Milwaukee Brewers Pedro Severino Suspended 80 Games

Today it was announced that Milwaukee Brewers catcher Pedro Severino was suspended for 80 games for using Clomiphene, which violates the MLB’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. The 80 game suspension will put Severino’s Brewers debut on hold until early July.

The Brewers released a statement that included, “The organization fully supports MLB’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. We also support Pedro during this time and will welcome him back upon the conclusion of his discipline.”

Severino, 28, has spent his time in the major leagues with the Washington Nationals and the last three years with the Baltimore Orioles. Over seven MLB seasons, Severino has slashed .235/.305/.272. In 25 plate appearances this Spring Training, Severino posted a slash line of .435/.480/.826 with five extra-base hits.

In a statement made through the Major League Baseball Players Association, Severino gave his reasoning for the suspension, citing that Clomiphene was present in a doctor recommended medication that would help with infertility issues.

The news comes as a big blow to the Crew, as Severino was positioned to be the backup catcher behind Omar Narváez. After former backup catcher Manny Piña signed with the Atlanta Braves, the door was left open for Severino who signed a 1 year, $1.9 million deal with the Brewers in late November.

So now who takes over as the backup catcher for the Milwaukee Brewers?

The backup catcher is arguably the most important backup position in baseball, considering the physical toll this role can have on a player during the course of the season–not to mention that there are many responsibilities that come with being a catcher. It’s also a difficult position to find, especially when taking into account how late in the spring this news comes; the options are limited when searching for a new backup catcher.

The “in-house” options within the organization are primarily Mario Feliciano and Brett Sullivan. Feliciano is the no. 21 Brewers prospect according to MLB.com and had a one day stint in the major leagues in 2021. Last year in AAA and Rookie Leagues, Feliciano posted a .648 OPS.

Sullivan was signed the same day as Severino and has not made his major league debut yet. In AAA last year Sullivan posted a .677 OPS. Within the organization, the catching experience at the major league level is quite thin.

The options outside of the organization are bleak as well, as all the recently productive catchers have naturally already been signed. In an interview today, Brewers president of operations David Stearns said, “There’s not a huge pool of experienced catching to go and get.” However, Stearns stated that the Brewers will still be active in trying to find a potential solution in the next 24-48 hours.

There is no doubt that this is a substantial blow for the Milwaukee Brewers. David Stearns and the rest of the Brewers front office will need to work diligently to try and fill Severino’s void until he is available to return to the team in July.