Milwaukee Brewers: Tough roster decisions await as 3 players near return

Currently on injury rehab assignment are outfielder Jackson Chourio, first baseman Rhys Hoskins, and pitcher Robert Gasser. Chourio may be the first person available, as he is coming back from a mild hamstring strain. Hoskins has been on assignment a little longer, but missed more time due to a thumb injury. Lastly, Gasser is building back up after undergoing Tommy John surgery last summer.

What roles will these players have once they return?

Without question, Chourio will return as one of the Brewers primary outfielders, likely reclaiming his spot in center field. Replacing Chourio with Brandon Lockride makes the most sense, as Milwaukee will certainly want to hold onto Blake Perkins for his defense, as well as ability to hit from both sides of the plate.

Hoskins situation is a bit murkier. Andrew Vaughn has done nothing but hit and deliver in clutch situations since taking over for Hoskins. Removing Vaughn’s hot bat doesn’t make a lot of sense, so perhaps a timeshare between first base and designated hitter for the two is in the works. That of course would mean that Christian Yelich would have to play the field more, thus potentially taking Rookie of the Year candidate Isaac Collins out of his prominent role and resorting him to a late game defensive replacement.

Finally, if Milwaukee decides to bring back Robert Gasser to the big-league roster this year, the question becomes: where does he fit? His last two Triple-A outings went 4.0 and 4.2 innings, showing he can still provide some length. He could temporarily fill DL Hall’s spot, but with Hall expected to return by mid-September, a roster crunch could be looming. Given there’s only about a month left in the regular season, it’s unlikely Gasser will secure a consistent spot in the starting rotation, making his role in the bullpen uncertain.

With Chourio,Hoskins, andGasser all on the verge of returning, the Brewers will soon be forced to make some difficult roster calls. Each brings value, but their reintegration will require corresponding moves, potentially at the expense of players who have stepped up in their absence. It’s a good problem to have, but one that will test the front office’s ability to balance performance, potential, and the clubhouse.