Shaw has had the right stuff
He is handling left-handers
Travis Shaw is getting regular opportunities to play against lefthanded pitching this season, and so far he’s taking advantage of them.
In his first year as the Milwaukee Brewers’ starting third baseman, Shaw entered Thursday’s series finale with the Boston Red Sox hitting .314 with a home run, seven runs batted in and an OPS of .923 over 35 atbats.
Last year with Boston, Shaw struggled early against southpaws and then saw his opportunities dry up when the team traded for Aaron Hill and began platooning the pair. Shaw eventually saw his playing time cut even further with Boston working in younger players Yoan Moncada and Brock Holt.
Even before the season began, Shaw hoped the Brewers would allow him the chance to face lefties. He said that knowing he’ll be in the lineup most days against them has given him added confidence.
“That helps,” said Shaw, who went 0 for 2 against lefty Eduardo Rodriguez on Thursday. “Also, my approach is a little bit better against them this year.
“Last year I got into too much of a pull mode, being too pull-happy against lefties. This year I’m more focused on trying taking them the other way a little bit more, which helps me stay on some pitches and keeps me from rolling over on the sliders and off-speed pitches.”
Shaw’s situation in Boston wasn’t unlike the one Scooter Gennett faced in his early years in Milwaukee. It wasn’t until last year, when Gennett was given regular opportunities against lefties, that he was able to sustain some success with a .260 average, two homers and 14 RBI.
“I had success off them in 2015 in the big leagues when I got called up,” Shaw said. He hit .329 with six homers and 16 RBI in 82 at-bats in 2015 versus southpaws.
“Last year I had some opportunities, didn’t produce with them, and then the opportunities kind of went down from there. I kind of lost my confidence and my rhythm against them.
“This year, I’ve been able to get it back.”
Ready and able: The Brewers are always better with Ryan Braun in the lineup but at least manager Craig Counsell has a productive replacement in Hernán Pérez. With Braun out of the lineup again with left calf tightness, Pérez got another start in left field.
Pérez has resumed his role as a super utility player, making 22 starts at six positions – shortstop (five), left field (four), right field (four), third base (four), center field (four) and second base (one). Getting regular at-bats helped him shake out of an early-season skid that had him batting .179 as recently as April 23.
After going 0 for 4 on Thursday, Pérez is batting .261 with four home runs, 15 RBI, a .310 onbase percentage and .500 slugging percentage.
“It’s my role to be ready to play every day. Everybody wants to play every day and be in the lineup.”
About face: Reliever Rob Scahill’s first outing after coming up from Class AAA Colorado Springs in Pittsburgh on Friday didn’t go as planned. After sitting out a 2-hour, 27-minute rain delay, Scahill replaced starter Jimmy Nelson and surrendered six hits and four runs (two earned) in two innings to take the loss in a 4-0 defeat.
Scahill had to sit on that outing until Wednesday night against Boston. Replacing starter Chase Anderson with two outs in the fifth, Scahill went 21⁄3 hitless innings and was rewarded with the victory as the Brewers prevailed, 7-4.
“It’s always good when you get the opportunity to go out there and do your job successfully,” Scahill said. “Especially in that situation, when you have to fill a couple of innings. And to get the win on top of it was nice.
“It takes a full roster to win games on the major-league level. Everybody’s got to pull the rope in the same direction. We’ve been able to do that. It was tough in Pittsburgh but I’ve still got a job to do.”