Brewers Infield Injuries Force Andrew Vaughn to Third Base Against Twins

Joey Ortiz and Cooper Pratt are sidelined with back and hamstring issues, leaving the NL Central leaders short-handed on the left side of the diamond.

MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Brewers faced the Minnesota Twins on Sunday with a significantly altered defensive alignment following a 1:38 PM ET medical update. Third baseman Joey Ortiz and shortstop Cooper Pratt were both officially designated as day-to-day, leaving the National League Central leaders without their primary left-side infielders. Ortiz was forced to exit Saturday’s game after a second-inning swing resulted in aggravated scapular muscles in his upper back. Meanwhile, Pratt is currently awaiting the results of an MRI to determine the severity of a hamstring strain sustained during the same contest.

Key details

To fill the void at the hot corner, manager Pat Murphy turned to Andrew Vaughn for the Sunday matinee. This start represents only the second time in Vaughn’s professional career that he has opened a game at third base, with his lone previous start at the position occurring during the 2021 season. While primarily a first baseman, Vaughn has logged six relief appearances at third base throughout the 2025 campaign. Murphy categorized the current roster predicament as an emergency situation, emphasizing that the club had limited alternatives given the sudden nature of the dual injuries.

David Hamilton returned to the starting shortstop position on Sunday, marking his first start at the six-spot since June 9. Hamilton had spent the early portion of the summer rotating between third and short, but his defensive responsibilities shifted almost exclusively to third base following Pratt’s promotion to the big leagues in mid-June. The current health crisis has effectively reversed that transition, forcing Hamilton back to his original role to stabilize the middle of the diamond while the rookies recover.

Depth concerns have simultaneously reached the Triple-A level in Nashville, where top prospect Jett Williams is battling persistent wrist soreness. Williams, who holds the No. 7 spot in the organization’s prospect rankings according to ESPN, has been dispatched to Arizona to undergo an evaluation by a specialist. Since joining the Brewers organization in a January trade, Williams has split his defensive innings between shortstop and third base for the Nashville Sounds. That high-profile winter transaction saw Milwaukee send two-time All-Star pitcher Freddy Peralta to the New York Mets in exchange for Williams and right-handed pitcher Brandon Sproat.

Latest developments

In a proactive move to address the thinning utility ranks, the Brewers front office finalized a minor league contract with Jihwan Bae on Sunday morning. Bae arrives in the organization with 163 games of Major League Baseball experience, all accumulated during a four-year stint with the Pittsburgh Pirates spanning 2022 to 2025. His defensive resume is diverse, featuring extensive time in the outfield and at second base, though he has also filled in at shortstop during high-leverage situations in the past. The 25-year-old provides a veteran insurance policy as the major league club navigates the uncertainty surrounding Ortiz’s back and Pratt’s leg.

The loss of Ortiz is particularly impactful given his offensive contributions this season, as he has solidified the bottom half of the order while providing elite glovework. His exit on Saturday occurred just two innings after the initial injury, suggesting the back spasms were too severe to play through. Pratt’s situation remains more volatile, as hamstring injuries often require a minimum 10-day stint on the injured list depending on the grade of the tear identified by the imaging scheduled for later this afternoon.

Milwaukee’s bench on Sunday featured limited infield flexibility, further highlighting why Vaughn was asked to move across the diamond. The Brewers have relied heavily on young talent to maintain their lead in the division, but the simultaneous loss of two starters tests the organizational philosophy of positional versatility. As the team prepares for a road trip, the medical staff will prioritize stabilizing Ortiz’s scapular region to avoid a long-term absence that would necessitate a more permanent call-up from Nashville. For now, the defensive configuration remains a fluid experiment centered on Vaughn’s ability to handle the speed of the hot corner.