The Brewers placed shortstop and spark plug Joey Ortiz on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain ahead of Friday night’s series opener against the Giants. Ortiz injured the hamstring during Thursday’s 4-1 win over the Cubs, which he was forced to exit in the fifth inning.
The 27-year-old Ortiz is hitting .284 with seven homers, 17 doubles and 56 runs scored in 125 games this year, his second full season. In 20 games since the calendar flipped to August, he had hit .343 with a .387 OBP and 14 runs scored.
“I felt like I was finally kind of getting a groove going, especially offensively,” Ortiz said. “I was starting to swing the bat as I know I can. Things happen. It’s baseball. I’ve just got to do what I can to get back.”
For Friday’s game, the Crew started Andruw Monasterio at short, keeping Brice Turang at second base.
Ortiz’s roster spot was taken by 1B/OF Jake Bauers, who was activated from the IL after being sidelined since July 20 with a left shoulder impingement. The club also sent star outfielder Jackson Chourio to Triple-A Nashville on a rehab assignment as he recovers from a right hamstring strain that has kept him out since Aug. 1.
