Corey Hart’s absence has certainly been felt in Milwaukee, but it would seem as though he isn’t yet close to returning to the Brewers’ lineup. (Image Credit: Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports)
Knee surgery has kept Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Corey Hart on the sidelines since the middle of Spring Training and while he’s eligible to come off the disabled list as of May 30th, it would seem that the Brewers just might have to wait a little longer to get him back into the lineup. Hart has yet to begin a rehab assignment and manager Ron Roenicke told MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy that there are currently no plans for him to get into games before June 1st.
This will likely push his return to Milwaukee’s active roster back until at least mid-June. A career .276/.334/.491 hitter, Hart has become a big piece of the Brewers’ lineup over the past few seasons and his presence has certainly been missed.
Hart’s absence coupled with the Spring Training injury that ended Mat Gamel’s season has meant that Roenicke has been left to be creative at first base, as most of the playing time has gone to a pair of players who spent the bulk of their careers at shortstop. Both have largely struggled to replace Hart’s impact. Alex Gonzalez has mustered a .181/.212/.234 line in 99 PA. Yuniesky Betancourt hasn’t been much better, hitting .225/.253/.430 in 150 PA, though he has surprised some with his team-leading 8 HR (which ties him with Ryan Braun).
Milwaukee has struggled offensively on the year and currently sit in last place in the NL Central, tied for the third-worst record in the National League. While it’s still early and there is time for the team to fight their way back into contention (at least for a Wild Card), the return of a healthy Hart to the lineup in mid-June would be a most-welcomed sight.