Photo via Twitter / Brewers
The Brewers still have about two weeks to evaluate players and make final decisions, but their 2021 Opening Day roster is starting to come into focus. As of Monday the Brewers have just 13 Cactus League games remaining, creating a short window of time for a handful of rehabbing players to demonstrate they’re going to be ready to contribute on Opening Day.
Lorenzo Cain
The most notable name in that group is Lorenzo Cain, who has been dealing with a quad issue this spring and has yet to appear in a game. Under normal circumstances a veteran like Cain would only require a limited number of at bats to get ready for the season: Ryan Braun, for example, played in just seven Cactus League games in 2016 and nine in 2019 before being in the lineup on Opening Day. Cain’s case is somewhat different, however, as he opted out of most of the 2020 season and has appeared in just five games since October of 2019.
After adding Jackie Bradley Jr. the Brewers have a great deal of flexibility in their outfield, and that gives them some options with Cain. They could allow him to open the season on the roster in a limited role and play his way into shape in the early weeks of the season, but opening the season with him on the injured list would allow them to preserve more organizational depth by (at least temporarily) retaining a player like Derek Fisher, Billy McKinney or Daniel Robertson, all of whom are out of minor league options.
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Luis Urias
It’s been a second consecutive frustrating spring for Urias, whose injuries have greatly limited his ability to compete for a job he seemed all but certain to eventually win. Acquired in the trade that sent Zach Davies and Trent Grisham to San Diego, Urias’ ascent to the big league roster was slowed in 2020 when he suffered a wrist injury playing winter ball, then contracted COVID-19. He eventually played 41 games for the Brewers, but his bat cooled rapidly after a hot start, as he batted just .189 with a .270 on-base and .233 slugging in his final 35 games.
Urias came to camp with another opportunity to win a spot on the roster this spring but was limited again, this time by a hamstring strain that kept him out of action for more than a week. He played on Sunday, but it was just his fourth Cactus League game, and Craig Counsell recently told reporters he doesn’t feel he’s seen enough from the 23-year-old to fully evaluate him at this point.
The Brewers are unlikely to give up on Urias, given both his relatively young age and the amount they spent to acquire him. He also almost certainly has not done enough to unseat incumbent Orlando Arcia at shortstop, however, so at best he’ll likely open the 2021 season in a utility role.
Jacob Nottingham
After discussing Nottingham’s status as a catching prospect off and on for years, in 2020 the Brewers finally got an extended look at him as a big leaguer when Manny Pina’s injury and Omar Narvaez’s struggles paved the way for him to catch 20 times. Nottingham faced a daunting task of unseating either Pina or Narvaez for a roster spot this spring, and it became even more unlikely when he required thumb surgery in December.
Nottingham still hasn’t seen game action behind the plate this spring but made his Cactus League debut on Sunday and homered in his first game back. He appears likely to run out of time before Opening Day at this point: It’s tough to imagine him being ready to catch on April 1 when he hasn’t done so yet this spring. The fact that he’s out of options also complicates the matter, as if he’s healthy he either needs to stay on the roster or be exposed to waivers.
Travis Shaw
Shaw is one of a small handful of players receiving good news this spring: He’s played a fair amount in the opening weeks of Cactus League play, has drawn praise for his adjustments from Brewers hitting coach Andy Haines and seems likely to be the Opening Day third baseman and an option to back up Keston Hiura at first.
Keeping Shaw around will require some roster juggling, however, as he’s in camp on a minor league contract and can opt out if he’s not added to the 40-man roster on Monday. The Brewers don’t currently have a vacant spot for him, so they’ll have to clear one to ensure he sticks around.
