Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Garrett Mitchell caught a break but not in a good way.
The starting centerfielder and potential leadoff man for the Brewers will miss the start of the season with a fracture in his left hand. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, he will get a second opinion on the injury from a hand specialist. His tentative timeline for a return is 1-2 months.
“I would think 4-to-6 or 6-to-8 [weeks] unless it’s displaced,” manager Pat Murphy said.
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The injury happened over the weekend when Mitchell jammed his hand on a swing during batting practice. He immediately felt pain in his left hand and was kept out of the lineup on Sunday hoping it would feel better on Monday. The swelling did not subside.
Mitchell had a strong spring, batting .319 and an OPS of .811 with two doubles, one home run, two stolen bases, and eight RBIs in 52 plate appearances. All of which looked promising for a player who missed five months of the 2023 season with a torn labrum in his left shoulder.
The 25-year-old played catch with the rest of his teammates on Monday morning before undergoing imaging. He briefly spoke with reporters, said he felt fine, and that the X-rays were more precautionary. However, the imaging showed something more severe.
His injury leaves the Brewers with an open roster spot and a void to fill. Sal Frelick, who had been getting extra reps at third base, will most likely slide back into the outfield.
Eric Haase is an option for the roster spot. He would be the team’s third catcher and hit his fifth spring home run on Monday.
“You can think of a lot of options,” Murphy said. “We could move Sal [Frelick] to just full-time outfield, then we have plenty. You could bring another infielder. You could bring [Eric] Haase.”
Milwaukee could decide to call up outfielder Joey Wiemer who was optioned to Triple-A last week. He hit .196 with 10 hits, four runs scored, two RBIs, and one stolen base across 51 Cactus League at-bats. He made his major league debut last season and appeared in 132 games with the Brewers.
The Brewers have dealt with several injuries to key players this spring including pitchers Wade Miley and Devin Williams. Brandon Woodruff confirmed Monday that he would miss the entire 2024 season while he rehabs his surgically repaired shoulder.
“Somebody will step up,” Murphy said. “Not going to think about it. Not going to worry about what we don’t have. Going to worry about what we do have. Feel bad for the players that are injured. It does seem like we’re shorthanded. I believe in the group. That’s all there is to it.”
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.