Zach Greinke is scheduled to make his final minor league start on Friday, April 29. Assuming all goes well, he will return to pitch for the Brewers on May 4 in Atlanta. That would make his Miller Park debut Monday, May 9 against San Diego.
Last night, Marco Estrada pitched another gem, going seven innings and allowing just two hits and two runs.
Estrada has made three starts and has two appearances out of theb ullpen since being added to the roster to cover in the rotation for the injured Greinke. His ERA is a solid 3.00 and he's managed 18 strikeouts versus six walks in 21 innings of work.
Meanwhile, after a hot start, Chris Narvesnon has struggled, pitching just 2 1/3 in Monday's game against the Reds. Narveson didn't allow a run in his first two starts, but since then has an ERA of 4.33. He clearly struggled on Monday and we're left wondering whether that was an anomaly or not.
The way Estrada has pitched, should the Brewers be considering keeping him in the rotation and moving Narveson to the bullpen for long relief?
I'd have to believe that Estrada has played himself on to this team. The way he's pitched, he will likely not clear waivers, meaning the Brewers would have to find room for him in the bullpen or risk losing him.
The way the rotation is set now, today we'll see Gallardo, followed by Marcum, Wolf and Narveson to round out the weekend. That would mean Estrada on Monday the 2nd. Gallardo would pitch on regular rest on Tuesday the 3rd and we'd see Greinke for the first time on the 4th. That would push the rest of the rotation back a day.
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The club is most interested in keeping Gallardo on his five days' rest after he struggled earlier in the season coming off six days' rest.
