Notes: The next stop on Eric Thames’ comeback trail is set for Colorado Springs,
CLEVELAND - Eric Thames will take the next step Wednesday in his comeback from surgery on his left thumb surgery, when he’s expected to be transferred Class AAA Colorado Springs.
The Milwaukee Brewers first baseman has been on the disabled list since April 25 after tearing the ulnar collateral ligament in his thumb while making a diving play defensively at first base. Thames underwent surgery two days later. On Monday had two at-bats and played first base in an extended springtraining game, his first game action since having surgery.
Thames was scheduled to play in another game Tuesday and then meet Colorado Springs in Fresno, where the Sky Sox are playing a three-game series. “It all went fine,” manager Craig
Counsell said of Thames’s initial game. “He saw the doctor again yesterday for a final checkup and that all went well. Assuming today went well, he will join the Triple-A team tomorrow in Fresno.”
While Counsell wouldn’t venture a guess as to how many games Thames will need to play before he’s ready to rejoin the Brewers, his impending return figures to again lead to questions as to who will be be playing on any given night.
Since Thames went down, Jesús
Aguilar has settled into a role as the team’s regular first baseman. He entered Tuesday’s interleague matchup against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field hitting .309 with 10 home runs and 32 runs batted in, and in general has been Milwaukee’s most consistent offensive contributor.
Ryan Braun has made seven starts at first base while Thames has been out, with a DL stint of his own in between.
Counsell said Thames will play some outfield for Colorado Springs in preparation for his return to the Brewers. Thames started 15 games in left field and three in right for Milwaukee in 2017, but with Braun, Christian Yelich and Domingo Santana already vying for time in those corner spots it remains to be seen how he’ll fit out there.
“First of all, it’s five days away, so
who knows?” Counsell said. “We’re going to have a lot of good players. We’re back to kind of the healthy situation that you guys fretted about all spring training, so we’ll have to make a decision on who plays every day.
“That’s the way it’ll work, and some good players will occasionally be left out of the lineup. We’ll have some tough decisions to make.”
Minor-league moves: While Thames won’t be joining Colorado Springs until Wednesday, the Sky Sox got a couple reinforcements behind the plate for Tuesday’s game, Jacob Nottingham and Jett Bandy.
Nottingham hasn’t played since May 11 after suffering a muscle strain in his rib cage. But before that he had a great start, hitting .354 with five homers, 17 RBI and an OPS of 1.085. He made his major-league debut with the Brewers in April and spent nine games with the club.
Bandy, who was designated for assignment by the Brewers on May 25, was outrighted to Colorado Springs on June 1 after clearing waivers.
The Brewers also announced the promotion of their hottest minor-league hitter, Joantgel Segovia, to advanced Class A Carolina. Segovia hit .347 with two homers, 24 RBI and an OPS of .838 in 50 games with the Timber Rattlers.