Hamstring and back issues have forced a makeshift infield for the Milwaukee Brewers.
The Milwaukee Brewers are a bit thin on infielders now that Joey Ortiz and Cooper Pratt are both out of the lineup on Sunday, Aug. 9.
Joey Ortiz finally made his way back into the starting lineup the night prior, but he was pulled extremely early in the game as a precautionary measure.
Ortiz was red-hot throughout June and July, but the return of David Hamilton changed things with manager Pat Murphy's approach.
Now, Murphy isn't just down Ortiz, but Cooper Pratt is listed as day-to-day as well.
Milwaukee's prized prospect made his big league debut this season and has really come into his own, but now he's dealing with a hamstring injury while Ortiz is also on the shelf with an upper back issue.
Andrew Vaughn will make his second career start at third base
Ahead of the series finale, Jacob Misiorowski will take the mound with someone who doesn't typically play third base. It's been nearly impossible for Murphy to find any playing time for Vaughn with how hot Jake Bauers has been at first base, but Vaughn is just as hot himself.
Now, he'll get a shot to play third, a position he hasn't played since September 23, 2021.
To no surprise, that means Hamilton will move to shortstop, a position Pratt has held down since he was called up a few months ago. Even though a series victory is up for grabs, the Brewers are throwing out a unique lineup with William Contreras replacing Christian Yelich as the designated hitter, and one that sees Brandon Lockridge earn a start after being out for quite some time.
Ortiz and Pratt are listed as day-to-day
According to FSRWI's Hunter Baumgardt, the Brewers have signed utility man Jihwan Bae to a minor league contract. He's in Milwaukee as part of the team's taxi squad. Officially, the Brewers didn't make a roster move for Ortiz or Pratt, but that will be something to monitor.
Murphy told Baumgardt that Pratt is getting an MRI, so further details on his hamstring issues will be revealed sooner rather than later. He first discovered some pain in last night's ballgame, though Murphy noted Pratt could play today, if absolutely necessary.
When it comes to Ortiz, it's just a matter of managing his pain. There's no exact timetable or procedure to go with from here, unless things worsen and Ortiz's upper back issues turn into something more, which would be the last thing this team needs.
