Notes: Brewers will try to get by with seven relievers for now

And then there were seven.

Because the Milwaukee Brewers didn’t need a fifth starter the first time through the rotation, rookie right-hander Brandon Woodruff was assigned to relief duty.

Woodruff pitched in each of the first two series but will join the rotation Friday against the Chicago Cubs.

That move will leave the Brewers with seven relievers, one fewer than originally designed. By going with seven plus Woodruff, it allowed the decision-makers to keep an extra position player, presumably backup first baseman Jesús Aguilar.

When it is decided the eighth reliever is a must, the corresponding move will be interesting because Aguilar is out of minor-league options and the Brewers don’t want to lose him on waivers.

“At some point, we will have to get to eight relievers,” manager Craig Counsell said. “I don’t know when that’s going to be, kind of depending on games. If we can get through the home stand and get on the road, it’s much easier to consider seven relievers on the road.

“But getting through an early April home stand with seven relievers, it’s going to take a big effort from our starting pitching.”

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Baseball has become a bullpen game, with starters often being removed after five or six innings to create favorable matchups. Seven relievers once was considered a huge bullpen, but Counsell admitted times have changed.

“We’re using more (relievers), and there’s a different expectation from starting pitching, and there’s different challenges on starting pitching, really,” Counsell said. “One of the differences is 90 pitches is not getting you as far into a game as it used to. We are probably throwing less pitches with our starters, but if you look at the numbers it’s not drastic.

“The at-bats are going longer; it’s harder to get more outs and deeper into the game.”

Right-handers Taylor Williams and J.J. Hoover were the last relievers cut before opening day. Williams is on the 40-man roster and merely would have to be called up from Class AAA Colorado Springs. Hoover is not on the 40-man roster, which is full.

Minor-league rosters set: Rosters for the Brewers' four full-season minor-league affiliates – Class AAA Colorado Springs, Class AA Biloxi, advanced Class A Carolina and Class A Wisconsin – were unveiled on Tuesday.

Biloxi will feature the most star power, with three of the Brewers' top 10 prospects slated to play for the Shuckers: right-hander Luis Ortiz (No. 4), third baseman Lucas Erceg (No. 6) and outfielder Corey Ray (No. 7).

The Shuckers' rotation should be a formidable one, with right-handers Adrian Houser and Cody Ponce and left-handers Kodi Medeiros and Quintin Torres-Costa teaming up with Ortiz.

Jake Gatewood is expected to play across the infield from Erceg at first base, while Trent Grisham and Troy Stokes Jr. team with Ray to give Biloxi a speedy and talented outfield.

Three more top-10 prospects are included on the roster at Colorado Springs – outfielder Brett Phillips and right-handers Corbin Burnes and Freddy Peralta.

Phillips made an impact at the major-league level with the Brewers last season after tearing up the Pacific Coast League, while Burnes is the organization's reigning minor-league pitcher of the year. Peralta has vaulted up the prospect rankings thanks to the big strikeout numbers he's posted the past few seasons.

Another player of note on the Sky Sox roster is catcher Jacob Nottingham, who will serve as the backup to Christian Bethancourt after spending the previous two seasons at Biloxi.

Keston Hiura, the Brewers' top draft pick in 2017 and top overall prospect, highlights the Carolina roster. The second baseman is coming off a strong showing in major-league camp with the Brewers this spring.

Left-hander Nathan Kirby, finally recovered from multiple elbow surgeries, will join right-handers Marcos Diplan and Trey Supak on what projects to be a solid pitching staff for the Mudcats.

Outfielder Tristen Lutz, picked 34th overall by the Brewers last year, will open his first full professional season at Wisconsin along with a couple of touted catching prospects, K.J. Harrison and Payton Henry and right-hander Carlos Herrera.

Infielder Gilbert Lara, recovered from a leg fracture that sidelined him for much of 2017, will be back with the Timber Rattlers as well.