Brewers Injury Update: 3B Luis Urias Nearing Return with Rehab Assignment

It feels rare these days that Milwaukee Brewers fans every get good news on the injury front. But even on a day where yet another starting pitcher was placed on the injured list, the team finally got a positive update on a different injured player.

Third baseman Luis Urias has only played in a single game so far in 2023. That is because he injured his hamstring late in the Crew's Opening Day matchup against the Chicago Cubs and was promptly placed on the IL shortly thereafter.

The original prognosis was that Urias would end up missing close to two months with that hamstring injury. That outlook ended up proving to be true as he would eventually be transferred from the 10-day IL to the 60-day later that month.

Now, it's looking like he won't be gone much longer than those 60 days, if at all, as word came out Monday that he would soon be reaching an important milestone in his attempt to return to the roster.

Brewers 3B Luis Urias will reportedly begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Nashville this week.

Monday's injury update came courtesy of Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel prior to the team's home matchup against the Houston Astros.

Urias had started to play himself into a big future role with the Brewers after breaking out during the 2021 season. In 150 games that season, he batted .249 with a .789 OPS and easily setting career highs with 23 homers, 75 RBI, and 77 runs scored.

2022 saw him start slowly while also dealing with an injury and a primary position change after the acquisition of Willy Adames from the Rays. Urias would eventually bounce back and post a somewhat similar line to the previous year by batting .239 with a .739 OPS, though his cumulative stats were down across the board (largely also due to playing in only 119 games).

It will now be interesting to see what happens to the roster upon Urias' return. Brian Anderson, who the Brewers acquired over the offseason to add to the mix at third, has cooled a bit after a hot start but plays outstanding defense at the position while also being able to slot in at left field.

On top of that, Owen Miller, who can also play multiple positions, might just be the hottest hitter in the month of May and has played some third recently. There is also Mike Brosseau, whose numbers are down but is nice to keep around as a pinch hitting option, a situation in which he excels.

But that is a question that can be answered later. The important part now is getting Urias through his rehab appearances and getting him back with the team. Then the Brewers IL can finally be reduced by at least one.