Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Aaron Ashby Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Brewers LHP Aaron Ashby not expected to be ready for Opening Day

Originally posted on WI Sports Heroics | By Tyler Koerth_ | Last updated 2/9/23

Brewers swingman Aaron Ashby had two different stints on the injured list last season due to inflammation. The first trip to the IL was due to elbow inflammation and the second time due to shoulder inflammation. All together, he spent nearly 40 days out due to this.

Now, before 2023 Spring Training has officially begun, Brewers GM Matt Arnold has indicated that Ashby will be behind at camp due to shoulder fatigue. He also is not expected to be ready for Opening Day.

Brewers GM Matt Arnold reports that left-hander Aaron Ashby will be behind in camp with what the club is characterizing as shoulder fatigue. Considering Ashby spent three weeks on the IL last season with shoulder inflammation, they’ll play it safe with him.

— Adam McCalvy (@AdamMcCalvy) February 8, 2023

One piece of new info: Doesn’t sound as if Brewers expect Aaron Ashby (shoulder) to be ready for Opening Day. “It’s a remnant from last year that manifested itself as he ramped up throwing again,” Craig Counsell said today. “We had to take a pretty big step back as far as rest.”

— Adam McCalvy (@AdamMcCalvy) February 9, 2023

Brewers pitcher Aaron Ashby will be behind at spring training due to shoulder fatigue. He is not expected to be ready for opening day.

Last season, Ashby threw a total of 107 innings and made 19 starts. He made eight more appearances out of the bullpen in which he often worked in a long relief role. Injuries to other key starting pitchers prompted him to be a full-time member of the rotation early on in the season.

Ashby's stats to begin 2022 were impressive. Over his first 40 innings he had a 2.70 ERA, but then things started to go the other way three months into the season. During the month of June he surrendered 14 earned runs (8.40 ERA) over three starts. There may have been some element of fatigue or inflammation going on before Ashby first went to the injured list in June of 2022, but it’s clear that when healthy he can be a dominant force on the mound.

At the Brewers Hot Stove & Cold Brews event in January, Ashby indicated that he was experiencing some element of shoulder fatigue during his offseason throwing program. Below is the interview of him discussing this.

Ashby is just 24 years old and is locked up under contract with the Brewers until at minimum the 2027 season for he signed an extension last season. He is a very talented pitcher with lots of upside, so it’s clear that prioritizing his health will be a big focus going forward.

This article first appeared on WI Sports Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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