Milwaukee Brewers: Lefty Reliever Boosts Bullpen Off Injured List, No Jackson Chourio in Friday’s Lineup vs Blue Jays

Brewers’ bullpen carousel continues

Since signing a minor league deal with Milwaukee in December 2023, Zastryzny has had a back and forth relationship with the franchise. After he gave the Brewers 7.2 innings last year, the team waived Zastryzny and the Cubs claimed him. Chicago then released him before spring training, he signed with the Mets, and in May the Brewers traded to get him back.

This season he has appeared in 15 games, posting a 2.03 ERA and 0.90 WHIP.

Although Zastryzny typically works only an inning at a time, Milwaukee could use help of any kind in the bullpen. Having lost Trevor Megill and Grant Anderson to injuries, slogging through a stretch of 19 games in 18 days, the Brewers just need arms.

That’s the role Easton McGee played in his most recent call up, pitching each of the last two days before being sent down again to make room for Zastryzny. After Quinn priester was scratched from his last start, the Brewers  also signed rejected starter Erick Fedde, becoming his third team amidst an abysmal year for the eight-year veteran.

Hopefully Zastryzny can stay healthy at least until Megill and Anderson return. It seemed as though the lineup might have Chourio back to begin the series, based on the earlier report that he would join the team in Toronto, but the Brewers will manage without him for one more game. In his place, slumping center fielder Blake Perkins will get another start Friday night against Blue Jays ace Shane Bieber.

Coming off the injured list, Perkins enjoyed a strong start to his season, including unwonted power, but has gone just 6-42 since then without an extra base hit. He remains, however, a defensive force, as manifested in his homerun robbery last night against Arizona.