Brewers Bullpen on Alert: Uribe Hits the IL with Forearm Scare

LOS ANGELES — The Milwaukee Brewers just got a jolt of bad news in the bullpen, but it could've been way worse.

Right-hander Abner Uribe has been placed on the 15-day injured list with a forearm flexor strain, the club announced Friday. The move is retroactive to Tuesday, meaning Uribe's clock is already ticking.

Not as Bad as Feared

The 26-year-old underwent an MRI that reportedly showed no serious injury, and he's already playing catch. There's no official timetable for his return, but Brewers fans can exhale — this isn't the season-ender it could have been.

Still, losing Uribe stings. The hard-throwing setup man had been absolutely dealing, riding a 21-game scoreless streak since June 20 before walking two batters in his last outing Sunday against Minnesota.

Numbers Don't Lie

On the season, Uribe is 4-2 with six saves and a 2.05 ERA across 49 appearances. For his career — all with Milwaukee — he's 10-6 with 17 saves and a 2.24 ERA over 170 relief outings. That's a track record the Brewers will badly miss in high-leverage spots.

Next Man Up

To fill the roster spot, Milwaukee recalled right-hander Grant Anderson from Triple-A Nashville. The 29-year-old has been solid this season, going 3-3 with a 3.70 ERA in 44 relief appearances for the Brewers.

Anderson was sent down on Aug. 5 when lefty Kyle Harrison came off the IL, and he struggled a bit at Triple-A with a 12.00 ERA over three relief innings. But now he's back on the big-league mound with a chance to prove himself all over again.

The Brewers' bullpen has been a weapon all year. They'll need Anderson and the rest of the relief corps to step up while Uribe heals up.