Struggling Rasmussen will still get the call
ST. LOUIS – The Milwaukee Brewers’ decision makers know right-hander Dennis Rasmussen was “rushed” to the big leagues, in the sense of building the normal foundation of work in the minors before getting the call.
But the circumstances were unusual for both Rasmussen and the industry when he made his major-league debut during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, followed by making the opening day roster this spring. Rasmussen, 25, is not a young, raw kid. He came out of a big-time college program at Oregon State and can regularly throw in the high 90s, so his arm is special.
Very special, in fact, considering Rasmussen had not one but two Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgeries before becoming a professional pitcher. He did not play in 2018 after the Brewers took him in the sixth round of the amateur draft, then pitched at the Class A and AA levels in his first season in the system.
With no minor leagues because of the pandemic last year, the Brewers sent Rasmussen to their alternate training site in Appleton, figuring he might be of some help during their 60-game season. And, sure enough, he was summoned Aug. 13 and saw action in 12 games with mixed results: 1-0, 5.87 ERA, 17 hits, nine walks and 10 runs in 151⁄3 innings with an impressive 21 strikeouts.
Rasmussen was thrown squarely into the mix for spots in the bullpen during spring training. When Justin Topa went on the injured list with a serious flexor strain – he is expected to miss at least the first half of the season – it became a certainty that Rasmussen would break camp with the big-league club.
To say the least, Rasmussen’s first two outings of the season have not gone well. In his first appearance Sunday against Minnesota, he allowed four runs (three earned) in one inning, including an opposite-field home run by slugger Miguel Sano.
Brought into the game Thursday in St. Louis in the eighth inning with the score tied, 1-1, Rasmussen struck out Tommy Edman on a 98-mph fastball but walked Austin Dean on a 3-2 fastball, then surrendered a first-pitch-fastball home run to Nolan Arenado that decided the game, failing to get the pitch inside enough.
Afterward, manager Craig Counsell made it clear that he’s going to continue to call on Rasmussen in important spots with the way his bullpen is constructed.
“Those are innings that we’re going to need Rasmussen in,” Counsell said. “It was a right-handed inning (in terms of batters due up) and we’re going to need him for those innings. “Early in the season, we have to be careful (about overusing relievers). That’s a must.
“But, at the same time, right-handed innings are the innings for Drew to succeed in at this point, where he’s at. We’re going to need him in those innings and those are the innings his stuff is built for.”
Whatever is asked
Keston Hiura spent spring training learning the new position of first base with newcomer and two-time Gold
Glove Award winner Kolten Wong taking over at second base. But, with the possibility of Wong going on the injured list after re-aggravating an oblique issue Thursday in the game against the Cardinals, Hiura said he would go back to second base if asked.
“I’m open to whatever happens,” Hiura said. “It’s something where we have a lot of versatility. We have ‘Vogey’ (Daniel Vogelbach) who can play first base as well. Wherever they tell me to play, that’s where I’m going to play, and I’m going to do the best I can over there.”
The Brewers have more coverage at first base than other infield spots after trading Orlando Arcia to Atlanta earlier in the week.
Daniel Robertson currently is the backup at third base, shortstop and second base, and took over at that latter position when Wong exited the game in the seventh inning.
There was a report Thursday by The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal that the Brewers signed veteran infielder/outfielder Dee Gordon-Strange to a minor-league deal after he was released by Cincinnati, but the club has not confirmed the signing.
Should Wong go on the IL and the Brewers opt to move Hiura back to second, Vogelbach would be in line for regular playing time at first base after serving as a bat off the bench for the first week. Outfielder Billy McKinney can play that position as well, as can Travis Shaw, though it forces Robertson to play third base if Shaw moves over to first.
The main priority for Hiura is to get going at the plate. He snapped a seasonopening 0-for-20 skid with an oppositefield double in his second at-bat Thursday but is 1 for 23 (.043) one week into the season.
“What’s getting me right now is when there’s a (pitch) that I know I can do a lot of damage with, I’m either swinging through it or getting weak contact on it,” Hiura said. “Those are the ones where it kind of gets me a little upset.
“Once you start seeing pitches and swinging at better pitches, then it’s going to be better contact. I’m just taking it pitch by pitch and trying to win every pitch of the at-bat.”