MILWAUKEE (AP) Christian Yelich took some swings in the batting cage but his right oblique was still sore.
So the Milwaukee Brewers placed him on the 10-day disabled list on Sunday, four days after one of their prized offseason acquisitions got hurt during a 6-0 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. The move was retroactive to Thursday.
”The fact I don’t remember doing it on a specific swing is probably good news,” Yelich said before the Brewers’ 3-0 loss to the Cubs. ”Discomfort kind of grew, and as a precaution, to make sure it wasn’t worse, we kind of toned it back a little bit. It’s really frustrating, you know? That’s the biggest thing.”
Right-hander Taylor Wiliams was recalled from Triple-A Colorado Springs to take Yelich’s roster spot.
Manager Craig Counsell said Yelich reported soreness after hitting over the weekend.
”So we did an MRI, the MRI is clean,” Counsell said. ”There’s certainly a possibility it’s (only) 10 days.”
The outfielder, acquired from Miami, was hitting .385 with one homer and five RBIs. Yelich and Lorenzo Cain, who returned to Brewers as a free agent after seven seasons in Kansas City, came to Milwaukee on back-to-back days in January.
Yelich said he did not suffer a setback.
”We were trying to push it to make it in the time frame to stay off the DL, and it just wasn’t happening. So take the extra time, get it right, and hopefully be good to go soon,” he said.
The Brewers are well prepared to withstand a short-term injury to one of their core players. Stocked with outfield depth, Milwaukee can give more playing time to slugger Domingo Santana.
Jesus Aguilar also could get more time at first base, too, with starter Eric Thames able to play the outfield.
”We’re going to miss (Yelich’s) left-handed bat, I think that’s the big thing,” Counsell said. ”But we’re equipped that way roster-wise obviously have another really capable player get some playing time.”
It has been a tough week with injuries for the Brewers, who placed All-Star closer Corey Knebel on the disabled list on Friday with a strained right hamstring.
They added three new right-handed relievers over the weekend, with Adrian Houser called up from Double-A Biloxi to replace Knebel.
On Saturday, J.J. Hoover’s contract was selected from Triple-A and starter Brandon Woodruff was optioned to Colorado Springs.
Williams pitched in one game at Colorado Springs, getting a save on Thursday at Omaha. He allowed two hits and an unearned run in one inning against the Cubs on Sunday.
Another move is coming in the bullpen on Monday. Houser was optioned back to Double-A after throwing two shutout innings on Sunday.
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