MILWAUKEE (AP) — With the Milwaukee Brewers' trade-deadline acquisition of veteran starter Dustin May, rookie right-hander Brandon Sproat became the odd man out of the rotation.
The 25-year-old Sproat, acquired from the Mets in the offseason trade for Freddy Peralta, was optioned Tuesday to Triple-A Nashville. Sproat appeared in 21 games for Milwaukee, including 19 starts, but struggled with inconsistency and a high ERA. He is 3-7 with a 5.27 ERA for the Brewers.
Brewers manager Pat Murphy acknowledged that the decision was not a foregone conclusion. "I think you look at it at face value," Murphy said. "It's really about what's best for the player and what's best for the team."
Sproat's most recent outing was a 4-3 loss to the Pirates on Monday. He allowed four runs on five hits in three-plus innings and was removed after throwing consecutive wild pitches following a leadoff single in the fourth. Murphy emphasized the need for improvement in Sproat's performance, saying, "The free bases, the wild pitches, the walks, hit by pitches, has got to stop. You can't pitch in the big leagues like that."
In related news, the Brewers also optioned reliever Garrett Stallings to Nashville on Tuesday. The team made a series of roster moves ahead of the trade deadline, acquiring reliever JoJo Romero and starter Dustin May from the Cardinals, as well as reliever Antonio Senzatela from Colorado.
Dustin May, who was 5-7 with a 4.38 ERA in 21 starts with St. Louis, is scheduled to start Thursday for Milwaukee in the series finale against Pittsburgh. Left-hander Kyle Harrison, on the injured list since July 9, also is scheduled to return and start Wednesday.
Sproat's demotion comes as the Brewers look to bolster their starting rotation. With May's addition, the team's pitching staff has undergone significant changes in recent days. The Brewers' next move will be closely watched by fans and analysts alike as the team navigates the final stretch of the season.
Source: Yahoo Sports