The Brewers are in discussions with free-agent first baseman Lyle Overbay on a potential minor-league deal to back up Mat Gamel, Ken Rosenthal reported Monday. Overbay is expected to decide between Milwaukee and other suitors shortly, Rosenthal added.
The Brewers are short at first base following a knee injury to Corey Hart that is expected to cost him the first six weeks of the season. Gamel will start at first base in the interim, but the club is short on first basemen in the upper minors to serve as a backup. Overbay would fill that void.
Overbay, 36, posted a .259/.331/.397 (93 OPS+) line between Arizona and Atlanta in 2012. The lefty was Prince Fielder's predecessor at first base in Milwaukee, as he started 158 and 159 games there for the Brewers in 2004 and 2005, respectively. He hit .289/.376/.464 with 35 home runs over those two seasons, and he led the major leagues with 53 doubles in 2004.
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