The Brewers on Wednesday announced that first baseman Eric Thames has been placed on the 10-day disabled list because of a torn UCL in his left thumb. Thames sustained the injury while trying to make a play in the field on Tuesday night.
More (The tweet below should read "portion of 2018.") :
Of the possibility for surgery for Eric Thames, David Stearns said, "It's not a definite, but likely." Brewers do expect him back for a "significant" portion of 2017.
— Adam McCalvy (@AdamMcCalvy) April 25, 2018
If Thames does indeed undergo surgery, then he'll likely be sidelined from six to eight weeks, provided he suffers no setbacks and using past thumb UCL injuries as a guide. To replace Thames on the active roster, the Brewers have recalled right-hander Brandon Woodruff.
Whatever the case, the first-place Brewers will surely miss Thames. This season, he's batting .250/.351/.625 (164 OPS+) with seven home runs in 22 games. That's heart-of-the-order production from an established power hitter. Fortunately, the Brewers do have some depth. If Ryan Braun's able to spend some time at first, then Domingo Santana can slide into regular outfield duty. Jesus Aguilar is also on the roster. It's a blow, to be sure, but the Brewers' glut in the outfield could cascade down and allow them to get by until Thames returns.
