Five pitchers have been dubbed initial out-getters for the Milwaukee Brewers heading into the 2019 season: Jhoulys Chacín, Freddy Peralta, Brandon Woodruff, Corbin Burnes, and Zach Davies.
Jhoulys Chacín will be making his third Opening Day start of his career for his third different franchise. Last year, he notched a 3.50 ERA, a career-low 1.163 WHIP, and went 15-8 in 192.2 innings pitched for Milwaukee. In Spring Training, he's thrown 14 innings with a 2.57 ERA.
Freddy Peralta emerged last year with some ridiculous strikeout rates mid-season (including his MLB debut), earning 11 every nine innings, while recording a 1.136 WHIP and 4.25 ERA in 78.1 innings pitched for the Brewers. The 23-year-old has thrown 7.1 innings in Spring Training with 12 strikeouts.
Brandon Woodruff moved from a starting role to a do-everything position on the pitching staff last year, starting four games and finishing four games, picking up three wins and a save in his 19 games pitched. In 42.1 innings, he posted 10 strikeouts per nine innings, had a 1.181 WHIP, and a 3.61 ERA. During the Brewers' playoff run, he had 17 strikeouts in 9.1 innings pitched. He's tossed 14.2 innings in Spring Training with a 1.84 ERA and 20 strikeouts.
Corbin Burnes is the other second-year player (along with Peralta) in the Brewers' initial rotation. In a relief role last year, Burnes racked up 38 innings in 30 games pitched, with a WHIP of 1.000 and an ERA of 2.61. He also tossed nine innings of last year's playoffs, recording 11 strikeouts and a 2.00 ERA. He's pitched 13.2 innings of Spring Training with 12 strikeouts.
Zach Davies will be the fifth man in the initial rotation setup. He missed part of the 2018 season and only appeared in 13 games, but still posted a 1.333 WHIP and had a strikeout in his only postseason appearance in 2018. The 26-year-old has thrown 16 innings of Spring Training in preparation for the 2019 season.
Manager Craig Counsell also noted Chase Anderson will get starts this year as well, and Junior Guerra, another former starter, is still with the team.
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