Struggling lefty reliever Logan DFA'd

PITTSBURGH -- The Brewers designated slumping left-hander Boone Logan for assignment on Tuesday to clear a roster spot for rookie right-hander Freddy Peralta's start against the Pirates at PNC Park.
The Brewers signed Logan, 33, to a $2.5 million contract based on his long track record against left-handed hitters, but he struggled against them after missing the start of the season with a lat injury. Over 10 2/3 innings, Logan logged a 5.91 ERA and allowed five of seven inherited runners to score, while left-handers went 9-for-22 with five extra-base hits off him.
"This was a really tough call," assistant general manager Matt Arnold said. "He's a good professional, and we just started running out of innings and opportunities for him to get everything back together."
Added Arnold: "Look, it's not a huge sample, but we were obviously looking for a little bit more there. He could certainly come back and be a really good player for a long time."

Logan's contract guarantees $1.875 million this season, with a club option for 2019 that has a $625,000 buyout. The Brewers have seven days to trade him, and if they cannot and he clears waivers, the club could assign him to the Minors. Logan could refuse such an assignment based on his Major League service, forcing Milwaukee to release him.
The Brewers hope to find a team willing to take a chance on a left-hander who still throws 94 mph, Arnold said.
Logan got the news late Monday and had departed Pittsburgh long before the Brewers announced the move Tuesday afternoon. With his exit, the Brewers still have two left-handers in their bullpen in Josh Hader and Dan Jennings.
"It's unfortunate. There was a spot we could have used some innings there, but it just hadn't worked so far," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "Sometimes you get to the spot where you need some results. We just weren't getting any good results."
When a player's contract is designated for assignment -- often abbreviated "DFA" -- that player is immediately removed from his club's 40-man roster, and 25-man roster if he was on that as well. Within seven days of the transaction (it was previously 10 days), the player must either be traded, released or placed on irrevocable outright waivers.
Pitching prospect Burnes tackles relief
Long term, Counsell said, the Brewers view top pitching prospect Corbin Burnes as a starter. But he worked two innings of relief on Monday night for Triple-A Colorado Springs to gain experience in that role in case of a promotion to the Major Leagues.
"This is about 2018," Counsell said. "We view Corbin as a starter. He will be a starter for this organization. But the move is a little bit thinking about possibilities in 2018."
The Brewers said the same thing last year about Hader when he was promoted to the bullpen in June, but he seized upon the relief role and has not let go. Burnes is a bit different, starting with the fact he is a right-hander with a fuller assortment of pitches than Hader's fastball-slider combination.

Other pitching prospects have been used in similarly flexible roles. Brandon Woodruff has made starts and relief appearances this season, though he had to adjust to the bullpen at the Major League level and admitted it was more difficult than he thought. Adrian Houser has been a starter this season in the Minor Leagues but is currently in the Major League bullpen.
Burnes had a 4.96 ERA in his 13 Triple-A starts before working around one hit and one walk with three strikeouts during Colorado Springs' second straight walk-off win on Monday.
Like those of fellow top pitching prospect Peralta, Burnes' numbers are skewed by the conditions at home, where his ERA is 6.30. Compare that to a 3.73 ERA in road games, and an opponents' OPS 101 points lower.
Burnes is not currently on Milwaukee's 40-man roster.
Improvement for Shaw
Third baseman Travis Shaw missed a second straight game on Tuesday with a sore right wrist but reported improvement after taking some afternoon swings in the batting cage.
"It still hurts today," Shaw said. "Definitely making some progress, though, from last night to today. The way it felt, I knew I wasn't going to play, so I only took five or six swings. … It's going to be one of those nagging injuries because it's kind of in a bad spot. I could probably play if I had to, but I think we're going to try to take one more day."
Shaw felt a twinge in his wrist during his second at-bat of Sunday's loss to the Phillies and underwent precautionary X-rays, which showed no structural damage, before the Brewers took off for Pittsburgh.