Junior Guerra
With Junior Guerra eligible for arbitration for the first time during this offseason, he’s just as likely to be not offered a contract as he is to head to Spring Training with the Milwaukee Brewers. However, Guerra has had success for the Crew in the past and at the very least deserves a serious look heading into the 2019 season.
Guerra was the Brewers top pitcher during the 2016 season finishing 9-3 with an impressive 2.81 earned run average across 20 starts. However, he has struggled to find the same success during the following two seasons and enters this offseason on the outside looking in at the rotation.
The 33-year-old appeared in 52 games, 40 starts, with a 4.43 earned run average during the previous two seasons. Guerra struggled with injuries during the 2017 season and could never find consistency in the rotation during the 2018 season.
However, much like a few of the pitchers discussed within this piece, Guerra carved out a nice role for himself in the Brewers bullpen down the stretch during last season. His five appearances out of the bullpen during the ’18 season all came after September 11 and he earned a place on the Brewers postseason roster.
He pitched six innings of relief allowing zero earned runs with eight strikeouts and zero walks for the Crew. Although his future in the rotation may be drawing to a close, Guerra has a chance to finish his career as a solid bullpen option.
Brent Suter
There’s something about Brent Suter that makes fans cheer for him regardless of their fandom. Maybe it’s the fact that his fastball tops out in the mid-80’s, or maybe it’s his quirky personality. Whatever the reason, Brewers fans all around are rooting for Suter to be with Milwaukee during the upcoming season.
Suter won’t light up any radar guns or rack up strikeouts in bunches, but he does limit hard contact and that’s the key to his success. The left-hander has a herky-jerky delivery that makes it hard for lefties to get solid contact.
He also spots his pitches well and does a tremendous job of mixing his pitches which helps him have success against right-handed batters as well. The Harvard grad has had to earn every opportunity thus far during his career and will have a chance to impact the Brewers during the 2019 season.
Suter was off to a good start last season prior to suffering an arm injury during the summer. He finished the season with a 4.44 earned run average in 101 1/3 innings pitched. Although his earned run average is higher than you would prefer, Suter was Milwaukee’s lone left-handed option in the rotation for the majority of the season.
The 29-year-old has a better chance of carving out a niche as the long man for the Brewers moving forward. He can come into games and pitch multiple innings if the starter struggles, while also being available for any spot starts that may arise throughout the season. The road to the rotation will be long for Suter in 2019, especially if the next pitcher on our list is in the mix as well.
Wade Miley
Although Wade Miley is a free agent this Winter, I’m including him in this group because he pitched for Milwaukee during the 2018 season. The Brewers will obviously need to re-sign him if he’s going to contribute in the rotation next season, but Miley has done enough to earn another opportunity.
Miley struggled through some injuries early during the 2018 season but was effective enough down the stretch to be in Milwaukee’s postseason starting rotation. He didn’t make his first appearance until May 2 and started two games that month before going on the disabled list until July 12.
The left-hander was spectacular for Milwaukee during his 16 games during ’18. He finished the season 5-2 with a 2.57 earned run average in 80 1/3 innings pitched. The 31-year-old also had 50 strikeouts with 27 walks and allowed just three home runs all season.
As good as Miley was all season, while healthy, his performance down the stretch helped Milwaukee reach the postseason. He allowed nine earned runs during his final five starts with six of those runs coming in his final two starts of the season.
The important number to look at during that stretch is the 5-0 record the Milwaukee Brewers had during those starts. Miley provided a solid veteran option for a young team down the stretch and the importance of that can’t be overstated.
Miley has a chance to turn that success into a decent payday during this offseason and if that’s the case then I hope it’s not with Milwaukee. However, if the price is right, Miley would be a great fit in what will be a right-handed heavy rotation.
As we move along to the next part of our list, we’ll be taking a look at the free agent and trade markets. Here are four players that the Brewers should check in on during this Winter.