Mat Gamel was already likely facing a demotion to start the season, but according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com, he’ll now spend at least six weeks recovering from a “slight” tear in his latissimus dorsi, the large muscle behind the right shoulder.
Gamel originally suffered the injury early in camp, but he probably made it worse by returning to action too soon. Keep in mind that while he’ll be sidelined from baseball activity for six weeks, the timeline for him to return to game action will likely be longer.
It’s a tough blow for Gamel, who similarly missed out an opportunity to impress the Brewers last spring due to a shoulder impingement. The 24-year-old started last season in the minors and was pretty underwhelming upon a promotion in May, batting just .242/.338/.422 with five homers and 20 RBI in 128 at-bats.
Because his bat has been considered more of an asset than his glove, the question has always been where he’ll fit in on defense. For now, Casey McGehee has the starting third base job in Milwaukee, blocking his path to the major leagues. Perhaps when Gamel returns, the Brewers will begin to entertain the idea of transitioning him to the outfield.