Dubon sent down, Jackson called up
As expected, the Brewers went back to eight relievers on their roster Saturday by selecting right-handed reliever Jay Jackson from Class AAA San Antonio and optioning infielder Mauricio Dubon to that club.
Dubon was summoned the Sunday before the all-star break to provide insurance at shortstop after Orlando Arcia was shaken up in a collision the previous night with second baseman Keston Hiura. As it turned out, Arcia was OK and even played some in the game the next day but Dubon was still on the roster coming out of the all-star break.
With the bullpen getting roughed up for eight runs in five innings in a 10-7, 10inning loss to San Francisco on Friday night, the Brewers wanted a fresh arm and chose Jackson, who was pitching well for the Missions. In 29 appearances, he was 4-2 with a 1.01 ERA and 50 strikeouts in 35 2/3 innings, holding opponents to a .181 batting average.
Jackson was up briefly with the Brewers earlier in the season, pitching in three games and getting hit hard. In 2 1/3 innings, he allowed four hits – including two homers – and five runs (19.29 ERA).
Dubon had two pinch-hitting appearances in his two games in his first time in the major leagues but the Brewers want him to play regularly at shortstop and second base at San Antonio.
“This is a move we planned after Day 1 after the break,” manager Craig Counsell said. “We thought we’d use the extra position player for one day after the break, knowing we had everybody fresh in the bullpen. Four guys on the bench, that’s all we’re going to carry.
“For (Dubon), it’s getting something off the list of things he has to worry about. He’s having a really good season. He’ll continue doing that. We know he’ll be back. The unknown of the big leagues is checked off for him.”
Saladino back at shortstop
Utility infielder Tyler Saladino, called up in late June from San Antonio, got another start at shortstop in the second game of the series against San Francisco. Saladino was swinging a hot bat (.288, 14 HRs, 57 RBI) for the Missions before being summoned but had struggled at the plate for the Brewers, with only three hits in 30 at-bats (.100), all singles.
“It’s (31) plate appearances,” Counsell said. “He hasn’t got off to a good start. I am surprised. We need production but at the same time I want to give him a chance to do that.
“He was having a really, really nice Triple-A season, and doing some things he had never done before, power-wise and things like that. It’s still in there and we want to give him a chance to see it.”
Saladino also provides another option in the outfield, where Ben Gamel has been the only true fourth outfielder on the roster all season.
More production at first base
After going much of the season without much production at first base, things have been much better of late with the lefty-right platoon of Eric Thames and Jesús Aguilar, respectively.
Aguilar finally broke loose from a season-long slump and was batting .378 (17 for 45) with four homers and nine RBI over his last 26 games. He hit three home runs in the Brewers’ weekend series in Pittsburgh before the all-star break.
Thames, who began seeing more playing time when Aguilar was in his prolonged funk, has been swinging the bat well for some time. Over his last 34 games, he was batting .297 (30 for 101) with eight homers and 18 RBI, boosting his overall OPS to .893.
“The challenge at this point is how do we get Aggie as many at-bats as we can,” Counsell said. “We do have a bunch of lefthanded pitchers coming up, so Aggie will be in there quite a bit. That’s a good thing.
“I think (Aguilar) and Lorenzo (Cain) are two big offensive keys for us in the second half.”
Cain has not been the same offensive force atop the lineup as a year ago, when he posted a .395 on-base percentage. Entering the game Saturday night, he had compiled a .306 OBP.