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The Travis Shaw selection was made official today when the Brewers made some room for the Mayor by placing Mark Mathias on the 60-Day IL.
3B Travis Shaw has been selected to the 40-man roster. INF/OF Mark Mathias was placed on the 60-day injured list with a torn labrum in his right shoulder.
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) March 16, 2021
RHP Phil Bickford has been optioned to Triple-A Nashville.
Mathias sustained a shoulder injury last week. The injury was later diagnosed as a torn labrum. Mathias is considering different treatment options and hoping to avoid shoulder surgery. If he does, he can expect 3-4 months of rehab. Mathias was a versatile utility player off the bench in 2020 and was making a run for a similar role in 2021. He has a history of shoulder injuries including multiple dislocations and a labral tear.
Righthanded hurler Bobby Wahl will also start the season on the IL with an oblique strain, according to Craig Counsell. Wahl was visibly frustrated after exiting Monday’s game against the Padres in the 5th inning after walking one batter. Wahl has great potential as a reliever with no shortage of swing-and-miss material. His tenure with the Brewers has been almost entirely muted by injuries, though. Wahl put up a promising performance at the alternate training site in 2020 after recovering from a torn ACL that kept him out of the entire 2019 season. The Brewers will hope for a healthy Bobby Wahl to finally show what he can do in the bullpen in 2021, but oblique injuries are rarely kind to pitchers.
Oblique injuries are almost always bad news and #Brewers manager Craig Counsell confirmed today that reliever Bobby Wahl will open season on injured list. Wahl was injured in yesterday's game.
— Tom (@Haudricourt) March 16, 2021
A number of players with strong showings this spring were assigned to Minor League Camp on Tuesday.
The following players were reassigned to Minor League Camp today: OF Dylan Cozens, INF Zach Green, C Payton Henry, INF/OF Pablo Reyes, LHP Aaron Ashby and RHP Zack Brown.
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) March 16, 2021
If you’ve enjoyed the Cactus League performances of these players (and there’s been a lot to like amongst the groups), not to worry. They’re still eligible and likely to make appearances in the Cactus League. Craig Counsell had especially high praise for Pablo Reyes, a versatile utility player who has slashed .350/.481/.700 across 27 plate appearances this spring. If the Brewers' injury-prone stint continues, Reyes could prove a valuable bench presence.
Finally, Manny Piña is expected back in the lineup Thursday after a nasty run-in with Tommy Pham at home plate took him out of the lineup on Monday. The Pineapple Express somehow experienced only chest and shoulder tightness after he took the brunt of a collision.