Quintana signing key as Ashby, Hall injuries hit Crew's rotation depth

PHOENIX -- Brewers left-hander Aaron Ashby underwent an MRI scan after leaving his last start with an oblique injury and was awaiting a second opinion on Wednesday, making veteran starter Jose Quintana’s arrival in camp all the more fortuitously timed.

The Brewers made Quintana’s one-year deal official right around the first pitch of Wednesday's split-squad games against the White Sox, after the 36-year-old longtime nemesis passed a physical exam. The contract includes a mutual option for 2026 and came with a surprise corresponding move: The Brewers shifted another left-hander, DL Hall, to the 60-day injured list to clear space on a full 40-man roster.

That means Hall’s lat injury will keep him sidelined until May 26 at the earliest. Coupled with Ashby’s uncertain status, Quintana becomes an even more important piece of starting pitching – and there’s a chance he can get ready in time to be part of the opening day rotation.

“A veteran that’s, like, super prepared, super conscientious?” manager Pat Murphy said earlier in the day, when he had to speak in generalities because Quintana’s deal was not yet official. “Those are the best kind of signs. … It would be great if he was super prepared, already had two ‘ups’ or something in his training, hypothetically.”

Pitchers and coaches use the term “ups” to describe how many times a pitcher gets up to simulate innings in training sessions. Two Brewers starters, for example, Nestor Cortes and Aaron Civale, each simulated three innings -- had three “ups” -- on Tuesday’s team off-day to stay on schedule to be regular-season-ready.

Quintana expects to get on a mound wearing a Brewers uniform for the first time for a side session on Thursday. He's built up to about 40 pitches at this point.

"I've been doing my own Spring Training," Quintana said. "I've had two live BPs and probably I'm behind a week. But we have plenty of time. It's time to work. It's a little different doing things on your own, but I'm here and I'll try to catch [up] in a good way to be ready."

Ashby, meanwhile, is a question mark for the regular season given the nature of oblique injuries, which typically must be completely healed before a pitcher can resume throwing. Ashby, who emerged from 16 months of grueling rehab from shoulder surgery to be a weapon out of the Brewers’ bullpen late last season, had been ramping up to be part of this year’s starting rotation.

A fan took video of Ashby warming up in the outfield for Monday’s start against the Reds that showed him grabbing near his right hip. He threw 39 pitches in 1 1/3 innings before leaving the game.

“There was a section that he says always kind of flares up or always is part of his routine, where there is not necessarily pain, but he can feel it,” Murphy said. “And he just said that it flared up and it felt a little more than he’s used to. He thought it was precautionary, ‘I’ll shut it down.’ He didn’t think he had an injury.

“... Pretty good awareness on his part.”