Brewers: Selloff begins—breaking down the Aramis Ramirez trade
By Phil Watson
July 12, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Hernan Perez (14) rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run in the third inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Who Plays Third Base?
Hernan Perez started at third base in Phoenix Thursday night, going 1-for-3 with a double and two strikeouts in Milwaukee’s 8-3 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the young infielder is going to get the first crack at the job.
He hadn’t started a game at third since July 8.
Perez was claimed off waivers from the Detroit Tigers on June 2 and has hit .329/.346/.500 in 37 games, with eight doubles, a triple, a home run and four RBI since coming to Milwaukee.
“Hernan is playing third base [Thursday] and he’s going to get a shot to play,” manager Craig Counsell said. “He’s played really well. He’s swung the bat well in some limited time. He was playing a little bit more and now he’s backed off, but he’s going to get a chance to play, for sure.”
Perez signed with the Tigers as an international free agent from Venezuela in July 2007 and debuted in Detroit in June 2012.
He played in 34 games for the Tigers in 2013, hitting .197/.217/.227 in 71 plate appearances with a triple and five RBI. He made eight appearances with the big club last season, going 1-for-5, and started this season as a utility infielder but hit just .061/.088/.061 in 34 plate appearances before being placed on waivers.
Jul 1, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Hector Gomez (5) gets the force out on Philadelphia Phillies left fielder Ben Revere (2) during the ninth inning at Citizens Bank Park. The Brewers defeated the Phillies, 9-5. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Another option for the Brewers is Hector Gomez, who was traded to the Los Angeles Angels in March 2014, but was returned to the Brewers and played in 15 games last September, going 3-for-20 with a double and an RBI.
This season, Gomez has played in 59 games and is hitting .198/.231/.353 with 11 doubles, two triples, a homer and seven RBI.
Signed by the Colorado Rockies as an international free agent from the Dominican Republic in July 2004, Gomez debuted for the Rockies in September 2011 and was claimed off waivers by the Brewers in June 2012.
Aug 12, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Astros third baseman Matt Dominguez (30) throws to first base during the third inning against the Minnesota Twins at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
The Brewers also have third baseman Matt Dominguez on the 40-man roster. Claimed off waivers by Milwaukee last month, Dominguez started 296 games at third base for the Houston Astros in 2013-14, but was beaten out by Luis Valbuena in spring training and optioned to Triple-A Fresno before he was waived in June.
In 30 games at Triple-A Colorado Springs, Dominguez is hitting .281/.339/.395 with 10 doubles, a home run and 13 RBI.
Acquired by Houston in a July 2012 trade with the Miami Marlins, Dominguez hit .284/.310/.477 in 31 games for the Astros late that season, with five homers and 16 RBI, and was named the starting third baseman the following season.
He hit .241/.286/.403 in 152 games in 2013, with 21 homers and 77 RBI, and slipped to .215/.256/.330 in 157 games last season with 16 home runs and 57 RBI.
Dominguez was the 12th overall pick of the then-Florida Marlins in the 2007 amateur draft out of Chatsworth (Calif.) High School and debuted with the Marlins in September 2011.
Next: Who’s Next?