Arcia (ankle) 'headed in the right direction'

Pina could return Tuesday vs. Royals; Counsell reflects on Aguilar's walk-off

April 22nd, 2018

MILWAUKEE -- Shortstop , who injured his right ankle in the eighth inning of the Brewers' win over the Marlins on Friday night, was scheduled to run before Sunday's series finale at Miller Park to determine if he needs to go on the disabled list, but manager Craig Counsell sounded optimistic that wouldn't be necessary.
X-rays were negative after Arcia rolled his ankle after retreating back to first base following an eighth-inning single. He fractured the same ankle in 2012 and missed the entire Minor League season.
"He's doing good," Counsell said. "We're putting him through a pretty good test today, so that's a good sign. We'll run him around today and then check out tomorrow. If he passes this, then he'll be ready to go on Tuesday [against the Royals].
"This is important today, what happens out here. But I think we're headed in the right direction."

Catcher , on the DL since April 13 with a right calf strain, was also slated to run on Sunday and is likely to rejoin the team on the upcoming nine-game road trip, which begins Tuesday at Kansas City.
With Pina out and veteran on the DL with a right shoulder strain, has been doing the bulk of the catching, backed up by rookie , who is the Brewers' No. 27 prospect according to MLB Pipeline.
"He passed a pretty big test on Friday," Counsell said of Pina. "He'll run again one last time today, so all signs are pointing good for him. … I'd say he's definitely possible for Tuesday.
Appreciating Aguilar's walk-off
Counsell said 's 13-pitch walk-off home run in the ninth inning off Marlins reliever on Saturday night should be examined in its entirety.
"It was one of those at-bats where the highlights don't do it justice," Counsell said. "You have to watch the whole at-bat to really gain an appreciation. And I know in today's day and age, we don't have time to play that whole at-bat really, but you have to watch the whole at-bat to really appreciate how it builds up to that point. I think it's the beautiful thing about the game and the at-bat."

Aguilar fouled off seven two-strike pitches before launching his game-winner.
"Tazawa made very good pitches. I think that's what probably impressed me the most," Counsell said. "He made incredible pitches that Jesus got his bat on and somehow fouled off.
"I think we were expecting Jesus to put the ball in play. You're in such a battle mode, and he was just trying to put the ball in play, and then he hits the ball 400 feet over the fence. That was the next kind of shock, I think, to the whole thing."
Brewers continue tree-planting partnership
Since 2011, the team has partnered with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in Root, Root, Root for the Brewers, an annual program that distributes landscape trees to various entities in the community.
Previous recipients of the landscape trees include the Hank Aaron Trail (a paved bike path that runs behind Miller Park), Milwaukee County Parks, the nearby Veterans Administration grounds and several neighboring municipalities.