Despite a surprising first half that produced the second-best record in baseball, the Milwaukee Brewers are hoping the All-Star break provided a reset heading into the series opener against the visiting Miami Marlins on Friday.
Right-hander Logan Henderson (3-1, 3.18 ERA) starts for the Brewers, while right-hander Sandy Alcantara (10-5, 3.99 ERA) gets the nod for Miami.
Despite closing the first half with three consecutive losses and an injury-riddled rotation, the Brewers entered the break at 59-37, just 1 1/2 games behind the Dodgers for the best overall record in baseball.
Miami, which also lost three straight before the break, enters the second half in third place in the NL East, four games behind front-running Atlanta.
Milwaukee, which has won the last three NL Central titles, leads the division by five games over the Chicago Cubs. But the Brewers’ already-thin rotation suffered additional blows heading into the break.
Ace right-hander Jacob Misiorowski, whose 1.62 ERA and 167 strikeouts are both best in the majors, skipped his final start before the break due to arm fatigue. Veteran right-hander Brandon Woodruff, whose latest comeback was limited to nine games due to injuries, suffered another setback and is on the 60-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation.
Left-hander Kyle Harrison (8-2, 3.01 ERA) didn’t make it past the fourth inning in either of his two July starts, allowing six runs on nine hits in 6 2/3 innings, before going on the 15-day IL last week with left forearm tightness.
“We set the franchise record for the most wins in the first half? That sounds wonderful. It doesn’t feel as wonderful, you know?” Brewers manager Pat Murphy told MLB over the break.
“I don’t think we’ve underachieved, don’t get me wrong,” Murphy said. “But in the world of the Milwaukee Brewers, the way it’s been, I think there’s an expectation of ‘overachieve.’ There’s an expectation of excellence.”
Over the break, the Brewers acquired veteran right-hander Lance McCullers Jr., and left-hander Colton Gordon from the Astros in exchange for outfielder Jadyn Fielder, who is the son of Prince Fielder.
The 32-year-old McCullers, who has been plagued by injuries in recent seasons, has been on the injured list since mid-May with right-shoulder inflammation. He was 2-3 with a 6.86 ERA in eight starts with Houston, and was 0-0 with a 2.45 ERA in three rehab starts with Triple-A Sugar Land, allowing five runs, three earned, in 11 innings.
Henderson, who has split time between Milwaukee and Triple-A, allowed three runs in 5 1/3 innings to get the win in an 8-4 victory at St. Louis in his lone July start.
Meanwhile for Miami, Alcantara is 1-1 with a 2.40 ERA in two starts this month, allowing four runs in 15 innings. He was 6-0 with a 3.35 ERA in six starts in June.
“Outside of a couple blips this half, this has been kind of what we’ve seen almost with the majority of his starts is him again filling up the strike zone, executing very well, using both sides of the plate,” Miami manager Clayton McCullough told MLB.
Alcantara is 2-2 with a 3.14 ERA in eight career outings vs. Milwaukee, including six starts.
–Field Level Media
