PEORIA, Ariz. -- The Brewers were this close to naming Brice Turang their starting shortstop, but a lingering bout of arm fatigue is causing officials to revisit their middle infield configuration for this season.
Turang underwent an MRI scan on Monday after reporting right arm discomfort while playing catch, and while the result showed no structural damage, meaning that Opening Day is not in jeopardy for the 25-year-old at this point, it means Turang might stay rooted at second base.
That would mark another plot twist for the Brewers, who recently had settled on Turang as the favorite to take over at shortstop for the departed Willy Adames in a shift from the earlier preference to play Joey Ortiz at short and keep Turang at second base. Both players are premium defenders, especially Turang, who won the NL Gold Glove Award at second base last season as well as the NL¡¯s Platinum Glove Award as the league¡¯s top defender.
But as the Brewers creeped closer to locking in the new alignment ¨C Turang at shortstop, Ortiz at second ¨C Turang developed arm fatigue and was scratched from a start on Saturday as a precaution. It was viewed as nothing serious, but when he tried to resume playing catch on Monday and reported discomfort, the Brewers ordered an MRI.
¡°He¡¯s on medication and a program, and the doctors are optimistic that he can play within three or four or five days,¡± manager Pat Murphy said.
Earlier in the day, Murphy said that were he a betting man, he¡¯d bet on Turang playing shortstop this season. That was before his phone rang with news of Turang¡¯s setback.
Now, Murphy said, ¡°I bet on it that he plays middle infield. It¡¯s unfortunate because we went from, ¡®He¡¯s going to play second¡¯ to ¡®Hey, we¡¯re going to switch it up and he¡¯ll maybe play short,¡¯ to, ¡®Oh.'"
If Turang stays at second, then Ortiz would play shortstop, which explains why a late lineup change prior to Monday¡¯s 14-8 loss to the Mariners moved Ortiz from second to short.