The Milwaukee Brewers have decided adding an arm to the overworked bullpen is worth being shorthanded on the bench, as the club recalled right-hander Rob Wooten from Triple-A Nashville.
Utility man Ellian Herrera, who was covering the Brewers in right field with Ryan Braun out, was optioned to Nashville to make room.
The Brewers are in desperate need of a fresh arm after taxing the bullpen in two extra-inning games in St. Louis. Matt Garza left Wednesday afternoon's 9-3 loss to the Cardinals with a right thumb contusion, causing manager Ron Roenicke to use Rule 5 pick Wei-Chung Wang and eventually backup catcher Martin Maldonado.
Wooten hasn't pitched for the Sounds since Saturday when he worked a perfect inning against Oklahoma City, making him available for Thursday's series opener in Cincinnati. The right-hander hasn't allowed an earned run in five innings in Triple-A this season with four saves. He's made two appearances since being sent down by the Brewers, giving up two unearned runs on two hits last Friday.
In his first stint with the Brewers this season, Wooten went 0-1 with an 8.31 ERA in four games. His ERA is inflated due to a rough outing in Pittsburgh on April 17, as he allowed three earned runs in just 1/3 of an inning to take the loss.
Wooten bounced back to work two scoreless innings in extra innings on April 20 to help the Brewers win the series finale against the Pirates.
Without Herrera, the Brewers have just two healthy outfielders in Carlos Gomez and Khris Davis. Barring a surprise return to the lineup by Ryan Braun (oblique strain), either Mark Reynolds or Jeff Bianchi will probably start in right field the next two days.
Outfielder Logan Schafer, currently on a rehab assignment in Triple-A, is eligible to return from the disabled list Saturday. Braun could be placed on the disabled list retroactive to when he last played if he's not able to return by then.
The Brewers can go down a man on the bench because they are expected to get Jean Segura and Aramis Ramirez back from injuries Thursday. Segura pinch hit Tuesday and entered the game as a defensive replacement Wednesday, his first action since inadvertently getting hit in the face by a Ryan Braun warm-up swing in the dugout.
Ramirez has missed Milwaukee's last two games after being hit by a pitch on his left elbow in Monday's extra-innings victory over the Cardinals.
Reynolds has played third base the past two days with Bianchi filling in at shortstop for Segura.
Herrera hit .222 (6-for-27) in nine games with the Brewers, making four starts in right field and one start in left field.
Follow Andrew Gruman on Twitter
