Brewers promote two right-handers
Among the flurry of pitching moves the Milwaukee Brewers made on Monday was the promotion of right-handers Trey Supak and Justin Topa from the team's alternate training site in Appleton.
Supak, 24, should be a familiar name to those who follow the Brewers' farm system. He's pitched his way up the ladder since being acquired along with Keon Broxton from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for Jason Rogers in December, 2015 and established himself as a prospect the previous two seasons.
Topa, on the other hand, is more of a scouting success for Milwaukee. At 29 years old, he doesn't profile as a prospect, he's twice had Tommy John surgery and had to reboot his flagging career in independent ball before ultimately signing as a free agent prior to the 2019 season.
His numbers weren't particularly impressive – he went 0-6 with a 3.38 earned run average and struck out 41 batters in 40 innings over 33 relief appearances split between advanced Class A Carolina and Class AA Biloxi – but was added to the 60-player pool on Aug. 3.
He'd been in Appleton since then, turned heads with fastball velocity that manager Craig Counsell said registers between 95-97 mph and was officially selected Monday.
Both Supak and Topa will be making their major-league debuts.
“Although it's been an odd season for everybody else, I think Justin's really performed in these scenarios," Counsell said of Topa, originally a 17th-round draft pick of the Pirates in 2013. "He's pitched in (spring) camp for us. He's been really good up in Appleton. He's just been going the right direction for a long time now.
"Big velocity is something that we like. He throws strikes. Some of the offspeed stuff has improved. It's a guy that right now, he was on it in Appleton, so we're taking a shot with him.”
Supak answered the disappointment of being the lone player on the Brewers' 40-man roster to not be recalled to the major leagues last season by reporting to spring training in February 24 pounds lighter at 250.
He'd been named the Southern League's pitcher of the year in 2019 and between Biloxi and Class AAA San Antonio, Supak went 12-6 with a 3.60 ERA over 27 starts. He struck out 118 in 152 2⁄3 innings, with his success coming from a heavy, sinking fastball that generates ground balls.
Supak has been throwing around 75 pitches per outing in Appleton, Counsell said, and could provide length out of the bullpen for the Brewers if needed.
"Look, this is a great day for them. It should be a thrilling day," said Counsell. "I think anytime a guy makes it to the big leagues, it's an enormous step and a lot of people should be proud, from families and coaches along the way for them to our player development staff. They should be thrilled another player has graduated to the major leagues.
"It starts this new journey for them, where it's harder, for sure. They've made it a long way, but now they're about to undertake the hardest part of all. And so it's exciting. I think Topa's exciting because he's got a great story, he really does. Coming from independent ball and really remaking himself and getting to this point. That's a great story.
"I'm excited to see both of them. They both have earned it, and credit to a guy like Justin who, in a difficult season, he's the guy for us that's really made a big impression. And that's why he's here."
That said, the stays for one or both could be short with other moving parts on the staff. They gave Brent Suter a spot start Monday against the Pirates with Eric Lauer and Corey Knebel both likely to return from Appleton in the near future.
"For some of these guys this is going to be temporary," Counsell acknowledged.
Waiting game
Avisaíl García and Ryan Braun were both out of the lineup Monday recovering from various maladies.
García was missing his second straight game with a tender ankle that he rolled both Friday and Saturday. He's been playing a strong center field and improving offensively before being sidelined.
"Improving," Counsell said. "But again, asking him to play center field, the thought is let's get him rest and get him equipped to play center field."
Braun, meanwhile, continues to deal with a balky back. Counsell periodically gives Braun "maintenance" days off in an attempt to keep the back from getting worse and leaving him to miss more time.
He played a complete game in Milwaukee's 5-1 loss Sunday.
"It kind of comes and goes," Counsell said. "So I think it's important that we just manage it, and that's what today is about."