Milwaukee Brewers: Stephen Vogt out for the year

Just when it seemed like Milwaukee Brewers catcher Stephen Vogt was on his way back, he got the news that he will be out for the rest of the year.

The Milwaukee Brewers catching core is very crowded with Manny Pina, Jett Bandy, and the surprise Jacob Nottingham. So they will not miss him too much. For Stephen Vogt, however, this is a tough pill to swallow.

The Injury

Vogt hurt himself during Spring Training. He was in a battle with Bandy to be Pina’s backup, but the decision was made for him. While on a rehab assignment with Biloxi, Vogt made a throw and reinjured his shoulder. Though it was the same shoulder, the pain was in a different spot. The 33 year old returned to the Brewers to get it looked at.

An MRI revealed damage to the rotator cuff, labrum, and shoulder capsule. Vogt has been transferred to the 60-day DL and will have to wait until 2019 to see the field again following a surgery.

What Does This Mean?

Between Pina, Bandy, and Nottingham it will be a tough road back. Especially with a shoulder injury like that, it is tough to tell how Vogt will come back. There is probably going to be a question about if he even will be back on the Milwaukee Brewers next season.

Before the season started, Vogt and the Brewers avoided arbitration on a one year deal. The team might decide to just let him go when the year is over. Vogt does have one arbitration year left before he would become a free agent. It will be interesting to see how the situation is handled.

Catching Future

Both Pina and Bandy are going to enter their first year of arbitration at the end of the year. In addition to Nottingham’s several years of team control, there is little room for Vogt. The Brewers will likely be looking to the young prospect to take over the starting reigns at some point in the next two years, with the other two vying for the backup spot. Needless to say, it is a good problem to have.

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Hopefully Vogt’s recovery goes smoothly, and he is back to his normal self next season. If he can do that, there is a chance he plays his way into Brewer relevancy. However, the way things look that is not likely to happen. This injury could, unfortunately, be the end of Vogt’s career in Milwaukee.