Thames gets time in left field

Aguilar’s promise prompts move

For the first time in the opening four-game series against Colorado, Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell rested Ryan Braun on Thursday, allowing him to start Eric Thames in left field and Jesús Aguilar at first base.

Days of rest have been part of the equation for Braun since last season, with Counsell periodically giving the veteran leftfielder time off in an effort to keep him fresh. That approach was particularly successful in 2016 when Braun was coming off back surgery.

But there was no way of predicting coming into the spring that Thames would be filling in for Braun in left in the fourth game of the season. Signed by the Brewers to be their starting first baseman, Thames does have previous major-league experience in the outfield.

When Aguilar, who only plays first base, began tearing up the Cactus League, Counsell gave Thames a few starts in the corner outfield spots, allowing both players to start.

“I think it developed (in the spring),” Counsell said. “We knew (Thames) came up as an outfielder, but Jesús Aguilar is what made me start thinking about it. Otherwise, I don’t know if we would have been looking for it. In the end, there probably would have been reasons to look for it if we put (Travis) Shaw at first base and (Hernán Pérez) at third.

“I’m sure we would have gotten there. But Aguilar is the guy that prompted it.”

Aguilar has five hits in his first seven at-bats (.714) with a 1.607 OPS. Meanwhile, Thames is 4 for 12 with a home run, three RBI and 1.096 OPS, and says he feels comfortable in the outfield.

“It feels normal,” said Thames, who made a nice running catch in the gap in leftcenter in the first inning. “It’s fine as long as I’m on the field.”

Jungmann sent out: Right-hander Taylor Jungmann, an erstwhile starter who won a job in the bullpen to open the season, was told he is being optioned to Class AA Biloxi to open a roster spot for utility player Nick Franklin, claimed off waivers from Tampa Bay. Franklin is slated to join the club Friday.

Jungmann had a rough first outing Wednesday night, failing to get through the ninth inning after inheriting a 6-0 lead. He allowed two hits, a walk, hit a batter and allowed a run before departing with the bases loaded and two down.

Jungmann said he was told he would be stretched out to return to a starting role in Biloxi. He fared badly at Class AAA Colorado Springs last year (9.87 ERA in eight starts), a reason he bypassed that level and will join the Shuckers.

Speed kills: You can’t teach velocity.

Folks were reminded of that Wednesday night when Neftali Feliz made his debut as the Brewers closer against Colorado. Taking over for Jungmann, Feliz pumped in five consecutive fastballs, striking out Charlie Blackmon to end the game.

Four fastballs registered 98 mph and the other 99 mph. Under the new Statcast/ Trackman measuring system used by major-league baseball, everyone’s velocity is up a click from the past but it was still gas. And it showed how far Feliz has come back from the Tommy John surgery in August 2012 that sidetracked his career.

In the two years after that surgery, Feliz was topping out just above 93 mph. But in 2015, when he pitched for both Texas and Detroit, his average climbed to nearly 95 mph. Last year in Pittsburgh, his fastball average climbed above 96 mph, one of the reasons the Brewers pursued him on the free-agent market.

“I definitely feel stronger due to all of my work throughout the years,” Feliz said, with assistant athletic trainer Rafael Freitas serving as translator. “In spring training, I was trying to work on a lot of things. It was a different kind of adrenaline with the game on the line. I was going to give it my all for the team to win.”

Pitching again Thursday afternoon, Feliz’s fastball was down a click or two. The first batter, Nolan Arenado, turned around a 0-2 fastball at 97 mph for a home run that broke a 1-1 tie and allowed the Rockies to take a 2-1 victory.

“I wanted it to be a little more outside than it was,” Feliz said of the home run pitch. “I left it a little too much over the plate and he made good contact. You just have to keep a positive mind and turn the page.”