Brewers designate Chi Chi Gonzalez, reinstate Hunter Renfroe from IL

Hunter Renfroe returns

Thankfully, the corresponding move is Hunter Renfroe’s return from the injured list. He landed there June 26 with a lingering calf injury. The Brewers offense has sorely missed his bat. Hopefully, Renfroe is able to pick up where he left off as one of the more explosive members of the team’s offense. The Brewers need that to break out of their current slump. Renfroe’s bat is crucial for the Brewers to stay in possession of the NL Central lead.

Renfroe’s return will likely mean we’ll be seeing less of Jonathan Davis in the outfield. Hopefully, Tyrone Taylor will be back soon too and the Brewers outfield will be back to full health.

The nail in the coffin for Chi Chi Gonzalez

On July 10, the Brewers lost a heartbreaker to the Pirates. Gonzalez pitched the ninth inning. He went into what was a one-run game and exited after increasing the Brewers’ deficit to four. After he gave up a three-run homer to former Brewer Dan Vogelbach, the Brewers offense couldn’t make up the difference even with a two-run blast from Andrew McCutchen in the bottom of the inning. That hit would have been a walk-off victory for the Crew if Gonzalez had been able to keep the Pirates scoreless in the top of the inning. Alas, the Crew fell 8-6. That game proved to be the straw that broke the camel’s back after a long string of lackluster performances from Gonzalez.

Alternatives to Gonzalez

At this point, there has to be a better solution to eat up some innings than Gonzalez. Looking to Triple-A Nashville, there are a few options for call-ups now that he’s gone. With Peralta still injured and Gonzalez gone, there’s an opening for a pitcher to come up.

Top pitching prospect Ethan Small was called up earlier this season. He started off strong in his debut but lost control and was taken out in the third inning. There was a lot to like about his performance, and he’s been pitching strongly in Triple-A since then. He could make another start or be used in the middle innings to bridge the gap.

Like Small,  Strzelecki and Barker made their major league debuts this summer. Both relievers could be solid choices to come up and help fill out the bullpen. They’ve both struggled a bit in Triple-A play since their MLB debuts. However, both performed solidly against major league hitters earlier this summer and could again, given the chance. 

With August and Peralta’s return (hopefully) nearing, Brewers fans are optimistic that the pitching staff will return to tip-top shape. Designating Gonzalez for assignment is definitely a step in the right direction and a sign that the Brewers aren’t making moves out of desperation.