Brewers: David Stearns right about need for outfield depth

With the injuries hitting the Brewers outfield, Jackie Bradley Jr. looks like a better and better pickup for Milwaukee.

In early March many Brewers and other baseball fans were looking skeptically at the Milwaukee Brewers front office wondering why they would sign a player like Jackie Bradley Jr. when they already had an outfield trio of Christian Yelich, Lorenzo Cain and Avisail Garcia.

Not only did Stearns sign Jackie Bradley Jr. but the team had already signed utilityman Billy McKinney to back up the three projected starters. However, the Brewers found themselves in a difficult spot Monday when Christian Yelich exited the game against the Cardinals early.

Just three days after Yelich left a game early, the Milwaukee Brewers placed starting center fielder Lorenzo Cain on the 10 day injured list and called up Tyrone Taylor. The signing of Bradley Jr. gives the Brewers the luxury of being able to be cautious with Cain.

So just nine games into the season the Brewers already found themselves in a fortunate situation having a high caliber player to backup the team’s best player, and now Yelich has gone on the IL.

Some may be wondering if David Stearns has a crystal ball to look into making moves like signing Jackie Bradley Jr. but if you look at Lorenzo Cain’s previous years with Milwaukee, he’s missed time every season, including the opt out of the 2020 season.

Lorenzo Cain was already showing some injury concern in spring training when he sat out some time with the same quadriceps injury the Milwaukee Brewers just placed him on the injured list with.

Christian Yelich’s back soreness is a big blow, and they’ll miss his bat in the lineup. But Stearns has acquired depth for this reason. He brought in McKinney, Fisher, and Tim Lopes this offseason to go along with Taylor to be backup outfielders. Injuries hit Fisher and Lopes, but despite the roster crunch, they kept McKinney on the team and that has proven to be a wise choice.

Fans continue to questions the moves David Stearns makes when he makes them, but as time goes on, he normally gets proven right and going for the extra outfield depth has proven to be the right call.

The Brewers are anxiously awaiting Yelich’s return as his bat was starting to heat up before his absence. That wait will hopefully be as soon as he comes back.