Brewers place Eric Lauer on injured list, recall Tyson Miller, return Gus Varland to Dodgers

The Brewers announced a series of roster moves on Monday afternoon. The club has placed Eric Lauer on the 15-day injured list, recalled Tyson Miller from Triple-A, and returned Rule 5 pick Gus Varland to the Dodgers.

Lauer started on Saturday against the Rays, allowing six runs (including three home runs) in three innings of work. The left-hander has lost nearly three mph off his average fastball velocity from last year and regressed to a 5.48 ERA, 6.64 xERA, and 6.74 FIP.

The Brewers announced the injury as a right shoulder impingement, so the ailment is not to Lauer’s throwing arm.

Lauer joins Brandon Woodruff, Wade Miley, and Aaron Ashby on the injured list, putting four of Milwaukee’s top six starting pitchers on the shelf before the end of May.

Tyson Miller will take Lauer’s spot on the roster for now. The right-hander has experience as a starter but has pitched exclusively as a multi-inning reliever in 2023. He has appeared in three games with the Brewers, allowing one run in 4 ²⁄₃ innings of work.

Varland made the team out of Spring Training as a Rule 5 selection but was designated for assignment after allowing nine runs in two-thirds of an inning against the Cardinals last Monday.

Other clubs had the opportunity to claim Varland off waivers but would have also inherited his Rule 5 status. Because he went unclaimed, the Brewers returned him to the Dodgers.