MILWAUKEE BREWERS NOTES:
TODAY’S GAME: Is game 3 (1-1) of a 3-game, 4-day road trip to Chicago-NL to begin the 2023 season…..following this series, the team begins its home schedule with a 6-game, 7-day homestand against New York-NL (3g) and St. Louis (3g).
CURRENT ROSTER (bold indicates not on Opening Day roster): PITCHERS (13) – RH Corbin Burnes, RH Matt Bush, RH Javy Guerra, LH Eric Lauer, LH Wade Miley, LH Hoby Milner, RH Joel Payamps, RH Freddy Peralta, RH Peter Strzelecki, RH Gus Varland, RH Devin Williams, RH Bryse Wilson, RH Brandon Woodruff
CATCHERS (2) – Victor Caratini, William Contreras
INFIELDERS (6) – Willy Adames, Mike Brosseau, Owen Miller, Rowdy Tellez, Brice Turang, Luke Voit…..OUTFIELDERS (5) – Brian Anderson, Garrett Mitchell, Joey Wiemer, Jesse Winker, Christian Yelich
OPENING DAY ROSTER (bold indicates not on current roster): PITCHERS (13) – RH Corbin Burnes, RH Matt Bush, RH Javy Guerra, LH Eric Lauer, LH Wade Miley, LH Hoby Milner, RH Joel Payamps, RH Freddy Peralta, RH Peter Strzelecki, RH Gus Varland, RH Devin Williams, RH Bryse Wilson, RH Brandon Woodruff
CATCHERS (2) – Victor Caratini, William Contreras
INFIELDERS (7) – Willy Adames, Mike Brosseau, Owen Miller, Rowdy Tellez, Brice Turang, Luis Urías, Luke Voit…..OUTFIELDERS (4) – Brian Anderson, Garrett Mitchell, Jesse Winker, Christian Yelich
IN THE TRAINER’S ROOM: RHP Jason Alexander (right rotator cuff), LHP Aaron Ashby (left labrum), RHP Adrian Houser (right groin), OF Tyrone Taylor (right elbow), INF Luis Urías (left hamstring) and LHP Justin Wilson (left elbow) are on the injured list….. Alexander and Wilson are on the 60-day IL.
THE NEW BREW: INF/OF Brian Anderson (free agent), C William Contreras (trade with ATL), RHP Javy Guerra (trade with TB), LHP Wade Miley (free agent), INF/OF Owen Miller (trade with CLE), RHP Joel Payamps (trade with OAK), RHP Gus Varland (Rule 5 Draft from LAD), 1B Luke Voit (free agent), RHP Bryse Wilson (trade with PIT) and OF Jesse Winker (trade with SEA).
GONE FROM 2022: RHP Brad Boxberger (CHC), C Mario Feliciano (DET), RHP Trevor Gott (SEA), RHP Jandel Gustave (ARI), RHP Trevor Kelley (TB), OF Andrew McCutchen (PIT), C Omar Narváez (NYM), RHP Luis Perdomo (Japan), INF/OF Jace Peterson (OAK), OF Hunter Renfroe (LAA), INF/OF Pablo Reyes (OAK), LHP Taylor Rogers (SF), OF Esteury Ruiz (OAK), LHP Brent Suter (COL), RHP Justin Topa (SEA) and 2B Kolten Wong (SEA).
MANAGER: Craig Counsell – the longest-tenured active manager in the National League and third in the majors – is in his ninth season as Brewers manager (616-556) and eighth full season…..he has the most wins of any manager in franchise history…..his 1,172 games managed are second to Phil Garner (1,180)…..Counsell was named the 19th manager in franchise history on 5/4/15, replacing Ron Roenicke…..he is signed through the 2023 season.
COACHES: First base coach Quintin Berry (3rd season), hitting coach Connor Dawson (2nd season), bullpen coach Jim Henderson (2nd season), pitching coach Chris Hook (5th season), third base coach Jason Lane (8th season, 3rd as 3B coach), associate pitching, catching and strategy coach Walker McKinven (4th season), bench coach Pat Murphy (8th season) and hitting coach Ozzie Timmons (2nd season) all returned from the 2022 staff…..Néstor Corredor, who had previously been bullpen catcher (2021-22), is now a coach.
2022 IN REVIEW: The Brewers went 86-76 last season, missing the postseason for the first time since 2017…..the team was eliminated from NL Central contention on September 27 and eliminated from postseason contention on October 3, snapping their franchise-record four consecutive years of making the playoffs…..the team won at least 86 games for the fifth consecutive full season (since 2017), joining the Dodgers (since 2012), Astros (since 2017) and Yankees (since 2017) as the only teams to accomplish the feat during this stretch (does not include 2020).
LET’S GO TO THE VIDEO TAPE: The Brewers have made one replay challenge this season, going 0-1…..the challenge came on Opening Day at Chicago-NL as a safe call at first base (Dansby Swanson) on a pickoff attempt stood.
TODAY’S STARTER: #52 – LHP ERIC LAUER (29gs, 11-7, 3.69 in 2022)
LAUER AT A GLANCE: Eric Lauer, 27, went 11-7 with a 3.69 ERA in 29 starts last season…..the team went 17-12 in his starts…..he posted career highs in starts (29-tied), wins (11), innings pitched (158.2), strikeouts (157) and quality starts (13)…..he held opponents to a .228 batting average…..Lauer was on the 15-day injured list from 9/10-9/22 with left elbow inflammation…..he came back to end the season with 12.2 consecutive scoreless innings…..Lauer was acquired from San Diego, along with INF Luis Urías and a player to be named or cash, in exchange for RHP Zach Davies and OF Trent Grisham on 11/27/19 (trade completed on 5/27/20 – cash).
CAREER: Is 32-31 with a 4.11 ERA in 110 games/103 starts (550ip, 251er)…..is in his sixth Major League season with San Diego (2018-19) and Milwaukee (2020-23)…..was the Padres’ Opening Day starter in 2019…..Lauer was selected by San Diego in the first round (25th overall) of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of Kent State University.
CAREER AT AMERICAN FAMILY FIELD: Is 11-7 with a 3.47 ERA in 28 games/27 starts (150.1ip, 58er)…..went 6-2 with a 2.56 ERA in 13 starts last season (77.1ip, 22er).
CAREER ON THE ROAD: Is 14-16 with a 4.81 ERA in 55 games/50 starts (262ip, 140er)…..went 5-5 with a 4.76 ERA in 16 starts last season (81.1ip, 43er).
CAREER vs. CUBS: Is 2-1 with a 4.66 ERA in 8 games/7 starts (36.2ip, 19er), including 2-0 with a 3.27 ERA in 4 starts last season (22ip, 8er)…..has gone 0-0 with a 5.56 ERA in 3 career games/2 starts at Wrigley Field (11.1ip, 7er).
CHICAGO CUBS NOTES:
SEASON-OPENING ‘STAND CONCLUDES: The Chicago Cubs today wrap up a season-opening three-game set against the Milwaukee Brewers having split the first two contests … Chicago took Thursday’s Opening Day contest by a score of 4-0 before the Brewers won yesterday’s tilt, 3-1 … tomorrow evening, the Cubs begin their first road trip of the year, a brief three-game stint against the Reds at picturesque Great American Ball Park.
Chicago aims to win its season-opening series for the fourth-straight year, having gone 2-1 against Milwaukee in 2020, 2-1 against Pittsburgh to open 2021 and 2-1 against the Brewers to begin last season … Chicago last began a season 1-2 in 2019, dropping a three-game set in Texas against the Rangers.
The Cubs open the season with 16 of their first 25 games through April 27 at Wrigley Field … of those first 25 tilts, just six are against their own division, the N.L. Central: this Brewers series is followed by a three-game set in Cincinnati, April 3-5 … in fact, after April 5 the Cubs play 29-straight games outside of the division until hosting the Cardinals for three games, May 8-10.
What’s even more odd? … following the three-game set in Cincinnati, April 3-5, the team’s next road series against an opponent in its own division is not until June 19-21 for three games in Pittsburgh.
SIX IN THE FIRST TWO: Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson followed up his Opening Day 3-for-4, RBI, run scored performance with three hits, including a double, and some outstanding plays in the field yesterday vs. Milwaukee.
Swanson is the first player with at least six hits in his first two games as a Cub since Emilio Bonifacio collected nine hits within his first two contests with Chicago, March 30-April 2, 2014 … here’s a look since 1901.
HITS IN FIRST 2 CUBS GAMES HITS IN FIRST 3 CUBS GAMES
SEASON BATTER H SEASON BATTER H
2014 Emilio Bonifacio 9 2014 Emilio Bonifacio 11
1930 High Pockets Kelly 7 1938 Coaker Triplett 9
1938 Coaker Triplett 7 1930 High Pockets Kelly 8
1901 Cozy Dolan 6 1948 Emil Verban 8
1901 Jack Doyle 6 Eight Players With 7
1922 Sparky Adams 6 (most recently Jorge Soler in 2014)
1936 Ethan Allen 6
2023 Dansby Swanson 6
HIS CONTROL COULD BE DESCRIBED AS “PINPOINT”: Jameson Taillon today makes his Cubs debut after a Spring Training in which he issued no walks to 70 batters faced, striking out 23 hitters in five starts … he went 2-0 with a 3.93 ERA (8 ER/18.1 IP) in Cactus League play.
PITCHING IN: After Marcus Stroman spun 6.0 shutout innings with eight strikeouts on Thursday’s Opening Day, Justin Steele matched him with 6.0 scoreless innings and eight strikeouts yesterday … this marks the first time since the mound was moved to 60’6” in 1893 that the Cubs began the season with back-to-back starts of at least 6.0 shutout innings … thanks to Ed Hartig for his research assistance.
Cubs pitching started this season with 16.0 scoreless innings … that is the team’s longest stretch to start a season since 1876 and the first games played by the Cubs in the National League.
DEBUT DANDIES: The Cubs had five players in their Opening Day starting lineup making their team debuts: Cody Bellinger, Eric Hosmer, Trey Mancini, Miles Mastrobuoni and Dansby Swanson … team historian Ed Hartig notes that just twice in the franchise’s first 21,932 regular season games have more players made their Cubs debut in a game … April 25, 1876, the Cubs first N.L. game, saw nine Cubs make their debuts … April 2, 2001, eight players made their Cubs debut.
With Brad Boxberger and Michael Fulmer also making their debuts on Thursday, and Tucker Barnhart, Edwin Rios and Luis Torrens making theirs yesterday, the Cubs are at 2,210 players on their all-time regular season roster … two members on the active roster are looking to make their Cubs debuts, today’s starter Jameson Taillon and reliever Julian Merryweather.
ROSSY AT THE HELM: David Ross is in his fourth season as manager of the Cubs after he was named the 55th manager in franchise history, October 24, 2019, replacing Joe Maddon … this is Ross’ 26th professional baseball season … he played 15 major league seasons as a catcher, including his final two with Chicago (2015-16) … is a two-time World Series champ with Boston (in 2013) and Chicago (2016).
Ross in 2020 led the Cubs to the N.L. Central Division title … the 2021 club was 71-91, a season in which Chicago utilized a MLB single-season record 69 players, and last year went 74-88.
SUMMARIZING THE SPRING: The Cubs finished Spring Training with a 17-12-2 record, the third-best Cactus League mark behind the Angels (18-11-2) and Royals (19-13-1) … Cubs pitching recorded a 3.90 ERA (117 ER/270.0 IP), the lowest mark in the Cactus League and second-best in the majors behind Houston (3.30) … Chicago batted .241 (243-for-1,009) with 35 home runs and a .729 OPS.
JUST A MATTER OF TIME: Ed Hartig noted that Thursday’s game time of two hours, 21 minutes was the quickest season opener at Wrigley Field since April 9, 1974, vs. the Phillies (2:09).
Just two of Chicago’s 31 spring games went over three hours: the team’s opener, Feb. 25 vs. the Giants (3:06) and March 25’s game at the Angels (3:07).
Starting Pitcher – #50 RHP Jameson Taillon (0-0, 0.00)
Last Time Out
Jameson tossed 5.0 scoreless innings in his last outing of Cactus League play on March 27 vs. Chicago (A.L.) … allowed two or fewer runs in four of his five Spring Training outings.
2023 Spring Training Notes
During Spring Training this season, Jameson went 2-0 with a 3.93 ERA (8 ER/18.1 IP) … recorded 23 strikeouts, compared to no walks … his 23 strikeouts were the 10th most in the Cactus League.
Was the only pitcher in the Cactus League with at least 10.0 innings pitched to not walk a batter.
2022 Splits and Season Notes
Jameson in 2022 made 32 starts for the Yankees, going 14-5 with a 3.91 ERA (77 ER/177.1 IP) … tied his career high in wins (also 2018) and starts (also 2018) … the 14 wins marked a team high.
Allowed three or fewer earned runs in 25 of his 32 starts, two or fewer in 18, one or fewer in 10 and made four scoreless starts.
Walked just 32 batters, the fourth-fewest in the A.L. and fifth-fewest in the major leagues (min. 150.0 IP).
His 1.62 walks per 9.0 IP ratio was the fifth-best mark in the A.L. and seventh-best in the major leagues.
Made 13 starts with no walks, tied with Ross Stripling for the second-most in the MLB, trailing Corey Kluber (15).
Issued one walk or fewer in 14-straight starts from Sept. 28, 2021-June 12, 2022, the third-longest streak by a Yankees starting pitcher (non-opener), trailing David Wells (19) and Jon Lieber (15).
Posted a 9-1 record in his first 15 starts of the season … per Elias, was the sixth Yankees pitcher since 1961 to have a 9-1 record-or-better in his first 15 starts of a season (last Kevin Brown – 2004).
Recorded a career-high, nine-game winning streak from April 22-June 29, posting a 3.27 ERA (27 ER/74.1 IP) in that span.
Career Notes
Jameson signed a four-year contract with the Cubs in December 2022 … is 51-35 with a 3.84 ERA (336 ER/787.2 IP) in 143 career major league starts with Pittsburgh (2016-19) and Yankees (2021-22).
Among N.L. pitchers with at least 450 IP from 2016-20, ranked ninth with a 1.66 ground ball to fly ball ratio, 10th with a 32.7 outside the zone swing percentage, 11th with a 48.2% ground ball rate and 14th with a 19.5% soft contact rate.
January 24, 2021, was traded from Pittsburgh to New York (A.L.) for RHP Roansy Contreras, INF Maikol Escotto, OF Canaan Smith-Njigba and RHP Miguel Yajure.
Has undergone Tommy John Surgery twice, missing the 2014, 2015 and 2020 seasons.
In 2017, was placed on the injured list May 6 with groin discomfort and was diagnosed with testicular cancer on May 8 … underwent surgery May 8 and resumed light baseball activities May 15 … June 12, was reinstated from the injured list and started vs. Colorado, tossing 5.0 scoreless innings.
Was selected by Pittsburgh in the first round (second overall) in the 2010 FirstYear Player Draft.
Is a 2010 graduate of The Woodlands (Tex.) High School
