away from being WS contenders. Every position player is pretty much bottom of the league.
Just sell assets and get back young talent and take the Reds approach.
Bring up Kest! BRING UP KEST! BRING UP KEST!
*ducks*
This was discussed a bit in a previous post. There’s no logical reason not to give him 1 last shot right now. It helps no one to leave him at AAA the entire season (which looks like might be the outcome IMO).
If he performs, it helps him and the club. If he does the usual hit for a week then tank mode for 2 weeks, cut him loose for good.
I hear ya. HIs 840 OPS in 157 plate appearances vs RHP last year would rank second on the team this year behind Yelich’s .879 OPS vs RHP. No other Brewer is over .750 vs RHP this year. I don’t get it. Those splits hold up over Kest’s major league career as well. Sit him versus LHP (or don’t….besides Wiemer, Contreras and maybe Miller NO ONE on this team hits LHP) and let him rake vs RHP. He can DH. Let’s go
I think I seen since his return to minors after his injury he’s 5/22 with 1 HR and 9 ks. Once called up, he’s on the team for good or dfa when they are done with him. So he’s not likely the solution til they are completely done with Winker/Tellez.
Single tonight! Make it 6/23 😛
I’m not sure who they’d abandon first of Winker and Tellez. Montaserio isn’t offering much since he started 7/18. He’s 3 for his last 25. Obviously he offers more on D than Kest. Tilapia can be caught and released with his 1/19 showing, but I imagine that move will correspond with Frelick’s eventual call-up
Brewers keeping that Southwest Airline flight back and forth to Nashville with prospects. So tough to get an A 1-15 slot on a flight with those guys getting them first.
Uriah has 55 at bats in 2023. He’s a 3 win player he’s proven himself. This is insane. If you don’t have a place for these guys to play make a trade.
Ship Urias and Adames to the Tigers. They need infielders.
Just make it worth it but we want guys who are major league ready or close.
Jonathan Schoop is enroute! He pitches, he bats (doesn’t really hit), good fielder. What’s not to like 😉
No, they have been playing their IF in the OF. They need OFs. McKinstry and Ibanez should be IF bench players, not everyday OFs!
McKinstry ain’t doing so bad although he sure floats around the field in defense everyday it can be different (he may play 2 -3 position in a game) — he really should be their 2B
But he still delivers at the plate.
Sounds like Greene and Baddoo are on the way back soon. Cross your fingers!
Bum- I thought you wanted Mitchell?
I want all three! Mitchell is going to be a wicked player. Sucks he got injured.
@ Chris Koch
Ok, I was under the impression he was hitting much better than that. That looks more like his efforts with the big club most of the last couple years. Still might be worth a shot for a couple weeks. What’s the worst case scenario short term for the Brewers if he falls flat? They DFA him, open a spot for another prospect at Nashville, and not be saddled with another should we or shouldn’t we give him one more chance?
Luis Urias’ career path is fascinating. A .320 hitting prospect with a 10% k rate… can’t remember if he received 60 or 70 grades on his hit tool.
Appeared in the majors 6 different years and has never hit .250 in any of them.
I get he decided to focus on power at AAA and with it came bunches of k’s, just thought he’d be one of the best pure hitters the Padres developed in a long time.
That said, Grisham would kill to post such gaudy batting averages.