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MILWAUKEE (AP) — Brewers shortstop Willie Adams attended last season’s World Series as a spectator and couldn’t help but wonder what happened.
Milwaukee went 86-76 last year, ending its fourth consecutive playoff appearance. In the race for the National League’s final wild card his berth, the Brewers finished one game behind him to the Philadelphia Phillies, who eventually won the pennant before losing Worlds his series to the Houston Astros. I was.
“It could have been us, but it wasn’t,” Adams said Wednesday.
Adames is one of six Milwaukee players who joined manager Craig Counsell and president of baseball operations Matt Arnold at the Brewers’ Hot Stove & Cold Brews on Wednesday night. The event allowed the team to mingle with fans at Dugout 54, a sports bar near American Family Field.
The list of participating players also included right-handed pitcher Freddy Peralta. Peralta was named to the 2021 All-Star Game, going 10-5 with a 2.81 ERA.
“I feel so good right now,” Peralta said. “I feel healthy and ready to go.”
Peralta’s injury last season highlighted his lack of pitching depth, and it took its toll.
Last season, Milwaukee tapped 2021 NL Cy Young Award winner Corbin Barnes to cement a rotation that included 2021 All-Star Brandon Woodruff, Peralta, Adrian Hauser and Eric Lauer. But every pitcher but Barnes spent time on the injury list, and the Brewers didn’t have a quality alternative to step in when a starting pitcher was injured.
Milwaukee went 13-22 in games where none of those five pitchers started.
“One of the things we struggled with towards the end of the season last year was the fact that we didn’t have the depth we needed in our rotation,” Arnold said. “So this offseason we tried to step it up.”
The Brewers have signed lefty Wade Miley, a member of Milwaukee’s 2018 team who advanced to Game 7 of the NL Championship Series, and acquired righty Bryce Wilson from the Pittsburgh Pirates. Barnes, Woodruff, Peralta, Lauer, Hauser and Aaron Ashby will also return after appearing in at least his 17 games last season.
“We approach every season the same way, knowing that five is not enough,” Counsell said. “It’s obvious to write down five guys and think that you’re going to use those five guys for 162 games, but every team knows that’s not realistic. It plays a huge part in starting a lot of games, and we want that group to be as strong as possible, and it also has a carryover effect from that group into the bullpen.”
The Brewers also changed their lineup by trading second baseman Kolten Wong to Seattle and right fielder Hunter Renfroe to the Los Angeles Angels, bringing in former Mariners outfielder/designated hitter Jesse Winker and former Atlanta Braves catcher William Contreras. rice field. Arnold provided an update Wednesday on Winker, who underwent knee and neck surgery in the offseason.
“Today we received reports from our men that he is doing great,” said Arnold. “He’s at our complex now, working out and feeling great.”
Arnold was promoted from general manager after former baseball operations president David Stearns stepped down in late October to take on an advisory role within the organization. It created a roster that would turn Milwaukee into an annual playoff contender.
Counsel expressed optimism that the trend will continue under Arnold, who also joined the Brewers’ front office in 2015.
“I’ve worked with Matt for the past eight years, so from that perspective, it’s business as usual,” Counsel said. “Matt is his own man, so he’s going to do things a little differently, but he hasn’t changed much from that perspective.”
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