Brandon Sproat’s first full run with the Milwaukee Brewers didn’t start cleanly, but June gave the rookie right-hander something far more valuable than a hot streak: proof he’s settling in.
Milwaukee landed Sproat in the Freddy Peralta deal this past offseason with bigger plans in mind, viewing the 25-year-old as a possible long-term piece for the rotation. The Brewers wasted little time testing him, shuttling him between the rotation and bullpen before injuries opened the door for a steady starting role in April.
That brought the expected growing pains. Sproat came into the year with just four big league appearances, and the learning curve showed early.
The difference between May and June tells the story. In May, Sproat posted a 5.64 ERA over five starts and 22 1/3 innings, while striking out 27 and walking 12.
A month later, he looked much more in control. June brought a 3.46 ERA across five starts and 26 innings, along with a 28-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
That improvement wasn’t just about the ERA. Sproat worked deeper into games, cut his walks by five even while throwing 3 2/3 more innings, and gave Milwaukee a much cleaner version of himself on the mound.
The timing matters, too, because the Brewers are about to face a crowded rotation picture. Logan Henderson is nearing a return, and Milwaukee will soon have to sort through a group that also includes Jacob Misiorowski, Kyle Harrison, Brandon Woodruff, Sproat, Henderson, Shane Drohan and Robert Gasser.
At one point earlier this season, Sproat looked like a possible bullpen candidate. That conversation has shifted.
Right now, he’s done enough to justify a longer leash in the rotation. The case can be made that Drohan - and then Gasser once he’s back in the majors - are the ones who should head to the bullpen, with Henderson and Sproat filling the final two rotation spots.
The Brewers knew they were getting power stuff when they brought Sproat in. That’s part of why they wanted him in the first place.
Milwaukee has also shown a knack for getting value in trades, as seen with Harrison and Quinn Priester from the Boston Red Sox. Sproat needed time to adjust, but the last month has made the picture a lot clearer.
He’s allowed just two earned runs over his last 11 1/3 innings, and for Milwaukee, that’s exactly the kind of progress it was waiting for.
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