The Milwaukee Brewers will look to bounce back behind recently acquired veteran Dallas Keuchel when they host the Washington Nationals on Saturday.
Keuchel (0-0, 4.61 ERA), making his fourth start for Milwaukee since being acquired from Seattle in late June, will face fellow left-hander Mitchell Parker (5-5, 3.44).
Washington snapped a season-high-tying five-game losing streak with a 5-2 win in the series opener Friday night. The Nationals tagged Brewers starter Freddy Peralta for four runs on 10 hits in five innings.
Jesse Winker clubbed a home run and added an RBI double for Washington on Friday against his former team. The 30-year-old outfielder hit .199 with one home run and 23 RBIs in 61 games in 2023 with Milwaukee in an injury-shortened season.
Winker is batting .324 (11-for-34) with seven doubles, two homers and six RBIs over 12 games in July.
The Brewers are 2-6 in their last eight games and have dropped consecutive home games for the first time since May 12-13.
“I think we’re at a stage these last couple weeks where guys are, no matter how much we talk about it, are looking for the break,” Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy said. “I think we’re a little disconnected, to be quite honest.”
Keuchel, the 2015 American League Cy Young winner, did not get a decision in the Brewers’ 9-2 road win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday. He worked around three hits and five walks and threw a season-high 94 pitches to keep LA scoreless over 4 1/3 innings.
“The reason we picked him up is because of his experience,” Murphy said. “He’s not going to give in. He gave us a huge lift today. He did what was needed.”
Opponents are batting .278 against Keuchel, but Milwaukee is 3-0 in his starts.
Keuchel is 1-3 with a 4.19 ERA in six career starts against the Nationals. He has not faced Washington since making three starts in 2019 with the Atlanta Braves.
The Brewers received a boost Friday when third baseman Joey Ortiz was activated off the injured list before the game. Ortiz went hitless in four at-bats in his first game since July 1.
Milwaukee on Saturday will get its first look at Parker, a 24-year-old rookie who has struggled with limiting the long ball so far in July.
After posting a 4.45 ERA in five starts in May, Parker was 1-2 with a 3.15 ERA in six starts in June. In his two starts this month, he has given up six earned runs in 13 innings and has surrendered four home runs.
Parker allowed a home run in his most recent start, which was otherwise strong. He allowed just two runs (one earned) in seven innings in a 6-0 defeat on Monday to the St. Louis Cardinals.
“Once again, Parker was really good. He gave us seven strong innings there,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. “We just couldn’t capitalize on some of the innings we got guys on base.”
Juan Yepez, who was 2-for-4 for Washington in the opener, has hit safely in all eight games he’s played since being called up from Triple-A Rochester. He is hitting .333 (10-for-30) with five doubles over that span.
–Field Level Media
