Dubon back with Brewers after health scare

MESA, Ariz. -- Infield prospect Mauricio Dubón returned to Brewers camp on Saturday, 15 pounds lighter and feeling a bit weak, but relieved to be past the worst of an intestinal issue that required a four-night hospitalization.

Dubon will be restricted from baseball activities into next week so he has time to gain back some weight and strength, manager Craig Counsell said. It’s too early to know whether the setback will impact his availability for the start of the Triple-A season.

“It was a long four days,” said Dubon, No. 5 on MLB Pipeline’s list of Milwaukee’s top prospects. “A lot of blood taken, a lot of tests. I lost 15 pounds. I had to do a colonoscopy and take a whole gallon of laxative. That was the worst of all the days.

“It was scary because at the time I didn’t know what was going to happen. Doctors came in, took blood and didn’t come back for like five hours. I was like, ‘What’s going on?’ They did every test possible. Thank God I’m healthy now. Now, I just get stronger from here.”

Dubon said doctors found ulcers in his intestinal tract and attributed the illness, which goes back to the beginning of his rehab from ACL surgery last year, to stress and poor dietary habits. Dubon already was feeling lethargic when he started the Brewers’ Cactus League opener on Feb. 23 against the Cubs. When he took a turn for the worse, his girlfriend, Nancy, convinced him to seek medical attention on Monday.

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He received antibiotics and was subjected to a series of tests to rule out more serious illnesses before doctors released Dubon from the hospital on Friday afternoon.

“I think you can tell he’s been through something, there’s no question,” Counsell said. “He’s down between 10-15 pounds, so he will spend most of the next week just trying to put weight back on. So, no baseball activities for a little bit here.

“I can’t overestimate this. I know he’s out of the hospital and he’s here, but he’s been through a really rough five days. So it’s important that he get his foundation back.”

Dubon said he’s already making changes.

“Right now, I’m changing one-eighty the way I eat,” he said. “I used to crush [soda pop]. Now, I can’t. It’s been life-changing so far. I haven’t been feeling good for a while, on and off. My insides were hurting a little bit. I was trying to tough it out and play. That day, I couldn’t take it anymore.

“It’s a good thing it happened right now, in Spring Training. I can handle it now rather than in the season. I’m glad they took care of it now because now I don’t have to think about it.”

Shaw goes deep

In the regular season, Travis Shaw is content with the plethora of right-handed pitchers in the National League Central. In Spring Training, his philosophy is “bring on the lefties.”

Shaw, who said upon reporting to American Family Fields of Phoenix that his top priority this spring is improving against left-handed pitchers, smacked an opposite-field, two-run home run Saturday off Cubs southpaw Jon Lester’s fastball in the first inning of Milwaukee’s 7-4 win at Sloan Park. Shaw slashed .209/.303/.296 against lefties last season.

“This spring, so far, I’ve felt better,” Shaw said. “My second game a few days ago [a three at-bat, three-strikeout performance against the Giants] was obviously pretty bad, but outside of that, I feel pretty good.

“Any time you can hit a ball hard like that, especially this early in camp, it’s good. The first couple of games, you’re kind of feeling things out. I don’t think I swung until I got a strike the first two games. Today, I tried to be a little more aggressive. The swing felt good today, so it was a positive day.”

Lester brushed it off.

“Behind in the count, I'm not going to nitpick a little bit or nitpick at all,” Lester said. “During the season, when it's that situation, maybe you try something different than just firing heaters. But, yeah, you've got to get arm strength. You've got to throw your fastball and know where it's going. I felt like I made a good pitch. He put a good swing on it, you know? So, going forward, just remember that one and use it for next time."

Up next

Christian Yelich will serve as the designated hitter when the Brewers host the Reds at American Family Fields of Phoenix on Sunday in their final game before the first off day of camp. Josh Tomlin, the non-roster invitee vying for a spot in the starting rotation, will start opposite Reds right-hander Lucas Sims at 2:05 p.m. CT. The game will air on MLB.TV, Fox Sports Wisconsin and the Brewers Radio Network.