Brewers’ Brent Suter has a torn UCL

Brewers left-hander Brent Suter has a torn UCL and is likely to require Tommy John surgery, as The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal first reported Monday:

Suter, 28, was briefly demoted to the bullpen in early May but has been a stable force in the Brewers’ rotation for most of the season. Over 20 appearances, including 18 starts, he’s posted a 4.80 ERA and 1.20 WHIP with 84 strikeouts and 19 walks in 101.1 innings.

While Suter isn’t exactly an ace, his loss is a major blow to the Brewers’ rotation, and one would think it only increases the odds of them trading for a starter as they desperately try to hold onto a playoff spot. While they were in first place as recently as July 12, they’re 2-8 over their last 10 games and are now just half a game ahead in the race for the second NL Wild Card spot.

They’re down to three starting pitchers for the moment with Chase Anderson, Jhoulys Chacin, and Wade Miley, but it’s likely that Junior Guerra will return from the DL and Freddy Peralta will return from a brief trip to the minor leagues within the next few days. Relievers Brandon Woodruff and Corbin Burnes could also be rotation options going forward if needed. Milwaukee could get Zach Davies, who is out with rotator cuff inflammation, and Jimmy Nelson, who had shoulder surgery and hasn’t pitched since early September of last year, back at some point, but it seems that they shouldn’t be banking on those possibilities with so much at stake.

Reliever Jorge Lopez took Suter’s spot on the 25-man roster on Monday, though it’s likely he’ll be optioned once the Brewers fully restock their rotation.