Sal Frelick (shoulder) starts rehab assignment

Frelick is expected to be ready to return at some point in early-to-mid August. Milwaukee top prospect Luis Lara will continue playing regularly in his absence for the next couple weeks. Frelick hit the injured list with a right shoulder strain that had been bothering him for a while back on July 18.

Frelick is likely facing an extended absence after aggravating a lingering shoulder ailment on a throw from right field during Friday’s second-half opener against the Marlins. Brewers manager Pat Murphy told reporters afterwards that he could be down for a while. Frelick said that he’s been dealing with the shoulder issue for nearly two months and will undergo an MRI to determine the severity. There should be a definitive return timeline at some point in the coming days. Frelick’s absence opens the door for top prospect Luis Lara to play everyday in right field. He boasts an intriguing blend of fantasy-relevant tools and is worthy of a speculative roster spot in all formats.

There’s real cause for concern after Frelick experienced discomfort on a throw from right field during the fourth inning of Friday’s second-half opener against Miami. The 26-year-old will undergo imaging to determine the severity of the issue, with Murphy adding that he doesn’t expect him back anytime soon. There should be some clarity on his status later this weekend. Frelick’s absence would pave a relatively unobstructed path for top prospect Luis Lara to play virtually everyday in right field, which would be a huge boost to his fantasy appeal. He’s worthy of a speculative roster spot in all fantasy leagues at this point.

It doesn’t sound like anything that the Brewers are overly concerned about, but his availability for the remainder of the weekend will likely depend on how he’s feeling on Saturday. For now, he’s considered day-to-day.

No word yet on what exactly occurred here, but Frelick was replaced by Luis Lara in right field when the Brewers took the field in the fifth inning. Expect the team to provide an update on his status as soon as more information becomes available.

Frelick took Pittsburgh starter Braxton Ashcraft deep for his first home run since April 30.

If you’re going to get an occasional day off, doing so against Phillies’ left-hander Cristopher Sanchez isn’t a bad idea. Fellow left-handed hitters Christian Yelich, Jake Bauers and Sal Frelick are also on the pine for the Brewers in this one. Turang is having a strong season at the dish, slashing .261/.378/.457 with 10 homers, 42 RBI, 53 runs scored and 12 stolen bases through his first 296 plate appearances.

It looks to be nothing more than a routine day off for the dynamic 22-year-old outfielder. William Contreras is also getting a breather for the Brewers in this one. Sal Frelick will start in right field and bat seventh while Gary Sanchez does the catching and hits sixth for the Brewers against Astros’ right-hander Tatsuya Imai on Sunday.

Reaching on catcher’s interference is half of Frelick’s game at this point. He’s done it five times this year, effectively giving him a .307 OBP instead of his actual .289 mark. Frelick hasn’t lost any playing time since Christian Yelich’s return has crowded the Brewers’ first base/outfield/DH situations, but that might become a possibility at some point. His OPS is sitting at .590, and his defensive metrics have also taken a hit this year. Both versions of WAR have him as slightly below replacement level to date.

Frelick also singled and walked, and he scored three runs in the process. The 26-year-old was due for a game like this, as he’s slashed just .217/.323/.313 even with the homer and three-reach game. It’s hard to imagine him not being considerably better over the summer months.