Rest is all Ashby needs to get forearm healthy
It was a good news, bad news kind of Monday for the Milwaukee Brewers.
Landing squarely in the good news category was the fact an MRI of Aaron Ashby’s left forearm prior to the team’s big four-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals at American Family Field revealed nothing more than general inflammation.
The bad news was that he wouldn’t be able to make his scheduled Tuesday start opposite right-hander Jack Flaherty. Instead, he was placed on the 15day injured list with closer Josh Hader being reinstated from the paternity list.
“After throwing his bullpen (session Sunday), we said if it’s not perfect, he’s not going to pitch,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. “It didn’t go perfect, so at that point, we’re just going to take a break here.
“We think it’s just fatigue. That’s what the doctors who have looked at him have said.
“He’s not going to really stop throwing. He won’t throw for a couple days but he’ll be back on the mound — we’re hoping within a week.”
Ashby last pitched Thursday, going 4 1⁄3 innings against the New York Mets. In 14 appearances (eight starts), Ashby is 1-5 with a 4.25 earned run average, WHIP of 1.46 and 67 strikeouts in 55 innings.
He moved into the rotation full time in late May after Freddy Peralta was sidelined with a shoulder injury.
Since then, Ashby has both dominated (12 strikeouts in six innings in a victory over the Chicago Cubs on May 30) and struggled badly (13 hits and six runs allowed in a loss at Washington on June 10).
“During my bullpen I just didn’t feel like I could get around with my slider — the same thing that was going on during the game (in New York),” Ashby said. “There was nothing in the MRI; just general inflammation so I’ll take a couple days off and get back going again.
“I was never worried about anything, to be honest. There was never any pain involved with anything. I can still throw and feel like I can throw as hard as I want. I just can’t sustain my hand placement through the throw.
“It’s really weird but a little bit of rest, recovery and strengthening and everything should be fine.”
Brandon Woodruff, who made his first minor-league rehab start with Nashville on Saturday, is scheduled for his next one Thursday at advanced Class A Wisconsin.
Woodruff said the expectation is he’ll throw around 70 pitches as he continues his recovery from Raynaud’s Syndrome.
“The first start was positive, but I think we should let him pitch and then figure out what we’re going to do next,” Counsell said.
Woodruff ’s replacement in the Brewers rotation, Jason Alexander, has done yeoman’s work with a 2.42 ERA in four starts. He’ll pitch opposite Dakota Hudson in Thursday’s series finale.
“This is the hand we’re dealt right now,” Counsell said when asked about his team’s rotation depth, which has definitely been tested this season.
“Jason Alexander has filled in and done an incredible job; a wonderful job. This is where we’re at in the season. Other guys have had to step up and we’ve have some guys absolutely step up.”
Right-hander Trevor Gott (groin) and utility man Mike Brosseau (ankle) were scheduled to begin rehab assignments with Wisconsin on Tuesday.