The Milwaukee Brewers’ Injured List Keeps Growing, But Help Is On The Way

After a frustrating few weeks, the Milwaukee Brewers finally got some good news on the injury front over the weekend when relievers Trevor Gott and Jandel Gustave returned from the injured list.

The moves, though, were something of a break-even situation: while getting those players back, Milwaukee also placed reliever Miguel Sanchez and outfielder Hunter Renfroe to the IL, the latest additions to a list that has seemed to get longer by the day.

As the team goes into a much-needed day off before opening a five-game road trip Tuesday, here’s a quick rundown of the players on Milwaukee’s IL and updates on when they might return to acton.

LHP Aaron Ashby (left forearm inflammation)

Ashby went on the IL after he felt tightness in his forearm during a June 16 start against the Mets. He threw his first bullpen session over the weekend and is scheduled to throw live batting practice during the team’s off-day Monday.

“He’s a young pitcher and he’s feeling things he hasn’t felt so we have to go slow with that and get rid of that feeling,” Counsell said.

OF Hunter Renfroe (strained left calf)

The latest addition to Milwaukee’s IL, Renfroe landed on the IL for a second time this season on Sunday when several days of rest and treatment did little to help and an MRI revealed a slightly more serious injury than first thought.

“It sucks, man,” Renfroe said.” Every time you feel like you get hot, you’re doing a lot, you’re running the bases a lot you’re running out there everyday, it’s bound to happen some way or the other.”

RHP Miguel Sanchez (right elbow )

Sanchez went on the IL on June 25 after he reported discomfort in the area of the infamous ulnar collateral ligament but fears of a potential Tommy John situation subsided when MRI came back clean. Nonetheless, Sanchez will be shut down for awhile with no definite timetable for his return, leaving the Brewers without a valuable middle relief option.

“We hope to have him throwing within a week or two,” Counsell said. “Obviously it’s an IL stay but we’re not looking at anything serious, I don’t think.”

INF Kolten Wong (right calf strain)

Wong recently finished up a minor league rehab assignment at Class A Wisconsin and could return to the Brewers as early as Tuesday when they open a two-game series against the Rays in Tampa.

RHP Brandon Woodruff (right ankle/Raynaud’s syndrome)

Woodruff got through his most recent minor league rehab start without issue and is slated to return to the rotation Tuesday at Tampa Bay. The Brewers have been without Woodruff since May 27, when he was pulled early from a start in St. Louis because of a high ankle sprain.

While recovering from that issue, Woodruff also reported problems gripping the ball which was later diagnosed as Reynaud’s syndrome.

“Every day it’s kind of gotten better,” Woodruff said after returning from his rehab assignment. “ As far as pitching and throwing, the feeling in the middle finger has gotten to the point where it’s become minimal and it’s not affecting me. I’m not going out there and I can’t feel my middle finger. So, that’s the important part.”

Woodruff was 5-3 with a 4.74 ERA in nine starts before going on the IL.