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Brewers To Promote Pitcher
The Brewers were poised Thursday to promote top pitching prospect Yovani Gallardo to replace left-hander Chris Capuano, who was expected to go on the disabled list with a strained left groin.';
DETROIT -- The Brewers were poised on Thursday morning to promote top pitching prospect Yovani Gallardo to replace left-hander Chris Capuano, who was expected to go on the disabled list with a strained left groin.
Any roster move would be made later in the day, assistant general manager Gord Ash said.
Gallardo, 21 years old and a right-hander, is 8-3 with a 2.90 ERA in 13 starts for Triple-A Nashville and leads all of Minor League Baseball with 110 strikeouts. If the Brewers can avoid using him out of the bullpen this weekend in Minnesota, Gallardo would make his Major League debut on Monday against the San Francisco Giants at Miller Park.
"There's a lot of water that has to get under that bridge before we get to that," manager Ned Yost cautioned. "But that's what we're thinking right now."
Capuano was scratched minutes before his scheduled start Wednesday night in Detroit when he felt tightness in his groin. Carlos Villanueva made the emergency start and provided five bullpen-saving innings, setting up the Brewers for a comeback win over the Tigers.
Because Villanueva threw 77 pitches -- 33 more than his previous season high -- he will not be available until the Brewers return home next Monday to face the Giants. Gallardo last started for Nashville on Tuesday, so he will go to the Brewers bullpen and could be available if needed Saturday or Sunday in Minnesota, Yost said.
If Gallardo pitches in relief, Villanueva would make the Monday start against San Francisco.
"I told Villanueva not even to put his spikes on until we get back home," Yost said. "He won't be available."
The 23-year-old Villanueva has flourished since earning a spot in the bullpen out of Spring Training. Including Wednesday's no-decision, he is 5-0 with a 2.87 ERA in 27 games.
Gallardo, the Brewers' second-round Draft pick in 2004, has lost his last two starts but pitched well in the most recent outing, allowing two earned runs in six innings at Memphis while striking out 12 batters.
In 73 career Minor League games, Gallardo is 27-12 with a 2.48 ERA and 439 strikeouts. He throws a low-90s fastball and a quality curveball, and also can feature a changeup.
"I know him enough to know he's a quiet kid, a confident kid who goes about his business in a real good manner," Yost said. "I think he fits right in with our mature young guys we have here now.
"He's got everything going for him that says he should be successful," Yost said. "But you just have to see it." The Brewers already called up their top positional prospect. Third baseman Ryan Braun joined the team on May 24 and entered Thursday's game batting .303 with four home runs and 10 RBIs in 17 games.
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