MILWAUKEE -- The Brewers cleared room on the 40-man roster by outrighting third baseman Will Middlebrooks to Triple-A Colorado Springs after activating him from the disabled list on Tuesday. Middlebrooks had been out with a lower right leg strain since July 25.
Between Jonathan Villar and Hernán Pérez at third base, in addition to any possible September callups, playing time would likely have been sparse for Middlebrooks.
"I think in the big picture it was, 'Was there going to be playing time in September?'" Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "And it didn't look like there was going to be playing time in September."
Once a top prospect for the Red Sox, Middlebrooks signed with the Brewers as a Minor League free agent last winter and was recalled from Triple-A on July 3. In 10 games, Middlebrooks, 27, hit 3-for-27 with three singles and 13 strikeouts.
Middlebrooks came up limp while rounding first on a popup in a game against the Cubs on July 24. Prior to suffering his injury, Middlebrooks was in Milwaukee's rotation at third base.
"At the time, really, it was right around the All-Star break when he came up, and he played kind of semi-regularly, I'd say," Counsell said. "We were facing a lot of left-handed pitchers and things like that. And then Aaron [Hill] got traded [on July 7], it was right around that time. It was before Orlando [Arcia] had come up, which was another thing that kind of took away some playing time, possibly."
The Brewers could use the open spot on the 40-man roster to call up a player not currently on the 40-man when rosters expand on Sept. 1. That spot could possibly be used on a third catcher, such as Josmil Pinto or Michael McKenry, or one of the team's top prospects in left-hander Josh Hader or outfielder Lewis Brinson.