Even if the MLB season had started on time, a few Brewers might have had to wait.
Several Brewers recovering from various injuries likely would not have been ready for the roster if the team had opened the 2020 season as scheduled on March 26. It remains to be seen how various shutdowns and social distancing have impacted their rehab, but it’s possible these few extra weeks or months of rest will allow these players to come back healthier when baseball resumes:
Corey Knebel
The one-time Brewers closer was one of the organization’s wild cards this season as he worked his way back from Tommy John surgery about a year ago. When he was last healthy and on a big-league mound Knebel was a dominant force in the Brewers’ bullpen, striking out over 14 batters per nine innings in 2018. He would not have been ready to open the season on the active roster, however, as the common recovery time for Tommy John surgery patients is between 12 and 18 months.
A delayed start to the season could be just what Knebel needs to have a big bounce back season: He was scheduled to complete rehab in mid-May and could be ready to rejoin the Brewers at full strength when play eventually resumes. Additionally, an abbreviated schedule would allow him to pitch meaningful innings without getting overextended in his first season back from major surgery. Knebel and his wife also welcomed their second child in late March, so the family is getting some unexpected time at home together.
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Luis Urias
Even after an offseason that featured a lot of turnover, Urias was supposed to be one of the winter’s key acquisitions for the Brewers. A 22-year-old one-time top prospect at shortstop, Urias was supposed to challenge incumbent Orlando Arcia for playing time almost immediately after the latter struggled to meet expectations at the plate in recent years. Urias had crushed the hitter-friendly AAA Pacific Coast League in 2019 and was doing well with Obregon in Mexico this winter when his offseason (and the Brewers’ infield plans) took a sudden turn: He suffered a broken bone in his hand.
Urias’ injury status was one of the Brewers’ biggest question marks this spring and it went unanswered: He was scheduled to make his first Cactus League appearance on March 13, but spring training was suspended on March 12. The extra layoff should help with his recovery, as hand and wrist injuries have a tendency to continue to bother a player at the plate long after they’re deemed healthy enough to return to an active roster. Another month or two with limited baseball activity might position Urias to return stronger than ever.
Eric Lauer
Acquired in the same deal that brought Urias from San Diego to Milwaukee, Lauer was making a solid case that he could contribute to the Brewers this spring. He pitched in three games and recorded nine strikeouts against just one walk over 5 1/3 innings, but then the lefty was sidelined with what the Brewers described as a shoulder impingement. The injury was not believed to be serious but would have kept Lauer off the Opening Day roster.
It’s now been more than a month since Lauer’s final Cactus League appearance, so he’s had some time to rest and get back on track. As someone who’s never pitched more than 150 innings in an MLB season, the opportunity to come back at full strength and pitch an abbreviated schedule may play into his hands.
Bobby Wahl
The Brewers have waited a full year to see what they got in Wahl and, unfortunately, they’ve had to keep waiting. Wahl was a contender for a spot in the Brewers’ bullpen before the 2019 season but tore his ACL in spring training and missed the entire season.
Wahl returned to action this spring, again with a chance to earn a spot on the Opening Day roster but had mixed results in a small sample in the Cactus League. He struggled with command and walked three batters across four innings in addition to allowing a home run. The Brewers optioned him to the minors before rosters were frozen two weeks ago, but if he can demonstrate he’s back on track he’ll almost certainly get a shot to contribute at some point once games resume.
