Former Brewers infielder just became last-minute depth option after roster shuffle

If there's one thing that's true about the Milwaukee Brewers, it's that they are a very deep team.

Quality depth has been a hallmark of this recent run of Brew Crew dominance, from the pitching staff to the bench. Not every team in baseball can lose Rhys Hoskins, Jackson Chourio, Joey Ortiz, and Garrett Mitchell at one time and proceed to go on a season-defining winning streak.

Still, that doesn't make Milwaukee infallible. The Brewers' bullpen is in such rough shape right now that the team had to sign Erick Fedde just to soak up some innings.

Though the offense isn't quite as desperate as that, there's still room for a versatile player who can contribute in multiple facets on the bench. And, wouldn't you know it, former Brewer Luis Urías was just made available by the Athletics.

Athletics DFA Luis Urías, making him a September roster expansion candidate for Brewers

Urías was a fixture on the Brewers in the beginning part of the decade, playing 330 games and drawing over 1,000 at-bats with the team from 2020-23.

He was quite good during the meat of that tenure, providing the Brewers with 6.3 WAR across the 2021 and 2022 seasons while slashing .244/.340/.426 with 39 home runs, good for a 111 OPS+. He was also quite versatile in that time, playing at least 24 games per season at each of second base, third base, and shortstop.

Unfortunately, the wheels fell off at the beginning of the 2023 season, and the Brewers traded Urías at the trade deadline that year to the Boston Red Sox. He's been a journeyman since then, playing for the Seattle Mariners in 2024 before joining the A's this year.

His time in Sacramento didn't work out as hoped for the 28-year-old, as he slashed just .230/.315/.338 in 96 games with the Athletics prior to being designated for assignment.

Still, his plate approach remains excellent, with chase, whiff, and strikeout rates all above the 80th percentile league-wide. His glove remains poor, though he's still versatile enough to play passable defense at second and third when needed.

With rosters set to expand in September by two to 28, the Brewers will have an extra spot available on the bench. He wouldn't change the outlook of the roster on his own; it's hard to imagine he wouldn't be more productive than the 62 wRC+ that Anthony Seigler has given the team thus far.

Plus, if the Brewers claim him before August ends, he could be eligible for their postseason roster. Hopefully, that won't have to matter, but if Murphy's Law applies in September, Milwaukee would be happy to have another capable infielder on its roster.

For a team that prides itself on its depth, the Brewers can never be too deep. Urías may not contribute to the championship cause, but he almost certainly wouldn't hurt it.