Jordan Zimmermann has made 275 of his 277 major-league appearances as a starter but is expected to be used largely as a reliever with the Brewers.(Photo: Associated Press)
PHOENIX - The Milwaukee Brewers wanted to preserve pitching depth. Jordan Zimmermann wanted to continue pitching.
Those like-minded goals allowed the sides to come to terms on a minor-league contract Saturday that keeps the veteran right-hander with the organization for the time being.
It all comes down toa business move," said Zimmermann, who wasreleased Fridaywith fellow veteran right-hander Brad Boxberger with $100,000 retention bonuses due for both if kept on their previous deals.
BOX SCORE:Brewers 6, Royals 6
President of baseball operations David Stearns said it was his hope both would return, and Zimmermann was the first to commit.
"They obviously wanted to keep me around but didnt want to pay the money. I understand," Zimmermann continued."The fact that they wanted to keep me around means a lot to me. Thats kind of what went into my decision in coming back.
"The last couple of outings were really good for me. I feel like I have a lot left and I can help this team at some point during the season.
Zimmermann, who turns 35 on May 23, made his fifth Cactus League appearance later in the day against Kansas City in Surprise. He was roughed up for five consecutive two-out hits and three runs in his first inning of relief but bounced back with a 1-2-3 frame with two strikeouts.
After returning to Milwaukee with the Brewers, Zimmerman willhead to Appleton to begin his work at the alternate training site.
"I think Jordan is going to help us at some point in the season," manager Craig Counsell said."I think he's a great presence in the clubhouse and I'm happy we were able to work something out for him to be able to stay with us.
"We're going to need depth. I think he's pitching well. I think he's healthy. Now, I think it's just a matter of time until he helps us."
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The plan is to get Zimmermann ready topitch several innings at a time in various roles, much like Brent Suter has done for the Brewers.
"I think what we'll do is we'll stretch him out and then see where it takes us and see what our needs are," said Counsell. "I think keeping him healthy is important. He is capable of pitching at the start of games;he's capable of pitching bulk innings.
"At some point, we're going to need that. With some of the injuries to some other guys that we've had, maybe we're a little vulnerable right now."
Zimmermann has seen it all as a major-league pitcher, having thrown 1,608 innings over 277 appearances with the Washington Nationals and Detroit Tigers.But 275 outings came as a starter, which is quite different from needing to heat up in a hurry in the bullpenas a reliever.
Zimmermann has spent the spring trying to familiarize himself with the nuances of thatswitch.
Its different, for sure," he said."Ive only been out of the pen a couple of times. I know the first or second time out of the pen this spring, I threw, like, 40 pitches out there. I just kept throwing and throwing and throwing.
"Its learning to dial it back and try to get ready in 20 pitches or so, which I was, but we had a long inning and a pitching change and I just kept throwing and throwing and throwing. The next thing you know, Id thrown 47 pitches before I even went into the game."
Zimmermannis a native of Auburndale and still resides there in the offseason, as well asa product of UW-Stevens Point. Hesigned with the Brewers on Feb. 18 rather than reuniting with the Nationals, and he had no interest in going elsewhere in the wake of his release.
"I knew this is where I wanted to be. Its a great organization," he said."The guys in the clubhouse are great. I wasnt looking to go anywhere else. I feel like this is a good fit for me. I think I can help this team at some point during the season. I really didnt explore anything else.
Outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. said the right wrist inflammation that kept him out of Cactus League action for nearly a week was the offshoot of a procedure he had to remove a ganglion cyst after he finished the 2020 season with Boston.
"I had it for the past three years and I finally got it removed this past offseason," said Bradley, who returned to action Saturday against Kansas City and reached base three times on two singles and a walk in the 6-6 tie.
"That's kind of what I've been dealing with the past three years, but I was able to get cortisone shots to get me by until I finally got it removed two days after the season was done in September. The (Red Sox) doctor said he would give me one more cortisone shot, only if I was willing to get it removed. I wanted to make sure I could finish the season first."
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Bradley said he was "very confident" that he will be good to go when the season opens Thursday.
"Yeah, everything feels good," he said. "It feels good to be healthy."
Outfielder Lorenzo Cain, also playing catch-up after missing a few weeks with a quadriceps strain, had a big day against the Royals with a single, walk, his first home run of the spring and three runs scored.
"Today, I felt my best as far as seeing the ball and really kind of letting my swing go as much as I could," Cain said. "Overall, I thought it was a solid day for me. I saw the ball really well today and now I just have to build off what I did today."
Right-hander Brandon Woodruff threw the ball against the Royals in the final tune-up before his opening day start against Minnesota. Woodruff went 4 innings, allowing four hits and two runs with two walks and seven strikeouts.
"I think it went really well," Woodruff said. "Today was more about attacking, trying to read swings. I was able to sequence up some pitches a little bit and the results were good. I was pleased with it. There were a couple of long innings when I had to sit there for awhile then go back and try to pitch, so it was good to be able to get those in and still be able to get some outs.
"I feel like at this point, Im as ready as I can get for the season and as you progress through the season, theres different pitches and other little things you can clean up and fix. The last two starts for me, I picked up the tempo a little bit with my delivery. Just get the arm moving on time and everything else works after that."
Woodruff said he tinkered with his changeup grip this spring, getting some advice from reliever Devin Williams, who has one of the best changeups in the game. He said a primary focus was making sure he felt strong and ready with a 162-game season coming after a shortened 60-game schedule in 2020.
In the bottom of the seventh, Brewers rightfielder Tyrone Taylor and first baseman Dustin Peterson collided chasing a foul ball down the line, both going down hard. Taylor shook it off and remained in the game but Peterson could not continue playing.
"Tyrones got a left thigh bruise; thats kind of a major issue," Counsell said. "Dustin was just dizzy so we just took him out. His right hip was bothering him. We mainly took him out with the dizziness to make sure nothing was going on there.
"I think its one of those deals where theyre both going to be pretty sore tomorrow. Tyrone took a knee or a head to his thigh pretty hard."
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One day after being released in 'a business move,' a veteran right-hander has returned to the Brewers - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel