Shaw on medical leave
Third baseman’s newborn is ill
PHOENIX - The Milwaukee Brewers placed third baseman Travis Shaw on family medical emergency leave Friday because of the health of his newborn daughter.
“Travis had a baby girl on Tuesday and there are some health concerns with the baby,” manager Craig Counsell said before the Brewers’ game against Arizona at Chase Field. “He’s going to be away from the team through Sunday, for sure, and hopefully join us in St. Louis, but we’ll see.”
After the three-game series against the Diamondbacks, the Brewers are off Monday before opening a four-game series in St. Louis
with a makeup day-night doubleheader Tuesday. Major League Baseball allows players to be away from three to seven days on family medical emergency leave.
“He needs to be with his family right now,” Counsell said. “It’s a situation where he needs to be at home. He’s in the right place right now. We’re certainly all thinking about him. He’s where he should be this weekend.”
Shaw, 27, was away from the team on paternity leave on Monday and Tuesday but returned to play in games against the San Francisco Giants the next two days. He has been the team’s starting third baseman and cleanup hitter since being acquired in December as one of four players from Boston in a trade for reliever Tyler Thornburg.
Shaw is batting .298 with 10 home runs and a team-leading 42 runs batted in.
In the series opener against Arizona, Counsell gave hot-hitting Eric Sogard a start at third base and put Hernan Perez in left field and in the cleanup spot.
Sogard has been a consistent performer since coming up from Class AAA Colorado Springs on May 12. Entering the Arizona series, he was batting .447 in 10 starts in the leadoff spot with nine runs, eight runs batted in and eight walks. He had reached base in the first inning in eight of those starts.
“Eric’s versatility has allowed us to do a lot,” Counsell said. “And he has been very productive.”
With Shaw coming off the roster temporarily, the Brewers were able to keep outfielder Brett Phillips, who had been optioned Thursday to Colorado Springs to make way
for spot starter Paolo Espino. Instead, Espino was optioned to Colorado Springs to make room for left-hander Josh Hader, who was summoned from that club.
Braun improving: Ryan Braun continues to show slow and steady improvement while on the disabled list for the second time with a calf strain. He took part in the pregame workout.
“Today was his first day on the field, so he’s making progress,” Counsell said. “He got on the field and ran today. That was another step he’s taking.
“We’ll see how that progresses over this weekend and the first couple of days in St. Louis, then we’ll see where we are from there.”
Because Braun has been out of action so long, the plan is for him to go on a minor-league rehab assignment before being activated by the Brewers.
Reunion of ‘82 team: The Brewers announced they will hold a reunion of the 1982 American League championship team during ceremonies on July 14-16 to commemorate the 35th anniversary of that revered club.
Members of that team will reunite on the field before the game on Saturday, July 15, before the Brewers’ 6:10 p.m. game against Philadelphia.
The celebration will go on through the weekend
as the 2017 Brewers wear replicas of the team’s 1982 home uniforms during all three games. The Phillies also will wear powder blue throwback uniforms from that season.
On Friday, July 14, the first 20,000 fans in attendance for the 7:10 p.m. contest against the Phillies will receive a FreeShirt Friday replica Paul Molitor jersey. The jersey will resemble the 1982 powder blue uniforms sported by the Brew Crew.
On Saturday, coaches, players and staff from the 1982 team will reunite in an on-field pregame ceremony, led by Baseball Commissioner Emeritus and former Brewers owner Bud Selig. Jerry Augustine, Dwight Bernard, Mike Caldwell, Cecil Cooper, Jamie Easterly, Rollie Fingers, Jim Gantner, Larry Haney, Moose Haas, Larry Hisle, Audrey Kuenn (on behalf of husband Harvey Kuenn), Pete Ladd, Don Money, Charlie Moore, Ben Oglivie, Rob Picciolo, Ed Romero, Ted Simmons, Jim Slaton, Gorman Thomas, Pete Vuckovich, Harry Warner and Robin Yount are all confirmed to attend. Additional attendees may be added.
To cap the weekend, all fans who attend the Sunday 1:10 p.m. contest will receive a 1982 American League Championship replica ring.