Two rookie arms rejoin Crew before activation
Peralta unlikely to start again in 2018; Williams set for bullpen
MILWAUKEE -- Rookie pitchers Freddy Peralta and Taylor Williams, optioned to the Minor Leagues last week when the Brewers needed their roster spots for fresh arms, have rejoined the team and will be activated Sunday when their required 10 days are up.
Williams presumably will rejoin the bullpen, but Peralta might not make any more starts.
"Not scheduled," manager Craig Counsell said.
Counsell didn't cite an innings concern but said it was a matter of having other options, with Zach Davies' return from injuries and the acquisition of Giovany Gonzalez.
Peralta, 22, was 6-4 with a 4.40 ERA in 14 Brewers starts. Among Major Leaguers with at least 70 innings, Peralta is second with a .177 batting average against (Chris Sale, .174) and 12th with a 30 percent strikeout rate while tying for the fourth-worst walk rate at 12.9 percent.
He'll have to work on that.
"I think Freddy was a huge impact on us," Counsell said. "There were a couple of seven-inning starts in there that were huge for us. ... Those are the days that kind of go unnoticed, but if you don't get that start, there is a big carryover for three, four days.
"We've got a young starter with a really bright future ahead of him."
Peralta will be among a group of starters returning in 2019 that includes Jhoulys Chacin, Chase Anderson, Davies, Brandon Woodruff, Corbin Burnes and perhaps Adrian Houser. The Brewers will have to make a decision on Junior Guerra, who is arbitration-eligible. Wade Miley and Gonzalez will be free agents.
"I don't want to say [Peralta's] season is over, because it's not over by any means," Counsell said. "But whatever happens the rest of the year, he's going to come into next spring with a really nice breadth of experience."