Chourio, Vaughn's strong starts to rehab stint leaves aggressive return date in play

On Wednesday, the Milwaukee Brewers sent outfielder Jackson Chourio and first baseman Andrew Vaughn on rehab assignments to Triple-A Nashville. Both players are recovering from fractures in their left hands, with Chourio suffering a broken metacarpal after being hit by a pitch during a World Baseball Classic exhibition game back in early March and Vaughn working his way back from a broken hamate bone -- an injury that occurred on Opening Day.

Chourio simply needed rest to recover from his injury while Vaughn underwent surgery on March 30. One silver lining is the timing of the injuries, as both players had already completed a full spring training and build-up period before getting hurt. Because they’ve remained active with baseball-related work throughout the past month, their rehab assignments are expected to be shorter than they otherwise might have been had they missed most of the spring exhibition season.

Consequently, the Brewers could have both Chourio and Vaughn back as soon as their next series. The current expectation is that both players will return in time for the start of the Brewers' key division matchup against the St. Louis Cardinals beginning on Monday, May 4. Their early performances during rehab assignments have only strengthened the belief that they are on track to meet that aggressive timeline.

Jackson Chourio and Andrew Vaughn have looked sharp to begin their injury rehab assignments

Both Chourio and Vaughn have already looked to be in midseason form during their first couple of games with the Nashville Sounds, reinforcing the belief that it could be short rehab assignments for each of them. Chourio went 0-for-1 in his debut but reached base twice via walks on Wednesday night, and followed that performance by going 1-for-3 while drawing another free pass on Thursday. For a hitter who typically does not walk at a high rate, the biggest takeaway has been how well he appears to be tracking and recognizing pitches.

Meanwhile, Vaughn has recorded a hit in each of his first two games during his ongoing rehab stint, one of which was a double. He has also drawn a walk and struck out just once, an encouraging sign that his timing at the plate has returned quickly.

The returns of Chourio and Vaughn will provide a major boost for the Brewers' offense. Despite remaining competitive through several key injuries, Milwaukee’s lineup has lacked power, something both of these players are expected to bring. Based on their early rehab performances with the Sounds, both appear on track to hit the previously relayed return date of May 4.

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