While Luis Urias’s injury might be minor, there is a real possibility that he won’t be playing Opening Day on April 7, 2022.
Urias suffered a left quad injury, and will be out a minimum of two weeks. The Brewers already have a pretty full roster, and minimal options remain on the third base free agent market. It’s a disappointing blow for Urias and the team. Luis came into the delayed spring training bulked up a bit, and is expected to have a pretty big season.
With Urias sidelined, the true remaining third baseman on the Brewers roster is Mike Brosseau and Pablo Reyes. Brosseau appears to be the prime candidate to start Opening Day at the corner position.
Brosseau Before 2022
The 28-year-old was traded to the Brewers on November 13, 2021. He came from the Tampa Bay Rays, who in return got Evan Reifert. Reifert was a 2018 draft pick and was on the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers before being sent to Florida.
Brosseau spent 57 games in the majors last season. He had 150 at-bats, and ended with a .187 average with five home runs and 18 RBIs. His career batting average is .312 and has a career OPS of .915. In 2021, he played first, second, third, left and right field for the Rays.
If his name is familiar, it’s because of his post-season heroics in 2020. In September, He was batting against Aroldis Chapman of the New York Yankees. A ball almost hit his head, and Chapman was suspended for three games for throwing at him, but denies it was on purpose. Brosseau would then face him again in the American League Division Series. In the fifth game, he hit a home run off of Champman to help the Rays clinch the Series and earn a National League Championship Series and eventually a World Series birth. Here is a tweet with a Willy Adames Rays cameo!
Happy birthday to Mike Brosseau.
The look on Chapman’s face is priceless. #Rays #RaysUp pic.twitter.com/2mi0Y5QbLT
— CHRIS TORELLO (@TorelloSports) March 16, 2022
Brosseau’s Role in 2022
Mike was definitely brought in as a younger utility player option. Instead of taking a chance on a veteran and having to pay them millions one a short deal, you have a player who can still have a huge presence in this league with the right opportunity. His contract is just under $600K for the year, and won’t enter arbitration until next season.
It re-unites him with former teammate Adames, and two of the infielders that helped the Rays make the 2020 World Series could also be Opening Day starters for the Brewers in 2022. Brosseau has already embraced his utility role.
Mike Brosseau and the Brewers seem like a match made in heaven, with his ability to play multiple positions and the team loving that type of versatility: pic.twitter.com/QFUccvkVXR
— Todd Rosiak (@Todd_Rosiak) March 19, 2022
It appears that Mike and Andrew McCutchen are the one-two punch to battle left-handed pitchers. The Brewers were awful against lefties last year, and there are now two new players who rake against them. McCutchen has been historically good against them. During his career, Brosseau has a .851 OPS against left-handers.
His Spring Training is already off to solid start. Over five at-bats, Brosseau has a .600 average, a home run, RBI and walk already. Obviously that is way too soon to determine anything. But for a player who will most likely be on the Opening Day roster and line-up, it could be worse.
BACK-to-BACK!
ICYMI, Peterson and Brosseau smoked consecutive homers in the fourth. #ThisIsMyCrew pic.twitter.com/RYNeWs9BmC
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) March 20, 2022
He might not be the flashiest trade the team has ever done, but he’s a player who could have a big year for the Milwaukee Brewers. Changing teams did wonders for Willy Adames, so why not for former teammate Mike Brosseau as well. A utility player with years of control and potential is the type of player that makes David Stearns drool.
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