Milwaukee Brewers: 3 best DH options for shortened season
During the sprint that will be a 60-game 2020 MLB season, here are the three best DH options for the Milwaukee Brewers.
The MLB and MLBPA have finally reached a resolution on a 2020 season, with teams reporting to training July 1 and games to start on July 23 or 24. The Milwaukee Brewers earned a Wild Card spot last year, losing to the eventual champion Washington Nationals, and they will be looking to make it three postseason appearances in a row this year.
There will be some different rules in this truncated MLB season. The most notable, and most likely to stick beyond this season, is the universal DH. National League teams won’t have to essentially surrender an out when a pitcher has to hit, even if detractors like Mark McGwire lament the removal of some game strategy with the use of the DH in both leagues.
The Brewers were third in the National League in home runs last year (250), so having a full lineup of guys who are paid to hit seems sure to benefit them.
On that front, here are the three best DH options manager Craig Counsell can deploy this season.
3. Logan Morrison
Morrison spent 2019 in the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies organizations, with little time in the 29 games and 38 plate appearances in big leagues for the Phillies. He landed with the Brewers on a minor league deal this offseason, and he was hitting well enough in spring training (.300 with three home runs and seven RBI over 33 plate appearances) to put himself in the mix for a roster spot.
Morrison is one of the options to see time at first base, but his value is driven by his bat. He hit 38 home runs for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2017, and even in a down year with the Minnesota Twins in 2018 he hit 15 home runs in 95 games.
As a left-handed hitter, Morrison has far more plate appearances against right-handers in his career. But his batting average, slugging percentage and OPS splits are not that dramatic, and his .298 career BABIP against lefties is basically league average.
Assuming he sticks, Morrison will split time between DH and first base for Brewers. But if he can get on a hot streak, like he did in May and June of 2017 (.958 OPS with 17 home runs over 225 total plate appearances-53 games), Milwaukee will have a nice secondary source of power in a short season.