Milwaukee Brewers: Matt Garza to return?

It seems like the early reports were wrong. Several popular media outlets, including the four-letter network, claimed that Milwaukee Brewers prospect Brandon Woodruff was set to make his Major League debut on August 3rd. Instead of the exciting prospect, Brewers fans get to see Matt Garza again.

Brandon Woodruff may still start for the Milwaukee Brewers this week, but it won’t be on Thursday. Friday’s starter is listed as “TBD,” and Woodruff is among the available options. We won’t know exactly until the Brewers announce their next move.

Why Was Garza Hurt Again?

Matt Garza picked up a lower leg strain either during or after his start on July 21st. He’s just over the minimum number of days spent on the DL, and didn’t require any rehab starts. This was his third trip to the disabled list this year. He started the year on the shelf with groin injury, and then needed a 10-day rest after suffering a chest contusion in June.

How Has Garza Been This Year?

By Matt Garza standards with the Milwaukee Brewers? Pretty good, actually. This is year is about as good as his first season in a Brewers uniform. In 2014, Garza went 8-8 with 3.64 ERA in 27 starts. He was a perfectly acceptable mid-rotation starter. He’s 4-5 in 15 starts with a 3.83 ERA this year.

Why Not Woodruff?

Well, Woodruff may still start this week, but Garza was ready to return and the Milwaukee Brewers need all the starting pitching they can get. You can only turn to guys like Michael Blazek and Paolo Espino for so long before it starts costing the team games. Garza is a capable starter, and they’ll settle for capable at this point.

Next: Is The Brewers RIvalry With The Cubs Back?

With plans still up in the air for Friday, Woodruff still has a chance to make his debut. He appears to be completely over the hamstring injury that delayed his debut, and will make his first appearance in a Brewers uniform this year. Whether it happens in August or September remains to be seen.