Brewers news: Crow earns second MLB start, Fitzpatrick optioned, Yelich remains out

The Milwaukee Brewers enter their weekend series with the Minnesota Twins as winners of six out of their last seven contests. The Brew Crew hasn't lost a series since they dropped two of three against the Pittsburgh Pirates from April 24-26. They enter play on May 15 with the third-best winning percentage (.585) and run differential (+60) in the National League.

A large part of the Brewers' recent success has been due to an impressive run from their starting pitchers. Since the beginning of the month, Milwaukee's starting staff boasts a 2.21 ERA -- the best in the NL and second only to the surging Tampa Bay Rays in all of baseball -- and a ridiculous 11.84 strikeout per nine innings (K/9) rate that is a full strikeout better than the next-best rotation.

Despite their recent success, some uncertainty remains in the Brewers' rotation. Veteran leader Brandon Woodruff currently resides on the injured list after experiencing a "dead arm" in a late-April start against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Additionally, the Brewers have removed Chad Patrick from a traditional starter's role, with the plan being to use him in a variety of different situations, but limit his outings to just three or four innings at the most.

As a result, the Brewers are once again tapping into their Triple-A depth, relying on their group of young, MLB-ready arms who are waiting in the wings. Ahead of their series in Minnesota, the Brew Crew officially promoted one of those young arms, Coleman Crow, who is set to make his second MLB start this evening.

Coleman Crow promoted from Triple-A roster for second MLB start

It's been nearly one month since Crow made his MLB debut against the Miami Marlins back on April 17. Though Crow was sent back to Triple-A the day after the start -- a predetermined roster move due to the Brewers' only needing the young right-hander for a spot start -- he more than impressed in his first MLB start.

Crow tossed 5.1 innings and allowed just two earned runs on four hits. He struck out four, but what really stood out was just how ready Crow's arsenal looked for the big league level. His unicorn curveball, which averages more than 3,000 rpm, certainly stood out, but Crow also generated good movement on his three fastball shapes and showed good command of all of his pitches.

The 25-year-old Crow more than earned another shot in the big leagues, and while the length of his second stint in the big leagues has yet to be determined, with Woody still working back from his setback, it's certainly possible Crow logs a few starts with the Brewers over the next few weeks. Certainly, if he continues to throw the ball like he did in his debut, the big-league opportunities will become more plentiful for the rookie starter.

Brian Fitzpatrick optioned to Triple-A after encouraging debut stint with big-league club

To make room for Crow on the big-league roster, the Brewers have optioned left-hander Brian Fitzpatrick to Triple-A. Fitzpatrick was added to the major league roster back on April 29 and made his debut the same night, tossing a scoreless inning and a third against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The 6'7" Fitzpatrick continued to find success in limited opportunities out of the Brewers' bullpen over the next few weeks. He ultimately made four appearances, covered 5.2 innings, surrendered just one earned run, and collected four strikeouts in his first major league stint. The 25-year-old southpaw showed an ability to cover multiple innings and will most certainly factor into the Brewers' bullpen mix once again this season.

With Patrick now assuming more of a Swiss-Army role on the Brewers' pitching staff, the bullpen group was beginning to look rather crowded. Thus, the Brewers' decision to replace Fitzpatrick, a reliever, with Crow, a starter, should balance things out ahead of the Brewers' Midwest road trip to Minnesota and Chicago.

Christian Yelich remains out of the lineup for a third consecutive game

The Brewers' somewhat surprisingly activated Christian Yelich from the injured list on Tuesday afternoon prior to their series opener with the San Diego Padres. Yelich, who was on the IL due to an adductor strain, didn't embark on a rehab assignment prior to rejoining the big-league club, but that's not necessarily rare for the veteran outfielder.

However, after playing in Tuesday night's game against the Padres, it was announced that Yelich was dealing with some back soreness, and he subsequently was left out of the lineup in games two and three of the series.

Yelich is once again out of the lineup for the Brewers' opener with the Minnesota Twins tonight, suggesting that the soreness has not subsided for the 34-year-old veteran. It's undoubtedly a frustrating situation for Yelich, but what matters most is that he's available at the end of the season, so if sacrificing a few weeks in May is what it takes to make sure he's at full strength down the stretch, that's a tradeoff the Brewers will make every time.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow