Zachary Engberg
2 min read • May 31, 2022
Posted in
The NL Central-leading Brewers placed right-handed pitchers Brandon Woodruff and Luis Perdomo on the 15-day IL over the weekend.
Milwaukee, 32-18 and a -320 favorite to win the NL Central on Fanduel Sportsbook, is already going to be without former all-star Freddy Peralta for much of the summer, and will now have to trudge forward potentially through the all-star break while trusting top prospects Aaron Ashby and Ethan Small.
The Brewers placed their towering starter on the IL with a right high ankle sprain on Monday and manager Craig Counsell related his situation to that of fellow righty Freddy Peralta.
Woodruff reportedly suffered the injury on Friday night, although there is no clear play we have found that shows this injury mechanism, and he mowed through the Cardinals' 4-5-6 hitters in 12 pitches in the bottom of the fourth.
Catcher Omar Narvaezz called for Counsell and the team's training staff after the 29-year-old was hobbled after only his second warm-up toss of the fifth inning. The Brewers initially listed him out with right ankle irritation that was later upgraded to the sprain.
As we saw earlier this month with Jake Odorizzi, pitchers are vulnerable to foot and ankle injuries because of the elevated mound and sometimes awkward descent.
Milwaukee's versatile shortstop Willy Adames is progressing in a return from his own high ankle sprain that could give a signal to how the team handles Woodruff's recovery. Adames has been on the IL since May 16 and prepping for a rehab stint this week.
Peralta has been out since leaving his start on May 22 with posterior shoulder soreness. He was placed on the 15-day IL with a right shoulder strain and Counsell said the expectation is Peralta will need an extended absence to rest the injury.
This particular shoulder strain is a concerning injury for a right-handed pitcher, according to the ProBaseballDocs, and could sideline his past the all-star break.
Luckily, the Docs say, he will not need surgery to repair the injury, which is essentially a posterior rotator cuff strain. In some ways, however, the lack of surgery is worse because of the location and degree of the injury.
The lattimus dorsi, which is the muscle that drapes over the upper back and shoulder, is an essential power muscle for pitchers, and his strain comes on his throwing shoulder. That is why he will need a long period of rest to heal the tear
The severity will determine how deep into the summer he will be out, but it will certainly be longer than the 15-day minimum and the best-case scenario would be a return in two months.
Peralta struggled in his first two starts, but had picked up steam before the injury, posting a 1.57 ERA, 38 strikeouts, and a .453 opponent OPS in five starts before May 22.
In between Peralta and Woodruff, right-handed reliever Luis Perdomo was placed on the IL as well with right elbow effusion, or swelling.
Perdomo, who underwent Tommy John surgery in 2020 and missed all of the 2021 season, last pitched on May 27, posting a hitless and scoreless two innings with two strikeouts.
The 29-year-old has a 1.74 ERA in 10.1 IP and has been somewhat of an anomaly, as he has forced 24 groundballs and only struck out three batters this season.
Perdomo joins reliever Jake Cousins, who has been out since May 1 with right elbow effusion. His injury appears to be to his UCL, putting him at risk of Tommy John surgery, although nothing has been decided yet.
Written by Zachary Engberg
The embedded tweet could not be found…
