Brewers activated Freddy Peralta from 60-day IL this week

The Brewers plan to activate the right-hander Freddy Peralta from the 60-day injured list during the club’s upcoming three-game series in Pittsburgh from 2-4. August, manager Craig Counsell told journalists (incl Todd Rosiak of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel). Peralta hasn’t pitched in a big league game since May 22 because of a posterior strain in his pitching shoulder.

Perhaps because of this long layoff, Counsell said the Brewers have yet to determine Peralta’s role when he returns. Peralta returned to the mound for a minor league rehab assignment this week, throwing two innings and 33 pitches in his first outing, then 52 pitches over 3 1/3 innings in his second outing on Friday. Since this still lacks a proper starter’s workload, the Brew Crew could ease Peralta back into action in a relief capacity, or perhaps in a piggyback role or as a bulk pitcher behind an opener.

Peralta has been the most prominent pitching injury Milwaukee has faced this season, yet the club has had the depth and quality to largely withstand Peralta’s extended absence and some other IL trips to start throughout the year. Since Adrian Houser is still sidelined with an elbow injury, the Brewers’ rotation isn’t up to full strength yet, but Peralta’s return will help bring the team closer to their ideal starting five.

The right-hander broke out with an All-Star season in 2021, posting a 2.81 ERA over 144 1/3 innings and joining the Corbin Burns and Brandon Woodruff to form a dominant top three atop Milwaukee’s rotation (with Houser, Eric Lauerand Brett Andersen also contributes strongly). While Peralta had just a 4.42 ERA over his first 38 2/3 innings of 2022, his 3.08 SIERA and Statcast numbers paint a much more favorable picture of his early season performance. Of course, Peralta may need a few appearances to shake off any rust, but the Brewers are certainly hopeful he can regain his top form down the stretch and into what the club hopes is some October baseball.