Shane Drohan tosses quality start in loss

Drohan completed six innings for the second time as a major leaguer, throwing a mere 85 pitches to get his 18 outs. He struck out only two and gave up 13 hard-hit balls, but he mostly kept the ball on the ground and surrendered just four singles and two doubles. He’ll face the Pirates on Saturday to finish the first half.

It was thought the Brewers might go back to a five-man rotation next week, but it’s not happening. There’s definitely no sense of urgency. The three possibilities to be dropped have all made four starts with ERAs in the mid-3.00s this month (3.48 for Sproat, 3.65 for Drohan and 3.74 for Gasser).

Facing exclusively right-handed batters, the left-handed Drohan did well to keep the Reds off the board here despite needing 98 pitches to get 13 outs. He labored through many long at-bats and traffic-riddled innings to get there though and didn’t have great command of either his curveball or slider and thus, struggled to put hitters away. This was just the second time in five starts since being fully unleashed as a starter where he failed to complete at least five innings. He’s scheduled to face the Reds again next time out followed by the Diamondbacks in a two-start week.

Drohan’s fastball velocity had been holding up quite well as a starter, but his first fastball was down about one mph today and his slider was down by about two mph. Fortunately, he still mostly produced soft contact, with David Fry’s 380-foot homer being the obvious exception. Drohan departed with a one-run lead, but that failed to last long. He’s 1-1 with a 4.43 ERA and a 19/6 K/BB over 20 1/3 innings in four starts since being added to the rotation at the beginning of the month. He’ll probably keep the spot following Brandon Woodruff’s return and face the Reds next week.

Drohan struck out seven and walked none, but he gave up eight hits. The last of those was a Brandon Marsh single to open the sixth in a 3-3 game. Drohan was lifted afterwards, and the Phillies went on to score five runs in the inning. It was still a solid showing for Drohan. He allowed only four hard-hit balls. He’s given up nine runs in 15 1/3 innings over three starts since moving into the Milwaukee rotation, and he’ll probably stick around face the Braves next week.

Drohan gave up five hits, walked one and struck out four. He improved to 3-1 with the win. Drohan was removed after 83 pitches as he was making just his third start of the year after pitching in the bullpen. He has a 3.11 ERA. It’s unclear if Drohan will remain in the rotation, but he’s lined up to face the Phillies at home next weekend.

The runs came on a Matt Chapman homer that was nearly taken away by Jackson Chourio in center. It was a homer in just eight of the 30 ballparks. Since he was pulled at 68 pitches after spending the last five weeks in the pen, he didn’t get a win in the rout. That instead went to Chad Patrick after a scoreless fifth. Drohan will probably make another start Saturday in Colorado, but he might return to the pen after that.

With Brandon Woodruff on the injured list, McGee will hang around and soak up some low-leverage innings from the club if needed. It seems likely that Shane Drohan will either start or have a bulk role for the Brewers during what would have been Woodruff’s next turn through the rotation.

Drohan came in to start the third after Brandon Woodruff left in the second and gave the Brewers both length and quality in a game in which they really only needed the former; they scored eight runs in the first four innings and wound up winning 13-1. Drohan entered the day with a 5/5 K/BB in 7 2/3 innings as a major leaguer, but he struck out four and walked none in this one. He’s one of the handful of options to step into the rotation if Woodruff lands on the IL.

Drohan resurfaces with a 3.29 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 13 2/3 innings with the Sounds. His initial taste of MLB earlier in April left him with a career 10.13 ERA and he’ll attempt to shave that down in his next outing.