TAMPA.- Milwaukee acquired veteran right-hander Aaron Civale from the Tampa Bay Rays at a time when the Brewers, leaders of the National League Central Division, are trying to improve a rotation that has been decimated by injuries.
The Brewers optioned minor leaguer Gregory Barrios to Tampa Bay. They also designated right-hander Taylor Clarke for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for Civale.
Civale, 29, is 2-6 with a 5.07 ERA in 17 starts this season. He has 84 strikeouts and 27 walks in 87 innings. His ERA has been 3.82 in his last seven starts.
He had better numbers last year, going 7-5 with a 3.46 ERA in 23 combined starts with Cleveland and Tampa Bay.
Civale’s career record is 33-32 with a 4.10 ERA in 103 starts. He is eligible for arbitration after the season and is under team control through 2025.
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Barrios, 20, has a .325 batting average with a .367 on-base percentage, one home run, 34 RBIs and 18 steals in 61 games with Single-A Wisconsin. The Rays confirmed he will report to Single-A affiliate Bowling Green.
The move came eight days after the Brewers acquired left-hander Dallas Keuchel from the Seattle Mariners. Keuchel, the 2015 American League Cy Young Award winner, is 0-0 with a 6.75 ERA in two starts for Milwaukee.
The Brewers have a six-game lead in the NL Central, despite their starters having only 406 innings, the second fewest in the majors. The San Francisco Giants have the fewest, at 402.
The Brewers have used 15 different starters this season, the most in MLB.
Source: AP
