MILWAUKEE – Brewers right-hander Logan Henderson landed back on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with a low back strain, and the Brewers summoned another rookie righty, Coleman Crow, who will rejoin the starting rotation on Friday in Houston.
Henderson, 24, has a 2.23 ERA in 10 Major League starts over the past two seasons but has had trouble staying healthy. He spent the final two months of last season on the IL with right elbow inflammation and was brought along slowly this spring.
In five starts this season, Henderson is 2-1 with a 2.74 ERA. He last pitched on Friday against the Dodgers and noted some back tightness, which worsened over subsequent days to the point he had trouble with everyday tasks like tying his shoes.
The Brewers are expected to engineer a bullpen game for Wednesday afternoon’s series finale against the Cardinals, when Henderson would have pitched if healthy.
“I want to be out there,” Henderson said. “It’s certainly disappointing. I feel like I’m obviously letting the team down, and the fans down to a degree. We have a lot of depth, and it’s good knowing the guys are going to step up.”
Asked whether the club expected Henderson’s IL stint to be on the long side, manager Pat Murphy said, “Hopefully not, but it warranted [a roster move because] it hadn’t calmed down. They’ve done the MRI and they don’t think anything is bulging or anything like that, so they feel confident they can get it to calm down.”
Crow, 25 years old and MLB Pipeline’s No. 25 Brewers prospect, has pitched well on the road at the Marlins and Twins in a pair of spot starts in the Majors this year. He last started on Friday for Triple-A Nashville, so he will be well-rested for his scheduled start against the Astros on Friday.
In other injury updates:
• Wednesday’s starter against the Cardinals might have been Brandon Woodruff, who has been sidelined since experiencing a drop in velocity on April 30. But instead of rushing back to hit that target, he has opted instead for a live batting practice session next week that is set for 60 pitches and four “ups,” the Brewers said.
“He didn’t feel bad, he didn’t feel anything other than, ‘Hey, I’m not throwing Wednesday,’” Murphy said. “I think it’s just part of this process. We had a date scheduled that he wanted to get back for, and after thinking through it and throwing, he feels like, ‘Probably not. It’s too soon.’”
• Quinn Priester is scheduled for five “ups” or 80-85 pitches for Nashville on Wednesday as he continues a comeback attempt from thoracic outlet syndrome. Priester has allowed 21 runs on 17 hits and 14 walks in 9 1/3 innings through his first five rehab starts.
• Lefty reliever Jared Koenig (sprained left elbow) was pleased after throwing about 20 pitches to hitters in his second live batting practice on Tuesday afternoon. He said he expects to begin a multi-outing rehab assignment on Friday at Nashville.
“I started to feel more comfortable today,” Koenig said. “The last time, it took eight or so pitches before I felt free and easy. Today it was better, and I was able to maintain that.”
• To the surprise of anyone who saw outfielder Brandon Lockridge’s right knee smash into a concrete sidewall while he chased a foul ball against the Yankees on May 8, he has already been doing light running for the past five days and was cleared to hit off the machine on Tuesday. His estimated return is mid- to late June.
“[Monday] was the best day I’ve had,” Lockridge said. “The first day running, I felt like I could barely cycle my legs through. I wouldn’t even call what I did the first day ‘running.’”