Brewers find themselves down yet another starting pitcher for unknown amount of time

In what has been a familiar tune in recent years, the hits just keep on coming for the Milwaukee Brewers starting rotation. And no, we're not talking about the kind that opposing batters try to tally.

37-year-old Wade Miley, who has made just two starts so far in the 2024 season, is headed to the injured list with left elbow inflammation. The move was announced by the Brewers before their Monday matchup against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Miley had already been fighting with the injury bug this year, starting the season on the injured list with a left shoulder impingement. He had returned to start two games for the Crew, only to take a line drive off the knee in the second of those games last week against the Padres. He did remain in that game.

While the knee was plenty sore after the game, Miley seemed confident that it wouldn't cause him to miss a start. But instead, the elbow issue developed and it's apparently concerning enough that the team is going to have it looked at.

How well Miley fended off injuries in 2024 was always going to be a question for the 14-year MLB veteran when he re-signed with Milwaukee last offseasonIn . He missed some time last year for the Brewers on his way to making 23 starts and pitched in only nine games the year before that for the Cubs. Now the team is in wait-and-see mode as they await word on the imaging results.

In Miley's place, the Brewers have recalled pitcher Tobias Myers. The 25-year-old had his contract selected last week with the Crew looking to fill some innings amidst all their injuries, but he never found his way into a game and was optioned back down to Triple-A a few days later.

The Brewers signed Myers as a minor league free agent ahead of the 2023 season. Though his 4.93 ERA might not have shown it, he had a solid season mostly playing in Double-A Biloxi last year, holding batters to a .240 average and compiling a 1.25 WHIP.

Myers has been off to a very strong start in 2024 at Triple-A, however, putting up a 1.62 ERA in four outings (three starts) and striking out 22 batters compared to just seven walks. With the Brewers having nine more consecutive days of games to get through before another off day, there's a good chance he makes it into a game this time, whether it comes in the form of a start or not.

The Brewers announced two other moves on Monday as well. First baseman Jake Bauers was reinstated from the bereavement list and infielder Andruw Monasterio was optioned down to Nashville in his place.

It's sort of amazing that the Brewers have been able to perform as highly as they have with all these hits to the starting rotation. Unfortunately, it sounds like they'll have to keep finding ways to win while they wait for some injury relief.