SAN DIEGO - The Brewers may have a wild-card option tucked into Wednesday’s Game 4 of the National League Division Series: Misiorowski in relief.
Manager Pat Murphy didn’t exactly rule it out when asked whether the right-hander could be used out of the bullpen as Milwaukee tries to finish off the series.
“Could be. Could be,” Murphy said.
Milwaukee enters Game 4 with a 2-1 lead over San Diego despite dropping Game 3 on Tuesday night, and one possible path forward would let the Brewers use Misiorowski in a short relief role while still keeping him lined up to start a potential Game 5 on Friday night in Milwaukee.
Pitching coach Chris Hook made it sound like Misiorowski is ready for that kind of assignment.
“He’s turned on,” said pitching coach Chris Hook. “He's ready to go.”
Murphy pointed to the importance of being selective about when to make that move, saying it wouldn’t be done just for the sake of doing it.
“It won't be just because,” Murphy said of the possibility of Misiorowski in relief. “We've got to be smart about it and look at the situation. But I think our pitching is in good shape.”
The Brewers do have some rested arms available. Closer Trevor Megill and setup man Aaron Ashby did not pitch in Game 3, and Milwaukee also entered Game 4 with length behind starter Robert Gasser, with multi-inning lefties Shane Drohan and Kyle Harrison still unused in the NLDS.
One spot that could matter is the right-handed setup mix. Abner Uribe has pitched in all three games of the series, and if he appears again in Game 4, that would mean a fourth outing in five days. Right-hander Antonio Senzatela also worked in Game 3 and needed 14 pitches.
Murphy acknowledged that both clubs have worn each other down through the first three games.
“We're exposed a little bit. Each team has seen each other a lot,” Murphy said.
“That's part of what makes this a great series. I don't know about the other series.
I've got too much on my plate to follow all the other series, but this series has just been unbelievable. And who has deserved to win which game?
It's like, Game 1, who should have won? Game 2, really?
[Tuesday], really? It's just how it works, so you've just got to keep grinding and enjoy it.”
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