PHOENIX -- Two days after Corbin Burnes threw his first pitches of the Cactus League season, Brandon Woodruff and Freddy Peralta started split-squad games Thursday. Manager Craig Counsell considers the young trio on equal footing as the Brewers begin to mull their starting-pitching picture for the start of the regular season.

The internal optimism about that trio helps to explain why, for the second straight winter, calls from outside the organization to go after a big-ticket starting pitcher went unanswered. Dallas Keuchel remains on the market, but Milwaukee is poised to head into the season with a group of starters led by Jhoulys Chacín, with Chase Anderson and Zach Davies seeking bounceback years, Jimmy Nelson bidding to come back from shoulder surgery, Josh Tomlin vying for a spot as a non-roster invitee and then that trio of young right-handers.

Woodruff is 26 years old, Burnes is 24 and Peralta is 22.

“We have three young starting pitchers who it feels like it's their time,” Counsell said. “All of them have spent time in the big leagues, had success in the big leagues, had success in the postseason. What they haven't done is taken the ball every fifth day in a Major League season.

“That's the unknown for us, but we feel like we're going to give some talented young players the opportunity to do that. It's their time to do it. We're always going to need players in that stage of their career to step up and take the next step.”

Burnes, Peralta and Woodruff each have Minor League options remaining, so the Brewers have flexibility on their side as they balance setting an initial 25-man roster against preserving as much depth as possible to get through the season. All three delivered meaningful outs last season, including Burnes and Woodruff in prominent relief roles in the postseason.

“Sometimes you don’t know what to expect out of them, but those guys have proven in the postseason that they’re not just young guys bobbing and weaving,” said Brewers bench coach Pat Murphy. “They’re ready for more.”

Is there a pecking order?

“I think you'll hear me say all three names together. Right now, I see them all together,” Counsell said. “It's hard for me to separate them. I think it's the most fair to put them together.”

Peralta, who added muscle during the offseason to avoid the fade he felt in August last year, said he will leave the roster decisions to the front office. He worked a scoreless inning in Milwaukee’s 6-2 loss to San Francisco.

“For some people, this is a competition. I don’t see it like that,” he said. “I’m just here to work, and the last decision is not in my hands.”

Harper reaches deal

Players buzzed in the Brewers clubhouse about reports that Bryce Harper had agreed to a 13-year, $330 million contract with the Phillies.

“That’s a little long for me,” joked Lorenzo Cain. “I would have got it down to about six years. But he’s young. I’m happy he was able to get a deal like that. That’s crazy money.”

Ryan Braun who has two guaranteed years left on his own long-term contract, called news of Harper’s agreement “encouraging.”

“It’s encouraging to see him sign that deal,” Braun said. “Overall, I think it’s been a good week for players, if you look at the Aaron Hicks deal, the Miles Mikolas deal, the Nolan Arenado deal, now Bryce’s deal.”

Last call

• Infield prospect Mauricio Dubon was still hospitalized with an illness Thursday but was “improving,” according to Counsell. Doctors hope to have some answers about his condition by Friday.

“He'll be fine for the season. That's our hope,” Counsell said. “It's bad luck right now, yeah.”

• The Brewers have collected five total hits in their past two home games, but two of them were monstrous home runs. It was 38-year-old catcher Erik Kratz on Thursday who went way deep for a two-run homer that accounted for all of Milwaukee’s offense in the split-squad game vs. the Giants.

“He's got some old man pop,” Cain said. “He works hard. He's incredibly strong.”

• Mike Moustakas hit his first homer of the spring in a 10-8 win over the Reds at Goodyear Ballpark in the other half of Thursday's action.

• Nelson played catch again Thursday and, barring a setback, could be back on the mound as soon as Friday. The Brewers paused his throwing after he experienced some forearm discomfort last week.

• Matt Albers made his spring debut with a scoreless inning against the Giants, leaving Nelson, Jacob Barnes, Josh Hader, Jeremy Jeffress and Corey Knebel as the only healthy pitchers yet to appear in the Cactus League. For the relievers, it’s by design, since they need only limited appearances to be ready for the season.

• Murphy wore a walking boot while managing the split-squad home game because of a foot injury, so when it came time to make a pitching change in the fourth inning, he sent a member of the front office to the mound in his place. The task went to manager of Major League strategy Walker McKinven, who has been in uniform this spring to get a more up-close look at the pitchers he helps game-plan during the regular season.

“'Walk' is a very valuable member of this staff,” said Murphy. “Everybody who is inside our group knows that.”

Now Brewers fans know it, too. Thursday’s game was televised by Fox Sports Wisconsin, which highlighted McKinven’s rare trip to the mound.

Up next

Corbin Burnes will make his second Cactus League appearance and second start on Friday when the Brewers travel to Peoria to play the Mariners at 2:10 p.m. CT. It is the first game this spring set to be broadcast exclusively via an MLB.com webcast.