Jackson Chourio clubs 20th home run in win

Chourio led off the game by lining the first pitch Sean Manaea threw for a leadoff single. He then raced around to score the game’s first run on an RBI single by Andrew Vaughn. The 22-year-old outfielder then clubbed a 389-foot (104.2-mph EV) two-run shot on a first-pitch fastball in the second that extended the Brewers’ lead to 4-0. He also started the fifth inning with a single, swiped second base and scored on a ground out off the bat of William Contreras. Chourio finished his glorious night with a 380-foot (102.8-mph EV) two-run shot off of Xzavion Curry in the eighth that capped off the scoring in the game. He’s now slashing a healthy .283/.345/.477 with 19 homers, 54 RBI and 14 stolen bases in 447 plate appearances on the year.

It appears to be a routine day off for Chourio, who hasn’t taken a seat since last month’s All-Star break. It’ll be Sal Frelick taking over in left field for his first action since coming off the injured list.

It could have been a bigger day, but Chourio just missed on flyouts of 388 and 376 feet. He’s still gone 8-for-17 with two steals and five runs scored in his last four games.

The second double should have been an out at Miller Park, as it went off Kyle Tucker’s glove at the wall in right. However, it also would have been a homer in 23 ballparks, according to Statcast. Chourio snapped out of a little 2-for-19 skid today. It’s the third time this year that he’s scored three runs in a game.

Murphy misspoke Tuesday when he told reporters that it was Brice Turang that was dealing with thumb soreness. The 22-year-old outfielder is in the lineup for Wednesday’s game against the Padres, but fantasy managers should pay close attention to the situation.

Chourio blasted a solo homer off Twins starter Zebby Matthews in the bottom of the first inning to give the Brewers an early 1-0 lead. It was the 16th homer of the season for Chourio and his third in his last four games. He’s off to a blistering start this month, slashing .320/.433/.720 with four extra-base hits.

Chourio hit a 388-foot homer just over the wall in right center in the first. It would have been a homer in nine ballparks, according to Statcast. Four innings later, he hit a ball 395 feet to a similar area, but just a little too far to the left of where the wall juts in, resulting in a long flyout. Both were impressive shots, though. After a down month of July in which he homered only once, Chourio is 7-for-21 with two homers and four walks to open August.

Chourio tied the game 1-1 with a solo homer off Jared Jones. He got Jones again later with an RBI single up the middle to extend the Brewers’ cushion to 3-1 on the season. It’s the first homer of August for Chourio, and just the second since the start of July for the uber-talented 22-year-old. It would be more surprising than not if the balls don’t start traveling over the fence for Chourio over the final two months.

Chourio takes a seat after going just 3-for-21 during a five-game series against the division-rival Cardinals earlier this week. The 22-year-old franchise cornerstone will get a bit of a mental reset break in the front-end of the twin bill and figures to return for Saturday’s evening showdown at PNC Park. It’ll be rookie Luis Lara taking over in left field with Garrett Mitchell hitting second in the opening contest.

It appears to just be a routine day off. Luis Lara is playing left field in Chourio’s absence on Friday, as he’s now spelled in center field, right field, and now left field in three of the last four games. It’s plausible Lara is going to be a governor on any of the other Brewers outfielders seeing full-time action, especially with their sizable lead in the NL Central.