Two highly anticipated returns lead to one Brewer's designation for assignment

At long last, Jackson Chourio has returned to the Milwaukee Brewers' active roster. Though Chourio ended up being out for exactly one month, it felt like years for a Brewers team that has endured an extremely difficult scheduling stretch over the last few weeks. However, now, as the team prepares for their second game of a weekend series with the American League-leading Toronto Blue Jays, their talented second-year outfielder will once again be near the top of their lineup.

Chourio was in the midst of his typical second-half hot streak when he went down with a hamstring strain on July 30. In nearly every season dating back to his days in the minor leagues, Chourio has been stronger in the second half of the season than in the first. The same held true during his rookie season last year, in which Chourio posted a first-half wRC+ of 89 and a 151 wRC+ during the second half.

This year, in between the All-Star Break and Chourio landing on the IL, the 21-year-old was slashing .386/.438/.591 with a 184 wRC+ and six extra-base hits in 11 games. He was the Brewers’ hottest hitter before the hamstring strain forced him to miss most of August. Now, the Brewers' task of winning a series against the AL's best just became much easier, knowing Chourio will once again be in the lineup.

Brewers reinstate Jackson Chourio and Robert Gasser from IL, option Brandon Lockridge, and designate Oliver Dunn for assignment

Chourio's reinstatement was just one of several roster moves that the Crew made prior to Saturday afternoon's tilt in Toronto. Robert Gasser, one of Milwaukee's 2024 breakout pitchers whose rookie campaign was cut short by an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery, is officially back from the 60-day IL after a lengthy rehab assignment. However, Gasser isn’t quite ready for big-league action, and the Brewers elect to send him down to Triple-A to continue his preparation. With the rosters expanding on Monday, it's possible that Gasser is one of the two players added to the roster, meaning his long-awaited return to the big leagues might be closer than you think.

Meanwhile, to make room for Chourio on the big league roster, the Brewers have sent trade deadline acquisition, Brandon Lockridge, down to Triple-A. Lockridge, who the Brewers acquired from the San Diego Padres for Nestor Cortes and talented prospect Jorge Quintana at last month's trade deadline, certainly showed some exciting flashes over the last month. He slashed .261/.308/.370 in 20 games with the Crew in August, which, for someone who wasn't expected to add much power to the Brewers' lineup, is a pretty solid place to be. It's clear, given Lockridge's excellent defensive prowess and elite sprint speed, that there's value in his profile, but with an already crowded outfield group, the 28-year-old rookie is the odd man out.

To make room for Gasser on the 40-man roster, as reinstating a player from the 60-day IL requires a new roster spot, the Brewers have designated 2024 Opening Day starting third baseman Oliver Dunn for assignment. It's been a tough year for Dunn, who began the year on the big league roster for the second consecutive season. Underperformance led to Dunn's demotion to the Triple-A level in mid-April, and he's remained on the Nashville Sounds' roster ever since. Now, after posting a slash line of .201/.304/.326 in 97 games with the Sounds this season, Dunn will head to waivers where his youth and impressive minor league track record could spark some interest. Time will tell whether Dunn remains in the Brewers' organization or not.

Overall, it's an exciting day to be a Brewers fan. One of the team's best hitters rejoins the big league squad, and one of their most exciting young pitchers is off the IL after a lengthy rehab process. As the Crew looks to close out the season strong, prior to what is hopefully a long playoff run, expect both Chourio and Gasser to play an integral role in Milwaukee's success.