Brewers' J.B. Bukauskas: Needs surgery on injured lat
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Bukauskas will undergo surgery on his injured right lat and be sidelined for 9-to-10 months, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
Bukauskas pitched in just six big-league games last season due to injuries and appears set to miss the entirety of the 2025 campaign with this lengthy recovery timeline. Bukauskas has been dealing with lat issues, as this is the fourth time he's injured the same one. The hope is that surgery will finally correct the issue for good and Bukauskas can return to full health for the 2026 season.
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Brewers' J.B. Bukauskas: Undergoes MRI on arm
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Bukauskas underwent an MRI on his right arm after suffering an injury during a live batting practice session Wednesday, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.
McCalvy is referring to the injury as a "setback," which could indicate Bukauskas is again having issues with his right triceps, which is an injury that sidelined him for a bit last season. He's in Brewers camp as a non-roster invitee, and this development could erase any chance he might have had to make the Opening Day roster.
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Brewers' J.B. Bukauskas: Outrighted to Triple-A
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The Brewers outrighted Bukauskas to Triple-A Nashville on Thursday, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
Bukauskas has been outrighted previously, so he has the ability to decline the assignment and become a free agent if he wants. The right-handed reliever holds a career 5.04 ERA and 27:11 K:BB over 30.1 innings covering parts of three major-league seasons.
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Brewers' J.B. Bukauskas: Removed from 40-man roster
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The Brewers designated Bukauskas for assignment Friday, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
The transaction creates space on the 40-man roster for the signing of Elvin Rodriguez. Bukauskas was injured for much of 2024 with triceps and oblique problems, but he pitched well when available, yielding one run with a 6:1 K:BB in six innings. There could be interest in the 28-year-old via trade or waivers.
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Brewers' J.B. Bukauskas: Dealing with oblique injury
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Manager Pat Murphy said Wednesday that Bukauskas (shoulder) is recovering from an oblique strain, and the Brewers are hopeful that he'll be available for game action "by the end of September," MLB.com reports.
Bukauskas was initially placed on the injured list back on April 14 with a right lat strain, but the Brewers later reclassified the injury as a right tricep strain. He then experienced a setback with his shoulder during a June 13 rehab appearance, resulting in him being shut down again. Bukauskas resumed his rehab assignment in late July, but he made just three appearances in the minors before apparently tweaking his oblique at some point along the way. While the Brewers are optimistic that Bukauskas will make it back from the IL during the final month of the season, it's not clear when he'll be ready to start up his rehab assignment for a third time.
The Brewers sent Bukauskas (triceps) to their Arizona Complex League affiliate Wednesday so he can resume a rehab assignment.
Bukauskas had to be pulled off his initial rehab assignment last month following a setback with his triceps/shoulder injury, but he's feeling well enough now to give it a go again. The reliever has been sidelined since mid-April, so he figures to require several rehab appearances before being an option for the Brewers' bullpen.
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Brewers' J.B. Bukauskas: Has upcoming bullpen
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Bukauskas (triceps) will throw a bullpen Friday, Sophia Minnaert of Bally Sports Wisconsin reports.
Bukauskas was transferred to the 60-day injured list May 10 due a right triceps strain that had originally been classified as a lat strain when he first hit the IL on April 14. If his bullpen session goes well, he could soon progress to what would figure to be a lengthy rehab assignment.
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Brewers' J.B. Bukauskas: Dealing with triceps issue
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Bukauskas' injury has been reclassified as a right triceps strain, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
Bukauskas was placed on the injured list Sunday with what had been referred to as a right lat strain, but further testing revealed the injury is actually to his triceps. There remains no timetable for his return, as more testing still needs to be done.
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Brewers' J.B. Bukauskas: Healthy for spring
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Bukauskas (finger) has struck out six while allowing one hit and one walk over two scoreless innings through his first two appearances of the Cactus League.
Bukauskas closed the 2023 season on the Brewers' 15-day injured list due to a right ring finger tendon injury, but he doesn't seem to be facing any restrictions thus far in camp. The 27-year-old right-hander is expected to fill a middle-relief role in the Milwaukee bullpen in 2024.
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Brewers' J.B. Bukauskas: Joins big-league bullpen
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The Brewers recalled Bukauskas from Triple-A Nashville on Monday.
Bukauskas will provide the Brewers with a fresh arm out of the bullpen heading into Monday's series opener with the Cubs after the team needed four relievers to cover the final seven innings of Sunday's 10-6 win over the Padres. The Brewers required extra work from their bullpen because starter Adrian Houser (elbow) exited the contest after recording just two outs. Houser was moved to the 15-day injured list Monday to clear a spot on the active roster for Bukauskas.
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Brewers' J.B. Bukauskas: Activated and optioned
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The Brewers reinstated Bukauskas (neck) from the 15-day injured list Monday and optioned him to Triple-A Nashville.
Bukauskas made two rehab appearances for Nashville last week to prove that he's no longer bothered by the strained neck, but the Brewers simply don't have room on the 26-man active roster at the moment for another low-leverage reliever. He'll continue to work out of the Nashville bullpen and could be an option to rejoin the big club the next time Milwaukee needs a fresh arm.
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Brewers' J.B. Bukauskas: Rehabbing at Triple-A
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Bukauskas (neck) began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Nashville on Tuesday, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.
Bukauskas has been on the injured list since May 20 with a cervical strain. It's unclear how long the team plans on keeping Bukauskas on assignment, but considering how beat up the Brewers' pitching staff already is, it could be a quick minor-league stint for the 26-year-old reliever.
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Brewers' J.B. Bukauskas: Placed on 15-day IL
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Bukauskas was placed on the 15-day injured list by the Brewers on Saturday with a cervical strain.
A cervical strain is also known as whiplash. The right-hander was replaced on the active roster by Colin Rea, with Rea being recalled from Triple-A Nashville in the corresponding transaction. The Brewers placed Bukauskas on the 15-day injured list retroactive to May 17, so the earliest he could return to the Milwaukee bullpen is the start of June.
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Brewers' J.B. Bukauskas: Claimed off waivers by MIL
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Bukauskas was claimed off waivers Tuesday by the Brewers.
Bukauskas had been designated for assignment by Seattle after allowing two runs -- one earned -- in one inning this year at the MLB level. He'd also pitched to an ugly 7.94 ERA through 5.2 innings of relief at Triple-A Tacoma. He'll head to Triple-A Nashville to begin his stint with the Brewers organization.
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Mariners' J.B. Bukauskas: Outrighted to Triple-A
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Bukauskas cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A Tacoma on Friday.
After being claimed by the Mariners in mid-January and DFA'd Tuesday, Bukauskas is now set to begin 2023 in the Mariners' farm system and attend major-league spring training as a non-roster invitee. The 26-year-old right-hander recorded a 2.79 ERA and 1.31 WHIP through 19.1 Triple-A innings last season.
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Mariners' J.B. Bukauskas: Claimed by Seattle
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The Mariners claimed Bukauskas off waivers from Arizona on Tuesday.
After being designated for assignment by the Diamondbacks on Wednesday, Bukauskas will now get another chance to contribute to a major-league pitching staff with Seattle. Bukauskas spent the first few months of last season on the injured list, but was able to return and post a 2.79 ERA and 1.31 WHIP through 19.1 frames with Triple-A Reno. To make room for the 26-year-old reliever, the Mariners designated Alberto Rodriguez for assignment.
Bukauskas (shoulder) threw a 25-pitch bullpen session May 27, Jake Rill and Jack Sommers of MLB.com report.
Bukauskas is working his way back from a Grade 2 teres major strain sustained in mid-March and is currently on the 60-day injured list. It's similar to an injury teammate Taylor Clarke had last season, which sidelined him for more than seven weeks.
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Diamondbacks' J.B. Bukauskas: Begins throwing
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Bukauskas (shoulder) has resumed throwing, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports.
Bukauskas suffered a Grade 2 strain of the teres major muscle in his right shoulder during his lone outing in spring training. The right-hander is playing catch at a distance of 60 feet.
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Diamondbacks' J.B. Bukauskas: Recalled by Arizona
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Bukauskas was recalled from Triple-A Reno on Friday.
Bukauskas spent a week and a half in the minors and struck out three in 1.2 scoreless innings across two appearances at Triple-A Reno. He should serve as middle-relief help in the big leagues.
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Diamondbacks' J.B. Bukauskas: Snares win
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Bukauskas (2-2) struck out two over a perfect seventh inning and was the winning pitcher in Tuesday's 11-6 win over the Pirates.
Bukauskas was the beneficiary of Arizona's eight-run seventh inning, but he was impressive nonetheless, using his entire repertoire to dispatch Pittsburgh on 14 pitches (10 strikes). Both of his post-break outings have been scoreless. The Diamondbacks will be giving Bukauskas plenty of chances over the final months to chisel away at a 7.98 ERA.
