Brent Suter Named Starter For Game One vs Dodgers

By Adam Roberts – 9/30/2020

Anyone who has followed the Brewers’ since manager Craig Counsell took the steering wheel in 2015 knows that when he has to plan pitching for a postseason series, he can get a little creative. Take Game Five of the 2018 NLCS, where Wade Miley faced exactly one batter in the bottom of the first before Counsell yanked him for Brandon Woodruff. It was quite bizarre to watch in-person, but ultimately proved inconsequential as the batter reached base on a walk but never scored.

Those creative ideas may come into play again this week as Milwaukee begins their postseason run against the Dodgers. Even if, as Counsell said earlier this week in his Zoom conference, he “doesn’t know what creative means”.

“There’s going to be pitchers on the mound, I can assure you that.” Counsell said on Monday. “Might guys pitch one inning or guys pitch two innings? It could be, but we’re hoping we have some healthy guys who can give us good starts.”

Both Counsell and GM David Stearns are carefully considering pitching for the best-of-three series that starts tonight in Los Angeles. With Corbin Burns scratched from his planned Game One start after injuring his oblique last Thursday against the Cardinals, it has necessitated some of those creative juices once again.

Lefty Brent Suter will take the hill tonight for the Brewers, and Brandon Woodruff will likely go for Game Two. Any potential plan for a Game Three, however, will be where the creativity might shine if it’s needed. Brett Anderson is dealing with a blister he sustained Sunday, the same problem he faced to begin the season, so his status for Game Three could be uncertain.

Coverage of Game One this evening begins at 8:45pm on ESPN La Crosse 105.5, espnlacrosse.com, and on TuneIn.