Bucks drop 4th game in last 5 with loss to Memphis
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 35 points to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to an 111-101 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night.
The Bucks lost for the fourth time in their past five games as they've faltered while trying to hold on to the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Jackson dominated in the second half, scoring 25 of his points while lifting the Grizzlies to their fifth straight victory over Milwaukee. He made 14 of 26 shots and a pair of critical 3-pointers in the fourth quarter.
“I was taking what the defense gives me,” Jackson said. “I've been working on my game a lot and I was glad to get the opportunity to get out there and show it a little bit.”
Brook Lopez paced the Bucks with 25 points and 10 rebounds while Giannis Antetokounmpo added 21 points, seven rebounds and eight assists. Bobby Portis had 19 points and Malik Beasley 10.
Bucks coach Doc Rivers was more concerned after the game about the health of Antetokounmpo, who played 32 minutes on the second night of a back to back after getting a triple-double in a loss to Washington on Tuesday.
“Honestly, and I'm not kidding, there were times in the middle of the third (quarter), I wanted to take him out of the game,” Rivers said. "I thought he was running on fumes. As a coach, you have to make a judgment call sometimes.
“Medical makes the call. They kept saying he's OK. But I have eyes. I just didn't like the way he was moving. He kept asking to go back in. But I wish I had just said, no, honestly.”
Both teams were short-handed with the Grizzlies missing Ja Morant, Desmond Bane and Marcus Smart because of injuries and the Bucks playing without Damian Lillard, Khris Middleton and Patrick Beverley.
GG Jackson had 15 points and a game-high 12 rebounds and Brandon Clarke, recently returned from an Achilles tendon injury that cost him 72 games this season, scored 14 points for Memphis.
The Grizzlies outscored the Bucks in the paint 76-36 as they pounded the ball inside and relied on the 6-foot-11, 242-pound Jaren Jackson.
"We got beat off the dribble a ton, and just not by their guards, by their bigs as well," Rivers said. “Jaren Jackson turned the whole game around.”
The Grizzlies went on a quick 9-0 run to grab a 98-90 lead with 4:17 remaining, sparked by seven points from Jaren Jackson. The Bucks did not get closer than a four-point deficit the rest of the way.
Antetokounmpo drew his fourth foul with 4:15 left in the third quarter and had to go to the bench, and the Grizzlies took advantage. Jaren Jackson scored nine points in the remainder of the quarter as Memphis outscored Milwaukee 15-8 to erase a six-point deficit and take a 79-78 lead into the final period.
Lillard missed his third consecutive game and second with a right groin injury, and Beverley sat out with a sprained right ankle suffered in the Bucks’ loss at Washington.
The Bucks also were without Middleton, who scored 24 points against the Wizards on Tuesday but has not normally played in back-to-back games this season.
Rivers said Lillard had a good workout Tuesday and could return Friday against Toronto.
“I think he’s closer,” Rivers said. “But that’s one, if he’s not 100% or 90th percentile or whatever, then no. That one, we’re just not going to take a chance. It’s not worth it.”
Since Rivers was hired as coach on Jan. 26 to replace Adrian Griffin, the trio of Antetokounmpo, Middleton and Lillard has played together only six times out of 40 games.
Wizards overcome Antetokounmpo's triple-double in a 117-113 victory over the Bucks
WASHINGTON (AP) — Corey Kispert scored 27 points and Deni Avdija added 23 to help the Washington Wizards beat the Milwaukee Bucks 117-113 on Tuesday night despite Giannis Antetokounmpo's triple-double.
Antetokounmpo had 35 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists and reached double figures in all three categories by the end of the third quarter. That wasn't enough for Milwaukee, which came into the night with a 2 1/2-game lead over Cleveland for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Jordan Poole had 16 points and a career-high 13 assists for Washington, and Jared Butler provided a lift off the bench with 17 points. Tristan Vukcevic, a 7-foot rookie from Serbia whom the Wizards signed in the middle of last month, scored 14. His previous career high was six.
“It's a step forward, maybe two steps forward,” Kispert said. “This is the attitude we need to have and the aggression we need to have when we play these kind of games, especially against a championship team like this. Super proud of everybody who played tonight.”
Washington led 58-54 at halftime, then began the third quarter on a 12-1 run to stretch the lead to 15. Milwaukee shot 11 of 48 from 3-point range on the night, but the Bucks finally made a few near the end of the third, including Jae Crowder's shot at the buzzer that cut the lead to five.
“We can't get better shots, as far as the 3s we had,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers said. “Our best 3-point shooters were wide open. ... But we missed a lot of them.”
It was down to two in the fourth, but Washington was able to hold on. A 3-pointer by Kispert made it 113-106, and with Milwaukee down by four in the final minute, Antetokounmpo lost the ball inside.
The Bucks got it back and called timeout with 21.9 seconds remaining. Khris Middleton made a layup, but Anthony Gill got free behind Milwaukee's press for a layup with 8.3 seconds to play that pushed the lead back to four.
“They crushed us in transition. This is what they do,” Rivers said. “We had inexcusable transition ‘D’ plays to start the third quarter. Three or four times they snuck from behind us, they drove us. Yeah, it's a disappointing loss.”
The Bucks are 18-20 on the road.
“We don't bring the necessary professionalism, seriousness, on the road,” Rivers said. “That's something that we can fix. That's something that we're going to have to fix.”
Milwaukee was playing without star guard Damian Lillard (right groin strain), and Kyle Kuzma (right heel contusion) was out for the Wizards. Rivers said Lillard could be back as early as Wednesday night.
The Bucks lost Patrick Beverley in the third quarter after Poole slipped while driving to the basket and fell into Beverley's left leg. Both players were shaken up, although Poole was able to play on. Rivers said he thought Beverley sprained his ankle.
UP NEXT
Bucks: Host Memphis on Wednesday night.
Wizards: Host the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night.
Chourio, Rea lead Brewers to sweep of Mets
NEW YORK (AP) — Jackson Chourio hit an RBI double for his career extra-base hit and helped Collin Rea escape a bases-loaded jam as the Milwaukee Brewers beat the winless New York Mets 4-1 on Sunday.
Brewers slugger Rhys Hoskins went 0 for 4 a day after Mets reliever Yohan Ramirez intentionally threw at him. Ramirez, who is appealing a three-game suspension, struck out Hoskins with the bases loaded in the fifth.
It is the first 0-3 start for New York since 2014.
“Guys are doing their job,” New York shortstop Francisco Lindor said. "It’s just they played better than us in a way. So hats off to them. I just wish we would have come out with at least one.”
Willy Adames and rookie Oliver Dunn each hit a run-scoring single as Milwaukee got off to its first 3-0 start since 2018. William Contreras added an RBI double and Brice Turang scored twice to help Milwaukee to its second sweep in New York and first since 2011.
Former Brewer Tyrone Taylor hit an RBI single for the Mets, who played without new manager Carlos Mendoza while he served a one-game suspension for Saturday’s incident with Ramirez and Hoskins.
Rea (1-0) limited the Mets to one run and five hits in five innings. He pitched with men on in each inning but the third.
New York loaded the bases in the fourth when Rea walked Taylor to cap a 12-pitch plate appearance. But Omar Narváez swung at a 2-0 pitch and lofted a fly ball to right that Chourio hauled in at the warning track.
“He’s fun to watch,” Rea said. “He’s got all the tools. He takes good at-bats and gets good reads in the outfield, makes athletic plays.”
Chourio also made a sliding catch as his hat fell off to rob Pete Alonso of a hit. His catch occurred after his double off Tylor Megill (0-1) went over right fielder Starling Marte’s head and put Milwaukee ahead 2-0 in the second.
“He’s been great,” Adames said. “He knows he’s going to step up to the next level and he knows he has to just do his job and just not try to do too much and be himself.”
Chourio also made another running catch in the seventh and had an infield hit in the eighth. Chourio, who turned 20 on March 11, went 5 for 12 in his first career series.
“Chourio stepped up big time,” first-year Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy said. “We didn’t know what you were going to get for sure. Quite frankly his spring training at times was very impressive but I think we learned something this weekend. The lights went on and a different kid showed up.”
Megill allowed two runs — one earned — and three hits in four innings. The right-hander felt some pain in his shoulder and will undergo an MRI.
He allowed Adames’ run-scoring hit after Christian Yelich reached on catcher interference by Narváez in the first.
Bryan Hudson pitched three innings for Milwaukee, and Joel Payamps tossed a 1-2-3 ninth for his fourth career save.
UP NEXT
Brewers: Jakob Junis makes his Milwaukee debut against Minnesota RHP Louie Varland in the opener of a two-game series on Tuesday.
Mets: LHP Sean Manaea makes his debut for New York against Detroit RHP Reese Olson in the opener of a three-game series on Monday. Manaea signed a two-year contract in January after posting a 3.43 ERA in his final 17 appearances for the Giants last season.
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Giannis Antetokounmpo has 36 points, 16 rebounds to power Bucks past Hawks, 122-113
ATLANTA (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo had six dunks while scoring 36 points and the Milwaukee Bucks overcame Bogdan Bogdanovic's 38 points to beat Atlanta 122-113 on Saturday night, ending the Hawks' four-game winning streak.
Antetokounmpo added 16 rebounds and Khris Middleton scored 21 points as the Bucks snapped a two-game losing streak.
Dejounte Murray, who scored a career-high 44 points in Atlanta's 123-122 overtime win over Boston on Thursday night for Atlanta's second win over the Celtics in four days, had 20 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds.
Bogdanovic set a career high with 10 rebounds. He scored 17 points in the fourth quarter while sinking two 3-pointers in the final minute.
Back-to-back 3-pointers by Atlanta's De'Andre Hunter and Bogdanovic midway through the final period cut the Bucks' lead to 94-89. Middleton and Brook Lopez answered with 3s for Milwaukee to quickly push the advantage back to double figures.
Milwaukee point guard Damian Lillard was held out for personal reasons. The Bucks had been 0-5 without Lillard this season.
Lillard's status is uncertain for the Bucks' game at Washington on Tuesday night. Patrick Beverley scored 18 points as the fill-in starter.
The Hawks again were missing injured forwards Onyeka Okongwu (left big toe sprain) and Jalen Johnson (right ankle), complicating the already difficult challenge of defending Antetokounmpo. Forward Saddiq Bey, another part of Atlanta's regular rotation when healthy, had season-ending knee surgery this week.
Atlanta All-Star point guard Trae Young (finger) has missed 18 consecutive games. The Hawks, who are a game behind No. 9 Chicago in the East, have about two weeks to have injured players return before their likely spot in the play-in tournament.
The Hawks averaged 123.8 points in the four straight wins before being held to 45 first-half points by Milwaukee.
UP NEXT
Bucks: Visit Washington on Tuesday night.
Hawks: Visit Chicago on Monday night in a possible preview of the play-in tournament opener.
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Rhys Hoskins has 4 RBIs in 7-6 win, Mets' Johan Ramírez ejected for throwing behind Brewers DH
NEW YORK (AP) — Rhys Hoskins drove in four runs, a day after his hard slide into Jeff McNeil caused dugouts to empty, and Yohan Ramírez was ejected for throwing behind the Milwaukee designated hitter's back the Brewers' 7-6 victory over the New York Mets on Saturday.
Hoskins hit a two-run single in a three-run first inning, followed with a two-run homer in the third and singled and scored on a balk in the fifth by Luis Severino (0-1), who gave up a career-high 12 hits in his Mets debut.
Ramírez’s first pitch to Hoskins in the seventh sailed well behind the right-handed hitter, who dropped his bat and glared at Ramírez as the reliever raced to pick up the ball, which caromed off the backstop. Ramírez was ejected by plate umpire Lance Barrett and given a standing ovation by fans. Hoskins walked against Jorge López.
New York closer Edwin Díaz pitched a perfect ninth in his first big league appearance since Game 3 of the NL Wild Card Series on Oct. 9, 2022. Díaz missed last season after tearing the patellar tendon in his right knee while celebrating a win for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic.
New Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy improved to 2-0 while the Mets dropped to 0-2 for the first time since 2014.
Brett Baty hit a three-run homer and Francisco Alvarez and Pete Alonso had solo shots for the Mets, who trailed 7-2 in the eighth.
Hoskins slid hard into McNeil on a potential double-play ball in the eighth inning of the Brewers’ 3-1 win in Friday's opener. McNeil yelled at Hoskins, who rubbed his eyes as if to call McNeil a crybaby. With Philadelphia on April 24, 2019, Hoskins homered off Mets reliever Jacob Rhame and took a 34-second home run trot, one night after Rhame threw two pitches over his head.
Hoskins was booed each time he went to the plate. His four RBIs were his most since Sept. 23, 2022. He missed last year because of a torn ACL in his left knee.
Alonso's homer was the first allowed in 34 big league appearances off Abner Uribe, who struck out DJ Stewart and Starling Marte for his second save.
Elvis Peguero (1-0) pitched two hitless innings in relief of starter DL Hall, who gave up two runs and six hits in four innings.
Severino made his Mets debut after eight seasons for the crosstown Yankees and allowed five runs in five innings.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Brewers: RHP Taylor Clarke had surgery to repair a torn right meniscus.
UP NEXT
Mets RHP Tylor Megill opposes Brewers RHP Colin Rea in Sunday's series finale.
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Chourio sparkles in MLB debut, Brewers beat Mets 3-1 as tempers flare in season opener
NEW YORK (AP) — Even before his first big league game, Jackson Chourio had an $82 million contract.
Didn't take him long to show why.
The 20-year-old provided an immediate spark from the leadoff spot in his much-anticipated debut, and the Milwaukee Brewers threw a one-hitter to beat the New York Mets 3-1 in their contentious season opener Friday.
“It’s not easy to have that pressure and that responsibility that he carried,” new Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy said. “I’m just really proud of the kid and happy for his family and anyone that was here to see him that he really showed well — defensively, offensively, baserunning. That was pretty cool.”
Christian Yelich homered and Freddy Peralta pitched six splendid innings for the NL Central champions, giving Murphy a victory in his first game since replacing Craig Counsell.
Tempers flared at windy Citi Field when Brewers newcomer Rhys Hoskins — who irritated the Mets during his days with the NL East rival Phillies — slid hard into second baseman Jeff McNeil on a potential double-play ball in the eighth.
McNeil was visibly angry at Hoskins, and both benches and bullpens emptied onto the field. The teams kept their distance, so there was no pushing and shoving, but Hoskins rubbed his eyes as if to call McNeil a crybaby, and McNeil cursed at Hoskins from across the field.
Chourio had a terrific major league debut, getting his first hit and driving in a run with his parents and brother in the stands. He also drew a four-pitch walk to start the game, stole a base and left his feet for an important catch at the right-field wall.
After the game, the souvenir ball from his first hit was sitting in a case atop his locker, and Chourio said he would give it to his father.
“Just very happy. Very proud,” he said through a translator.
When he thought about batting Chourio leadoff, Murphy sought Yelich's opinion and the veteran outfielder told him sure, throw the kid right into the fire. Get the jitters out of the way.
“Great debut for him, for sure,” Yelich said. “He's just a talented kid. He can really play the game, and he's still so young. You forget that he was a teenager a couple weeks ago."
Chourio became the youngest Milwaukee player to make his major league debut on opening day since Hall of Famer Robin Yount was 18 in 1974.
One of baseball's most prized prospects, Chourio signed an $82 million, eight-year deal this offseason — the most money guaranteed to a player with no major league experience.
Peralta (1-0) struck out eight and walked one in his first opening-day start. The right-hander fanned four of his final five batters and the only hit he gave up was Starling Marte's homer in the second, his first since July 4.
“Peralta was really good. Not a secret — this guy when he’s on, he’s tough,” new Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “He was on today. We started chasing some balls down and then when we expanded, it was easy for him to just go back to the fastball and attack the top of the zone.”
Trevor Megill, the brother of Mets starting pitcher Tylor Megill, worked the seventh and Joel Payamps struck out two in a perfect eighth. With star closer Devin Williams injured, Abner Uribe threw a 1-2-3 ninth for his second big league save with the help of an excellent defensive play by second baseman Brice Turang.
Mets starter Jose Quintana (0-1) was charged with two runs over 4 2/3 innings in an opener postponed a day because of rain.
Mendoza lost his first game as a big league manager after replacing Buck Showalter this offseason. Mendoza was hired by new Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns, who used to run the Brewers after growing up a Mets fan in New York City.
Yelich tied it with a leadoff homer in the fourth and finished with three hits. Chourio's first hit, a ground single to right field, sent Andruw Monasterio from first to third in the fifth and set up William Contreras' shallow sacrifice fly.
Pinch-hitter Jake Bauers doubled leading off the seventh, advanced on Turang's pinch-hit bunt single and scored when Chourio grounded into a forceout. The speedy Chourio beat the relay to first, avoiding a double play to earn his first RBI.
New York dropped to 41-22 in openers, by far the best record among big league teams — even after losing its first eight from 1962-69.
UP NEXT
Brewers: DL Hall makes his Milwaukee debut when he starts Saturday in the middle game of the series. The left-hander was acquired in the Feb. 1 trade that sent 2021 NL Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes to Baltimore.
Mets: RHP Luis Severino makes his Mets debut after signing a $13 million, one-year contract in the offseason. The two-time All-Star spent his previous eight big league seasons across town with the Yankees, going 4-8 with a career-worst 6.65 ERA last year.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
Story Details
Date: Mar 29, 2024 7:08 PM
Slug: BC-BBN--Brewers-Mets, 1st Ld-Writethru
Headline: Chourio sparkles in MLB debut, Brewers beat Mets 3-1 as tempers flare in season opener
Source: AP
Byline: By MIKE FITZPATRICK
Notes: Eds: UPDATES: Updates with new lede, quotes and details.
Copyright: AP
Dateline: NEW YORK
Words: 879
PHOTO (11)1 OF 11
Slide 1 of 11PreviousNext
Milwaukee Brewers' Jackson Chourio (11) hits a single during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets Friday, March 29, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Date: Mar 29, 2024 2:03 PM
Slug: Brewers Mets Baseball
Headline: Brewers Mets Baseball
Source: AP
Packers sign former Vikings kicker Greg Joseph to provide competition for Anders Carlson
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Veteran kicker Greg Joseph has signed with the Green Bay Packers after spending the past three seasons with the Minnesota Vikings.
The Packers announced the Joseph signing on Thursday. His arrival provides competition for Anders Carlson, who struggled with consistency as a rookie kicker last season.
Joseph, 29, went 24 of 30 on field-goal attempts last season while going 3 of 6 from 40 to 49 yards and 4 of 7 from at least 50 yards. He was 36 of 38 on extra-point attempts.
For his career, Joseph has made 82.6% (100 of 121) of his field-goal attempts and 90.1% of his extra-point tries (146 of 162 in 67 regular-season games. That includes a career-long field goal of 61 yards.
Joseph played 14 games with the Cleveland Browns in 2018 and two games with the Tennessee Titans in 2019. He had been the Vikings’ main kicker since 2021.
Now he gets to compete with Carlson, a 2023 fifth-round draft pick from Auburn.
Carlson made 81.8% (27 of 33) of his field-goal attempts during the regular season, but was just 4 of 8 from 40 to 49 yards and 3 of 5 from at least 50 yards. He also was 34 of 39 on extra-point attempts.
Carlson missed an extra-point attempt in the Packers’ 48-32 wild-card playoff victory at Dallas and missed a 41-yard field goal in their 24-21 NFC divisional playoff loss at San Francisco.
The Packers also have signed kicker Jack Podlesny since the end of their season. Podlesny played college football at Georgia and hasn't appeared in an NFL game.
Brewers' season opener postponed due to rain
NEW YORK (AP) — Baseball openers in New York and Philadelphia were postponed a day until Friday because of rainy forecasts in both cities.
Pete Alonso and the New York Mets were scheduled to host the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday afternoon, a day featuring the first full slate of major league games this year. The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres started the season with a two-game series in Seoul, South Korea, last week.
But with wet weather expected much of Thursday in Queens, the Mets announced Wednesday the game was pushed back to Friday at 1:40 p.m.
Minutes later, the Philadelphia Phillies announced their sold-out opener against the NL East rival Atlanta Braves was moved from Thursday at 3:05 p.m. to Friday at the same time due to anticipated rain.
“I’d rather play when it’s safe for the guys, obviously,” new Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy said. “Our pitching is a moving target a little bit, you know what I mean? So it’s nicer to have those off days in between, to be honest. But you’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do.”
New York and Milwaukee both worked out Wednesday under a cloudy sky at Citi Field.
“Obviously, everybody's anxious to get going," Murphy said. "But it's a six-month season and guys that, our leaders that know better, that have been around — even though there's only a few of 'em — it's all part of it. They understand it.”
Murphy took over the defending NL Central champions after manager Craig Counsell bolted for the rival Chicago Cubs during the offseason.
New York turns to first-timer Carlos Mendoza — the former Yankees bench coach was hired to replace Buck Showalter by new president of baseball operations David Stearns, who used to run the Brewers after growing up a Mets fan in New York City.
“It’s getting real,” Mendoza said Wednesday before the opener was postponed. “There will be a lot of emotions and I'm really looking forward to it."
After trading No. 1 starter Corbin Burnes, a three-time All-Star and the 2021 NL Cy Young Award winner, Milwaukee gives Freddy Peralta his first career opening-day start.
Jose Quintana goes for the Mets, minus 2023 NL Rookie of the Year runner-up Kodai Senga because of a shoulder strain. Senga recently began playing catch again, but he's not expected back until at least late April or May — possibly longer.
Quintana, born in Colombia, just became an American citizen last week.
“I’d rather have it be a nicer day than opening in weather that you have to get pitchers up and then lose pitchers because of the weather,” the 65-year-old Murphy said. “How it affects me is not important. And anxiousness? Nah, I’m too old to be anxious.”
When the Phillies and Braves play Friday, right-handers Zack Wheeler and Spencer Strider will square off in a juicy NL East matchup.
Reigning NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. and the Braves finished 14 games ahead of Philadelphia each of the past two years. But the Phillies ended Atlanta’s postseason in Game 4 of a Division Series at Citizens Bank Park both times.
BREWERS UPDATE
Milwaukee left-hander Wade Miley faced teammates taking simulated at-bats at Citi Field. Miley will open on the injured list after being slowed this spring by shoulder soreness and a groin problem. He is aiming to make his season debut during an April 8-11 series in Cincinnati.
METS UPDATE
Veteran slugger J.D. Martinez, signed late in spring training, stayed back at the team's complex in Florida when New York broke camp. The 36-year-old designated hitter is taking simulated at-bats against his new teammates and running the bases as he works his way into game shape.
He'll remain in Port St. Lucie, Florida, for at least a week to 10 days, Mendoza said, before Martinez and the team determine the next step. He isn't expected to make his Mets debut until at least April 7.
“When we get him, it's going to be a lot deeper lineup,” Mendoza said.
Brewers outfielder Garrett Mitchell expected to miss start of season with broken hand
PHOENIX (AP) — Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Garrett Mitchell has a fracture in his left hand and is expected to miss the start of the season.
Brewers manager Pat Murphy told reporters about the injury Monday and said Mitchell was seeing a specialist.
It's the latest injury-related setback for Mitchell since the Brewers selected him out of UCLA with the 20th overall pick in the 2020 amateur draft. Mitchell missed most of the 2023 season after undergoing surgery last May to repair a torn labrum, though he returned to action in late September.
Mitchell, 25, batted .246 with a .315 on-base percentage, three homers and seven RBIs in 19 games last season. He hit .311 with a .373 on-base percentage, two homers, nine RBIs and eight steals over 28 games in 2022.
He had an impressive spring and appeared likely to get regular playing time this year before the injury. Mitchell hit .319 with a .385 on-base percentage, one homer, eight RBIs and two steals in 47 Cactus League at-bats.
The defending NL Central champion Brewers have had a tough spring with regard to injuries. All-Star closer Devin Williams, who won his second National League reliever of the year award last season, has two stress fractures in his back and could miss at least three months.
Milwaukee opens the season Thursday in New York against the Mets.
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Wisconsin announces home-and-home with California
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin and California will play a home-and-home series in 2029 and 2030.
Under the agreement that was announced Tuesday, Wisconsin will play at California on Sept. 1, 2029. California will visit Wisconsin on Aug. 31, 2030.
Wisconsin had been scheduled to play non-conference games with UCLA in 2029 and 2030, but those got scrapped when UCLA announced it would be joining the Big Ten beginning this season. Wisconsin will be visiting UCLA in 2026 and hosting the Bruins in 2027 as part of their Big Ten schedules.
California and Wisconsin haven’t faced each other since 1990. California leads the series 5-1, with Wisconsin winning in 1946.
