Brewers’ Hot Stove Radar: Chris Capuano

If the Milwaukee Brewers want to try and find a free-agent starting pitcher, perhaps they should reconsider bringing back left-hander Chris Capuano.

After all, Capuano has experience in Milwaukee and they could use a fifth starter, so will they look his way?

Chris Capuano would provide a nice lefty presence in the Brewers’ rotation. Mandatory Credit: Rob Leifheit-USA TODAY Sports

For Capuano, the biggest hurdle he’s had to maintain is his health amid some struggles in his career. During his tenure with the Brewers, he would have Tommy John surgery and miss the entirety of the 2008 season and after that, he really didn’t look like the same pitcher which turned out to be for the best. Soon after his time with the Brewers, Capuano would go to the New York Mets for a season before landing in Los Angeles with the Dodgers.

Capuano’s two seasons in L.A. were actually quite decent, though his performances went mostly unnoticed. In 2012, Capuano posted an ERA of 3.72 in 198.1 innings (the most since 2006) with a K/9 of 7.35, a BB/9 of 2.45 while opponents had an average of .254 against him and a BABIP of .284.

Just this past season, Capauno was a bit limited due to some problems with his arm, but still worked in 105.2 innings. He did see a rise in ERA to 4.26, but his FIP (fielding independent pitching) dropped from 3.97 in 2012 to 3.67 this past season, which speaks more to Capauno as pitcher instead of his deceiving ERA. He did see a decline in some numbers like K/9, but that was due to almost having pitched in 100 less innings. Honestly, Capauno was the odd man out in L.A. due to them signing Hyun-jin Ryu, Zack Greinke and trading for Ricky Nolasco, which pretty much booted Capuano from the rotation.

Going forward with Capuano, he would fit in nicely with the Brewers once again as they are trying to piece together a starting rotation. A few spots in the rotation are filled, but with talk of Yovani Gallardo possibly being traded and there being no fifth man as of yet, opportunity knocks for Capuano.

At 35-years-old, Capuano does possess experience in the league and with the Brewers themselves, so he’s not completely out of the question, or at least I wouldn’t think so. His career ERA of 4.27 and career FIP of 4.25 are so dangerously close that it gives us an idea of what the Brew Crew would be in for should they make a move for him. That said, Capuano performed well in the past three seasons so perhaps a reunion is in order with the Brewers and the lefty.