Brewers Announce Center Field Plans After Garrett Mitchell Injury

Brewers announce center field plans without Garrett Mitchell

The Brewers two best defensive centerfielders, Mitchell and Perkins, are now on the IL. Daz Cameron, the son of longtime MLB centerfielder Mike Cameron, can play all three outfield spots, but the Brewers are not keen on playing Cameron in center.

Instead, manager Pat Murphy announced that the Brewers will go with a combination of Sal Frelick and Jackson Chourio in center.

Cameron will play in the corner outfield spots. In Saturday's lineup, Murphy has Jake Bauers starting in right field. Bauers is another option for the Brewers to cover the outfield while down two of their top options. 

Jackson Chourio was a centerfielder for most of his minor league career but he's yet to play centerfield since coming up to Milwaukee at the start of last year. Chourio's entire MLB experience has been in the corners. 

Defensively, Chourio has the chops to play center, but since Mitchell, Frelick, and Perkins have also been available and they play a much better centerfield, Chourio has been kicked to the corners. Now, due to necessity, we'll see Chourio in the middle of that outfield at times during the next couple of weeks while Mitchell and Perkins heal up.

Daz Cameron came to the Brewers recently in a trade with the Orioles for Grant Wolfram. Since joining Triple-A Nashville, Cameron has hit .370 with six home runs in 11 games.

Perkins has been making very slow progress in his recovery from a broken shin suffered in spring training. The 60 day IL placement ensures he won't return to the big league club for another month.