Travis Shaw may cancel his secondary league contract with the Brewers tomorrow, but it seems very likely that the team will include Shaw on the opening day list, according to Tom Haudricourt and Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The official selection of Shaw’s contract would guarantee the veteran a salary of $ 1.5 million for the next season, and the Brewers would have to make another corresponding move to open a vacancy in the 40-man squad. Shaw hitting left-handers is expected to get most of the playing time on third base when a right-hand is on the mound, with Orlando Arcia, Daniel Robertson, and (if not interrupted) Luis urias all attacking lefties.
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- Today’s Cactus League game with the Mariners saw both Derek Fisher and Adrian Houser leave early due to injuries. According to the Brewers’ official announcement, “left hamstring discomfort” forced Fisher to leave the game after he scored on first base in a double, and the coach Craig Counsell said Haudricourt and other reporters that Fisher will be out of action for a while. The lack of options Fisher was already facing stiff competition to win a spot on the roster, and this setback for injury could hurt even more, if it didn’t ruin his chances. As for Houser, he left the game with discomfort on his right thumb, but both the pitcher and Counsell felt it was a minor problem that shouldn’t interrupt Houser’s pre-season preparations too much.
- In other news about injuries, Lorenzo Cain expected to make its spring training debut until the weekend, said Counsell Will Sammon of Atlético and other reporters. After giving up much of the 2020 season, Cain’s return to the field was delayed by a hip injury. It remains to be seen how much time Cain will need to prepare for the season, so a place on the injured list is probably not out of the question at least in the first week of the schedule.
- Right-handed Ray Black it will start to come off a lot at the end of the week, Counsell said, as Black will return to work after being closed due to an inflammation in his elbow. Pitcher Black played only three innings in three games in 2020, missing much of the season due to a strain in the right rotator cuff. Given his recent injury history, Black could very well be an IL candidate for Opening Day.