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ST. LOUIS – The time is now for Luis Lara.
A little less than a month after signing a seven-year, $31 million contract extension with the Milwaukee Brewers, the switch-hitting outfielder was called up from Class AAA Nashville and expected to make his major league debut Tuesday, July 6 during the team's doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium.
Outfielder Blake Perkins was optioned to Nashville in the corresponding move.
"He'll be in there today at some point," manager Pat Murphy said. "I think Luis can help us being a switch-hitter, equally good from both sides. He's never touched the big leagues, but it's time. We've signed him to a long-term deal, obviously, and that predicates that he's going to be a Brewer, and I can't tell you how excited we are about seeing him.
"He can play center, he can play right, he can play left. He can spell guys. He can play our type of game. So, I think it just solidifies us even a little more."
The 21-year-old Venezuelan's promotion comes on the heels of a career season so far with the Sound. He has a .321 average, nine home runs, 42 runs batted in and .902 OPS (on-base plus slugging), all representing personal highs through just 78 games.
He's also a reigning Rawlings Gold Glove Award winner in the minors, winning it for his exploits in center at Class AA Biloxi in 2025.
"He's been hitting in Triple-A. He's been playing great defense. He's met every challenge," Murphy said. "The problem was, we didn't have a need. We feel like now he can contribute both as a starter and then off the bench. It's hard for a young player to play off the bench, but it's also hard for a young player to come up and play every single day.
"So, we'll see how this goes and yet we plan him being here to stay."
Lara enters an outfield picture that already has a pretty clear pecking order with Jackson Chourio in left, Garrett Mitchell in center and Sal Frelick in right, with Jake Bauers occasionally starting in left and right.
"You can rotate the four, for sure," Murphy said. "Against lefties, Lara is a right-handed hitter too, so he gets those on certain days. Mitchell, we've got to keep him healthy. We've got to be sure of that. Chourio, too. So, there's days we could play three lefties out there. There's days we can mix and match.
"I think he's a perfect, perfect fit."
The Brewers made the move to bring Lara up after infielder David Hamilton strained his left hamstring in a 4-3 win over the Cardinals in the series opener Monday.
Hamilton's status was still uncertain Tuesday morning, with imaging still needing to be performed. Joey Ortiz started at third base in Game 1, but Andrew Vaughn and Frelick – yes, Frelick – were candidates to play third if needed. Greg Jones is also in St. Louis on the Brewers' taxi squad.
Lara was in the midst of some recreational time on Nashville's off day Monday when he got the call every player dreams of receiving.
"I was playing PlayStation and the manager called me," Lara said through interpreter Daniel de Mondesert. "And I had a feeling that whenever he called that was going to be it. I started to tremble a little bit. And even though I was somewhat prepared for the call, it's a moment that you never forget.
"It's just very emotional, very special."
Lara is the second Brewers prospect to have signed a lucrative long-term extension and then be promoted, joining shortstop Cooper Pratt. Pratt's wait was about a month longer, and he's been Milwaukee's everyday shortstop since making his debut June 16.
"I just really was trying to stay prepared mentally just knowing that this moment to come at any given time, and the moment came," Lara said. "Now it's just about doing what I was doing at Triple-A and just going out there and enjoying the game and having fun while doing it."
Lara initially signed with the Brewers for $1.1 million in January 2022 as an international free agent and was asked if he could have imagined in the spring, reporting for his second major league camp with the Brewers, all that has transpired to this point.
"Not even close," he said. "When I got there my mentality, my focus was on being able to play my game, and that's what I was locked into. Really, it's been a tremendous blessing and thanks to God and thanks to my family for everything that has happened."
And now, Lara is ready to help the Brewers continue their run atop the National League Central.
"I've always had the confidence, and it's the same game," Lara said. "I'm going to try to do what I always do and come out here and give everything I've got and do whatever the team needs in whatever role they need and just try to enjoy the game and help the team win."
Whenever Lara does get into a game, he'll become the seventh rookie to make his debut for the Brewers this season
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: A month after signing an extension with the Brewers, Luis Lara gets the call
Continue reading...
A little less than a month after signing a seven-year, $31 million contract extension with the Milwaukee Brewers, the switch-hitting outfielder was called up from Class AAA Nashville and expected to make his major league debut Tuesday, July 6 during the team's doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium.
Outfielder Blake Perkins was optioned to Nashville in the corresponding move.
"He'll be in there today at some point," manager Pat Murphy said. "I think Luis can help us being a switch-hitter, equally good from both sides. He's never touched the big leagues, but it's time. We've signed him to a long-term deal, obviously, and that predicates that he's going to be a Brewer, and I can't tell you how excited we are about seeing him.
"He can play center, he can play right, he can play left. He can spell guys. He can play our type of game. So, I think it just solidifies us even a little more."
The 21-year-old Venezuelan's promotion comes on the heels of a career season so far with the Sound. He has a .321 average, nine home runs, 42 runs batted in and .902 OPS (on-base plus slugging), all representing personal highs through just 78 games.
He's also a reigning Rawlings Gold Glove Award winner in the minors, winning it for his exploits in center at Class AA Biloxi in 2025.
"He's been hitting in Triple-A. He's been playing great defense. He's met every challenge," Murphy said. "The problem was, we didn't have a need. We feel like now he can contribute both as a starter and then off the bench. It's hard for a young player to play off the bench, but it's also hard for a young player to come up and play every single day.
"So, we'll see how this goes and yet we plan him being here to stay."
Lara enters an outfield picture that already has a pretty clear pecking order with Jackson Chourio in left, Garrett Mitchell in center and Sal Frelick in right, with Jake Bauers occasionally starting in left and right.
"You can rotate the four, for sure," Murphy said. "Against lefties, Lara is a right-handed hitter too, so he gets those on certain days. Mitchell, we've got to keep him healthy. We've got to be sure of that. Chourio, too. So, there's days we could play three lefties out there. There's days we can mix and match.
"I think he's a perfect, perfect fit."
The Brewers made the move to bring Lara up after infielder David Hamilton strained his left hamstring in a 4-3 win over the Cardinals in the series opener Monday.
Hamilton's status was still uncertain Tuesday morning, with imaging still needing to be performed. Joey Ortiz started at third base in Game 1, but Andrew Vaughn and Frelick – yes, Frelick – were candidates to play third if needed. Greg Jones is also in St. Louis on the Brewers' taxi squad.
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Lara was in the midst of some recreational time on Nashville's off day Monday when he got the call every player dreams of receiving.
"I was playing PlayStation and the manager called me," Lara said through interpreter Daniel de Mondesert. "And I had a feeling that whenever he called that was going to be it. I started to tremble a little bit. And even though I was somewhat prepared for the call, it's a moment that you never forget.
"It's just very emotional, very special."
Lara is the second Brewers prospect to have signed a lucrative long-term extension and then be promoted, joining shortstop Cooper Pratt. Pratt's wait was about a month longer, and he's been Milwaukee's everyday shortstop since making his debut June 16.
"I just really was trying to stay prepared mentally just knowing that this moment to come at any given time, and the moment came," Lara said. "Now it's just about doing what I was doing at Triple-A and just going out there and enjoying the game and having fun while doing it."
Lara initially signed with the Brewers for $1.1 million in January 2022 as an international free agent and was asked if he could have imagined in the spring, reporting for his second major league camp with the Brewers, all that has transpired to this point.
"Not even close," he said. "When I got there my mentality, my focus was on being able to play my game, and that's what I was locked into. Really, it's been a tremendous blessing and thanks to God and thanks to my family for everything that has happened."
And now, Lara is ready to help the Brewers continue their run atop the National League Central.
"I've always had the confidence, and it's the same game," Lara said. "I'm going to try to do what I always do and come out here and give everything I've got and do whatever the team needs in whatever role they need and just try to enjoy the game and help the team win."
Whenever Lara does get into a game, he'll become the seventh rookie to make his debut for the Brewers this season
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: A month after signing an extension with the Brewers, Luis Lara gets the call
Continue reading...
