The Milwaukee Brewers are shaking things up in spring training, making some notable roster decisions. On Thursday, they optioned right-handed pitcher Logan Henderson and center fielder Blake Perkins to Triple-A Nashville, along with first baseman-outfielder Tyler Black. Shortstop Cooper Pratt was also reassigned to Nashville, signaling some shifts in their lineup strategy.
Perkins' move is particularly telling, as it suggests that center fielder Brandon Lockridge is likely to join Garrett Mitchell on the Opening Day roster. With these changes, the Brewers now have 34 players in their major-league camp.
Henderson, who was in the running for a spot in the Opening Day rotation, is now out of the mix. He has been dealing with a sore elbow and has only pitched four innings in Cactus League action, posting a solid 2.25 ERA with no walks and a single strikeout. He's slated to pitch a couple of innings on Friday, possibly against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The battle for the remaining rotation spots is heating up. Right-handers Jacob Misiorowski and Chad Patrick are already locked in for the Opening Day rotation.
Brandon Woodruff, another potential starter, hasn't pitched since March 7 due to a lingering lat injury. He was expected to pitch four innings against the Texas Rangers on Thursday night.
This leaves left-handers Kyle Harrison and Robert Gasser, and right-hander Brandon Sproat, vying for rotation spots. Aaron Ashby, a key lefty from the bullpen, is also a potential starter, which could still leave the Brewers with a strong left-handed bullpen presence, including Angel Zerpa, Jared Koenig, DL Hall, and Rob Zastryzny.
Perkins' demotion comes despite his strong defensive play and a respectable spring showing with a .290/.343/.323 slash line. Last season, he struggled offensively with a .226/.298/.348 line, but his defense kept him in the lineup.
Meanwhile, Lockridge, who joined the Brewers from the Padres in the Nestor Cortes trade, has been impressive. He's showcasing newfound power with a .314/.442/.686 line, including four homers.
Garrett Mitchell, on the other hand, is having a tough spring, hitting just .080/.233/.240. Despite his struggles, his career numbers suggest potential, but injuries have limited his playtime over the past few seasons.
As the Brewers continue to fine-tune their roster, these moves highlight the competitive nature of spring training and the strategic decisions teams must make to prepare for the season ahead.