April 14th, 2023
SAN DIEGO — The Brewers consider their Opening Day pitching rotation stacks up towards any within the Majors, however they know it’s going to take greater than 5 starters. It can take a Janson Junk right here, a Colin Rea there. They hope Adrian Houser is again from the injured listing in brief order. Possibly Aaron Ashby will return from left shoulder surgical procedure in time to assist.
However the process all the time requires greater than 5 beginning pitchers, and it requires performances just like the one Rea delivered on Thursday night time at Petco Park. The 32-year-old began a Main League sport for the primary time since 2020 and simply the third time since 2016, and whereas the story of this explicit 4-3 Brewers win over the Padres in 10 innings had some late twists and turns, the takeaway was this: It requires all types of pitchers to win.
“Couldn’t ask for something extra,” stated supervisor Craig Counsell of Rea. “I believed he was fantastic. He gave us an actual likelihood to win.”
Milwaukee received for a bunch of causes, beginning with Rowdy Tellez hitting a two-run dwelling run within the first inning and Mike Brosseau muscling a solo shot by means of the marine layer within the fifth to again Rea, who held the mighty San Diego lineup to a run on two hits and one stroll over 5 2/3 innings. After former Brewer Trent Grisham tied the sport within the eighth with a two-run homer off Matt Bush, and Josh Hader and Devin Williams mixed to go six-up, six-down in an electrical ninth, the Crew received within the tenth when Christian Yelich stole third base so he may rating on Tellez’s sacrifice fly.
Reinforcing the notion that it takes all types of pitchers to win, Joel Payamps stored the Padres off the board within the backside of the tenth for his first profession save — with an enormous defensive help from shortstop Willy Adames.
“We’ve wanted guys to step up in numerous roles, and everybody has been answering the bell when that occurs,” Williams stated. “You noticed it once more tonight.”
That features Rea, who was known as up from Triple-A Nashville to make the Brewers’ second straight spot begin. That’s not often the way you draw it up within the second week of April, however Milwaukee did this basically by alternative, opting to provide its 4 wholesome starters an additional day of relaxation throughout this stretch of 13 consecutive sport days — a plan that was set in movement earlier than Brandon Woodruff landed on the injured list with proper shoulder irritation.
“Look, you are enjoying the lengthy sport,” Counsell stated Thursday afternoon. “That is what we’re doing right here, is enjoying the lengthy sport to attempt to get us by means of a 162-game schedule and preserve these guys not solely wholesome however as efficient as they presumably may be.”
Counsell just isn’t alone on this evaluation.
“I feel the suitable time to do it’s early on,” stated Brewers ace Corbin Burnes. “These are conversations we had in Spring Coaching about one of the simplest ways to maximise our innings come August and September when our schedule is absolutely crunched collectively. I feel each one in every of us — me, Woody, Freddy [Peralta], everybody — had been like, ‘Yeah, that is what is smart.’”
Junk was the primary beginning pitcher summoned from Triple-A on Wednesday, and he took the loss towards the D-backs after permitting 5 runs (4 earned) with out clearing the fifth inning.
Rea fared considerably higher.
The suitable-hander — a onetime Padres prospect whose final bona fide large league begin was July 30, 2016, following a commerce from San Diego to Miami — has had a protracted baseball journey. Rea injured his proper elbow that day, and it altered the course of his profession, resulting in stints with the Cubs and the Brewers and in Japan, then again to Milwaukee on a Minor League deal this previous winter. Rea’s final Main League begin earlier than Thursday was for Chicago in ‘20, however he was basically pitching as an opener.
Now he has an opportunity to be an actual a part of the Brewers’ rotation plans.
“Clearly, with the Woodruff damage, it got here proper in the course of this factor, which wasn’t ideally suited. However an damage is rarely ideally suited,” Counsell stated. “We’re nonetheless dedicated to creating positive we get guys additional relaxation. It is not going to be each time, however at occasions when the majority of the fellows profit from it, we’ll do it.”
Due to Rea, it labored this time.
“I really feel prefer it’s only a step in the suitable course,” Rea stated. “I don’t essentially see the large moments in my profession — it’s simply, ‘preserve shifting ahead and getting ready and dealing daily.’ I put together myself for moments like this.
“So far as tonight, it feels good. I’m going to get pleasure from it. Tomorrow, we’re again at it once more.”
