The Brewers are dealing with a suddenly thin infield as they close out their series with the Twins, and the injury news hit fast before first pitch.
Cooper Pratt was officially placed on the injured list with a right hamstring strain, a move that came about 40 minutes before the game. To fill the opening, Milwaukee selected infielder Ji-Hwan Bae to the active roster after signing him to a minor league deal this morning. Drew Rom was designated for assignment to clear space on the 40-man roster.
That came on top of the concern around Joey Ortiz, who left last night’s game early with neck tightness. Pat Murphy described Ortiz as day-to-day, but the Brewers still entered the day with uncertainty on one of their top shortstop options. With Pratt now out and Ortiz still not on the injured list, Milwaukee is suddenly stretched on the left side of the infield.
That’s part of why Andrew Vaughn is starting at third base. He has handled the spot in late-game emergency work before, but this is his first start there with the Brewers and only the second start of his career at third. The other came in 2021 with the White Sox as a rookie.
Milwaukee’s lineup is missing more than just the infield pieces. Garrett Mitchell and Christian Yelich are also out of the order, with both left-handed bats getting the day off against Twins lefty Connor Prielipp.
Prielipp, the pride of Tomah, WI, comes into the matchup with a 4.75 ERA and a 3-5 record. Across from him is Jacob Misiorowski, who has been excellent for Milwaukee all year at 11-5 with a 1.63 ERA. He’s also five strikeouts away from 200 on the season.
Behind the plate for Misiorowski will be Gary Sanchez, a pairing that has only happened a small handful of times this year.
In Other News...
Brewers Fans Just Got A New Reason To Watch The Farm
The Brewers farm system had a little bit of everything in the latest round of minor league action, with the kind of performances that keep player-development watchers glued to box scores. Braylon Payne continued to move in the right direction, Ryan Birchard turned in a solid outing on the mound and Daniel Dickinson showed signs of sharper defense, all of it adding up to another reminder that Milwaukee has some interesting talent bubbling just below the majors.
There was also movement worth tracking, including Brandon Sproat making his Nashville debut, which only adds to the sense that the organizations upper levels are getting more crowded with names worth following. For Brewers fans, the appeal is not just the individual stat lines but the bigger picture - a farm system with enough momentum to make even an ordinary night in the minors feel relevant to the clubs long-term outlook. [Read more 🡒]
Brewers Suddenly Have A Shortstop Problem They Didnt Want
The Brewers infield depth took an immediate hit when rookie shortstop Cooper Pratt landed on the 10-day injured list after an MRI revealed a right hamstring strain. Pratt had been giving Milwaukee a promising look since his MLB debut, making the injury feel like more than a routine roster shuffle for a team that has leaned on young players to hold down important spots.
Milwaukee moved quickly to cover the vacancy by signing utility player Jihwan Bae to a Minor League contract and bringing him onto the active roster. Bae arrived after a recent stretch in Triple-A Syracuse, with stops in the Pirates and Mets organizations already on his resume, and now he gets a chance to help bridge the gap while the Brewers sort out what comes next at shortstop. [Read more 🡒]
Brewers Suddenly Face A Tough Infield Test During Brutal Stretch
Milwaukees infield depth is getting tested at a bad time, with rookie shortstop Cooper Pratt shelved after a recent game and the Brewers forced to reshuffle the roster around him. The move leaves a young player out of the lineup just as the club is trying to navigate a punishing stretch, and it puts even more attention on how the group handles the middle of the diamond without him.
To cover the vacancy, the Brewers turned to Ji Hwan Bae, a former Pirates utility player who adds speed and flexibility to the active roster. The corresponding 40-man move was just as notable, with Drew Rom designated for assignment to create space, a reminder that a single injury can ripple beyond one position and quickly alter the shape of the roster. [Read more 🡒]