Brewers promote Nick Franklin, send Sogard to minors
MILWAUKEE (AP) The Milwaukee Brewers have selected the contract of utility player Nick Franklin from Double-A Biloxi, sending infielder Eric Sogard to Triple-A Colorado Springs.
Milwaukee also transferred Stephen Vogt to the 60-day disabled list after the catcher suffered a setback in his comeback from a right shoulder injury.
But the bullpen could get All-Star closer Corey Knebel back from a left hamstring injury. He has been sidelined since early April.
Manager Craig Counsell said that Knebel could be activated in the next few days, strengthening what is already one of the league's best bullpens. The Brewers are second in the majors with a 2.59 bullpen ERA.
''He passed everything at a pretty good rate and did everything in a timely manner, and really probably a little ahead of schedule,'' Counsell said about Knebel's rehab. ''So it's good to go and it'll be great to get him back.''
Franklin was in the starting lineup at second base on Tuesday against the Cleveland Indians. The switch-hitter was hitting .288 in the minors.
Production at second base has been a problem for the Brewers. Sogard was hitting .100 in 28 games in splitting time with Jonathan Villar and Hernan Perez.
A busy day for the organization also included the loss of promising minor-league infield prospect Mauricio Dubon to a season-ending left knee injury. Dubon was a potential call-up after hitting .343 at Triple-A.
Dubon had just extended his hitting streak to 23 games when he got hurt on Saturday in Colorado Springs' loss at Oklahoma City.
The 33-year-old Vogt got hurt in spring training. He was limited to 10 games in 2009 in the minors because of a strained right shoulder. Vogt hit .254 with eight homers in 45 games for the Brewers last season after being claimed off waivers from Oakland in June.
''It's tough, it's not good news,'' Counsell said about Vogt's setback. ''He'll seek a second opinion and make sure he has all the information that he needs. But he's looking at something pretty serious probably.''
---
More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball
