Can this veteran third baseman bounce back with the Brewers?

The Brewers inked veteran third baseman Josh Donaldson to a minor league deal just before the calendar flipped to September, allowing the club to bring him up sometime this month for the stretch run and possibly into the postseason should they choose to do so. Donaldson, who slashed just .142/.225/.434 in 33 games with the Yankees this year before being released in late August, is not guaranteed a roster spot by any means, as MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy relays that manager Craig Counsell told reporters no call-up is imminent for the former MVP.

“In order for Josh to best be prepared to make a contribution here, we need to get a foundation of at-bats for him in the Minor Leagues.” Counsell said. Things are moving somewhat slowly on that front, as Donaldson has appeared in just four games for the club’s Triple-A affiliate in Nashville, with a .143/.294/.357 slash line across 17 plate appearances. Current third baseman Andruw Monasterio has provided the Brewers with roughly league-average production in 254 trips to the plate this year, slashing .271/.343/.371 with a wRC+ of 97. Given the power Donaldson showed during his brief healthy stint with the Yankees this year, it’s feasible that he could provide the lineup with a boost compared to Monasterio’s low-power profile. Regardless of that possibility, however, it seems the 37-year-old will have to prove himself in the minors before joining the big league club in Milwaukee.

More from around the NL Central…

• Cubs right-hander Marcus Stroman hasn’t pitched for the big league team since the end of July due to hip inflammation and a rib cartilage fracture, but continues to make progress on his return. With manager David Ross having indicated yesterday that Stroman is ahead of schedule following a successful live batting practice session on Thursday, it’s still nonetheless an encouraging sign for fans on the north side that Stroman is set to throw a second live BP at the club’s Arizona complex on Monday, per The Athletic’s Patrick Mooney. It seems reasonable to expect that if Monday’s session goes well, Stroman could advance to a rehab assignment in fairly short order. While it’s not clear if there’s enough time left in the regular season for Stroman to build up to a starter’s workload, it’s becoming increasingly likely the veteran righty returns to the mound in Chicago before the season comes to a close. With the Cubs currently in the thick of the playoff hunt, it’s possible Stroman could impact the team into October even if he isn’t able to return before the end of the regular season.
• Pirates youngster Henry Davis didn’t see his big league career start off the way he surely hoped it would, as the first overall pick from the 2021 draft slashed just .213/.306/.339 (74 wRC+) in 209 trips to the plate before hitting the injured list with a muscle strain in his hand back in August. Fortunately for Davis, it seems like he’ll have a chance to end his rookie year on a high note, as Kevin Gorman of the Tribune-Review was among those to relay that the catcher-turned-outfielder will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A this evening. With Davis on the shelf, the club has mixed-and-matched between Miguel Andujar, Joshua Palacios, Ji Hwan Bae, and Connor Joe in the outfield alongside regulars Bryan Reynolds and Jack Suwinski.
• Reds infielder Noelvi Marte was scratched from the lineup just before today’s game against the Cardinals after an incident occurred on the field during pre-game warmups. As relayed by Gordon Wittenmeyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer, Marte was playing catch with shortstop Elly De La Cruz when Marte was caught unaware and struck in the face by a ball from De La Cruz. The club announced that Marte was day-to-day with a face contusion. Marte has performed decently in 70 plate appearances since having his contract selected late last month, with a .254/.329/.381 slash line that’s good for a wRC+ of 90. Infielder Alejo Lopez took over for Marte in the starting lineup this evening, with Spencer Steer sliding from second base to third base to accommodate Lopez. With Jonathan India, Matt McLain, and Kevin Newman all on the injured list already, a significant absence for Marte would be a brutal turn of events for the injury-plagued Reds.