The Brewers have selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Caleb Boushley, the team announced. To make room on the roster, Julio Teheran has been designated for assignment. In addition, the team has swapped out one lefty for another, optioning Ethan Small and recalling Clayton Andrews in his place. Lastly, the Brewers also placed right-hander Trevor Megill on the restricted list.
Boushley will be making his MLB debut, just two days ahead of his 30th birthday. Selected by the Padres in the 33rd round of the 2017 draft, he played in the Padres system throughout the first five years of his professional career. He joined the Brewers organization ahead of the 2022 season and pitched well for the Triple-A Nashville Sounds, starting 25 games and posting an ERA of 3.25. The righty hasn’t performed quite so well this year, pitching to a 5.11 ERA in 29 games (26 starts). Still, he has evidently done enough to earn a call to the show after seven years in the minor leagues. It seems unlikely the Brewers are considering Boushley for a spot on the postseason roster, and with the NL Central crown already locked up, they might just be giving the career minor leaguer a long-awaited cup of coffee with the big league squad.
As for Teheran, this marks an unceremonious end to his mini-comeback season. The two-time All-Star had not played a regular role for an MLB club since 2020. He spent most of the 2021 campaign on the injured list and then split his time in 2022 between the Atlantic League and the Mexican League.
The 32-year-old looked excellent through his first six appearances with Milwaukee, posting a 1.53 ERA and averaging nearly six innings per start. However, he struggled through his next four outings before landing on the injured list and missing the next eight weeks of the season. Teheran returned in mid-September as a long reliever, and while he looked capable, giving up just two earned runs in nine innings of work, it was far from a guarantee that the Brewers would find a spot for him on the postseason roster.
Small was recalled on Wednesday and threw a single scoreless inning against the Cardinals. It was a substantial improvement over his last big league appearance back in May, when he gave up five runs on nine hits in three innings of mop-up work against the Giants. Nonetheless, the Brewers have decided to replace him with Andrews, another 26-year-old lefty with limited major league experience. Andrews made his MLB debut in July and has thrown a grand total of 1 2/3 big league innings, giving up eight earned runs on eight hits. Both pitchers have much better numbers at Triple-A, although Andrews was especially dominant over the final two months of the minor league season, pitching to a 2.12 ERA in August and September.
The Brewers have three southpaws higher up on the depth chart (Hoby Milner, Wade Miley, and Andrew Chafin), so it’s unlikely they’re auditioning Andrews for a postseason role. More likely, they’re just taking stock of the various arms in the organization over the final days of the regular season.
Finally, while the restricted list can sound ominous, Megill is simply spending an extra day with his wife and newborn baby, having maxed out his three days on the paternity list. He is expected back tomorrow, Craig Counsell told reporters (including Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel).
Me and Julio down by the schoolyard.
What were you all doin down at the school yard? Smokin pot?
Don’t know what Julio was doing, but Drew was looking at the little girls.
Yesterday Teheran went 4 innings of 1 hit baseball and DFA’d today. Wow.
What have you done for us lately, Julio?
“Well, yesterday I…”
Today is lately! Get your things and get lost!! Goodbye!
That was also the best he has pitched all year. Guess he won’t be on the postseason roster.
>That was also the best he has
> pitched all year.
Not true at all. He was almost unhittable in his first six starts after being called up this season.
He has seven starts of 5-7 IP with 1 or 2 runs allowed.
Of late he hasn’t pitched well. Probably because the league made adjustments to him but I don’t know if that’s the reason.
Anyway, it doesn’t matter. Best wishes on wherever you end up, Julio.
Agreed. Not true at all! First several starts were impressive, aside from a few long balls. He’s bound for another team for sure.
Small pitches a 1 inning save then he gets demoted then a day earlier Anderson gets DFA’d a day after he collects 2 hits. Counsell has ice water running through his veins!
When did Counsell become the guy who makes these decisions? I’m sure he has some say, but aren’t these things handled by the GM/front office?
I’m sure it’s a joint effort with counsell and Arnold making those decisions 50/50
And with him pitching 4 innings, he wouldn’t be back to pitch until the finale, if then leaving a hole in the bullpen. With Boushley, there’s another arm in the bullpen. Tomorrow he’ll be optioned and Megill will be actived.
So much hand wringing over guys that weren’t going to be on the post-season roster and won’t be on the team next season.
Pdxbc
Astute observation
Farewell
My guess is that it’s only because Teheran isn’t in the postseason roster plans. He did well to start when he was signed to fill in while the team was hurt, but going into the playoffs so far, the rotation and bullpen are going to be healthy and rested. So there likely wasn’t room. But if an injury occurred I’d expect he’ll probably be one of the first ones added to the postseason roster. I doubt he’s going to reject assignment considering he wouldn’t be eligible for another postseason roster spot outside of injury replacement either. Wouldn’t make much sense to just elect free agency and assume which club is going to get hit with injuries.
Surprising decision. Teheran is obviously a much safer option than a 7 year career minor leaguer with a 5.11 ERA in AAA this season. Milwaukee does have an excellent pitching staff, but Teheran has been pitching well in September for the team. I wonder if he injured himself in last night’s game? He pitched very well out of the pen last night and didn’t deserve to be DFA’d, so there might be something else behind this decision beyond adding a fresh arm for their final 3 games of the regular season. Teheran was probably only one injury away from being part of their postseason roster. Perhaps he does accept the designation and stays with the team in case they end up needing him in the playoffs.
I do not think Julio deserves a DFA! Someone had to go to bring up Bushley who was not on the 40 man. Still a slap in the face. He pitched well lately. Should have just left him off the PL roster.
I’m starting to wonder if this is the latest “get around some mlb transaction rule” MKE is pulling lately.
Talk to these guys BEFORE the DFA and explain “look, we’re just getting you a couple days off. Accept the assignment and there’s a good chance you’ll be back on the roster at some point in the postseason.” Meanwhile they bring up these journeyman minor leaguers for a cup of Joe.
Plus, it’s not like they’re trying super hard to win these last 3. Their seed is set, and who cares if the fans want you to spank the cubes this weekend?
Of course it is. All the teams are doing it. Roster churn. Also, no team is going to claim these guys because of the time of year that it happens.
Anyone who is DFA’d now by a playoff team should accept the assignment because that’s the only team that could select that player at any point during the postseason. I imagine that is what Julio will do.
Anyone that has been to a Brewers game at Miller Park vs the flubs knows beating the Flubs is always a good thing regardless of the situation.
Trolling the Cubs by having the 30 yr old journeyman make his debut in extra innings and get the win in the 10th. Take that Patty Wisdom
exactly!
Amateur night last 4 innings! Somehow, we won! The Bosley hair club guy got a one cup moment in his career. Nice story, still bothered by Tehran getting DFA!