Brewers DFA recent trade addition to make room for Sal Frelick's return from IL

56 different players have already appeared on the Milwaukee Brewers' roster at some point during the 2026 season. To cover a full 162-game season, which is bound to include it's fair share of injuries, MLB teams are forced to compile depth well beyond the 26 players that are on their active roster at any given time. Oftentimes, this means acquiring players throughout the regular season in order to continue fielding a competitive roster while regular contributors are on the shelf.

The Brewers, no stranger to injuries this year, have added several players to their roster over the course of the 2026 season. In addition to tapping into their already present minor league depth, the Brewers have swung midseason trades for players like Luis Matos, Braden Shewmake, and Joel Kuhnel, while signing free agents like Bryse Wilson and Jihwan Bae. More recently, the Brewers acquired infielder Jonathan Ornelas in a rare post-trade deadline deal with the Athletics.

Just ten days ago, the Brewers were scrambling for infielders. With Cooper Pratt on the injured list due to a hamstring strain, and Joey Ortiz and Brice Turang each missing time due to minor injuries that ultimately didn't require IL stints, the Brewers were left with few options in their infield. Prospects Jett Williams and Luke Adams also sustained poorly-timed injuries that forced the Brewers to look externally for infield help.

Milwaukee initially signed Bae to a minor league deal to fill in for their injured infielders, but less than one week later, they designated the former Pittsburgh Pirates' utility man for assignment and replaced him with Ornelas, whom they acquired from the Athletics for cash considerations. Ornelas, known by some as "Johnny Rockets," joined the first-place Brew Crew and immediately logged two starts against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

However, just four days after Ornelas was acquired, Pratt returned from the IL, and as a result, the recent trade acquisition's playing time all but disappeared. That said, many expected Pratt to replace Ornelas on the roster, but the Brewers instead elected to option Brandon Lockridge to Triple-A and keep the former Athletic around for a few more days.

Now, ten days after the Brewers acquired him, Ornelas has been designated for assignment in what is the corresponding roster move for Sal Frelick's reinstatement from the injured list.

Brewers designate Jonathan Ornelas for assignment to open roster spot for Sal Frelick

Frelick had been on the injured list since essentially the start of the second half due to a right shoulder strain. In the Brewers' first game after the All-Star Break, Frelick felt a pain in his shoulder while making a throw from right field and was pulled from the game. Frelick landed on the IL the following day and has resided there ever since. As reported by Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel this afternoon, Frelick technically has a tear in his labrum, and may need to reassess the injury after the season, but doctors feel okay with him playing because it has been torn to some extent for a while and he hasn't had issues with it up to this point.

While playing on a torn labrum may seem like an aggressive move from Frelick and the Brewers, the outfielder's rehab process was done so deliberately -- some were expecting Frelick to be back with the club one week ago, but the Brewers wanted to make sure the young outfielder was truly good to go before reinstating him from the IL.

However, both parties now feel comfortable with Frelick rejoining the roster, and as a result, Ornelas' time in the Brewers' organization may now be coming to an end. The 26-year-old Ornelas, who enjoyed a breakout season in Triple-A this year after struggling to find his footing in the minor leagues for several years, will head to waivers. If he clears waivers, the Brewers may have some interest in seeing if his offensive breakout was legitimate and outrighting him to Triple-A, but Ornelas has the option of rejecting that assignment and electing free agency instead.

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