Veteran locks up spot in Brewers' bullpen

PHOENIX -- The Brewers wasted no time signing Trevor Gott on the very first day of free agency last November, and they likewise wasted no time in advising him that he’s made the Opening Day roster.

Gott received that news on Thursday, one week before the Brewers’ April 7 opener against the Cubs at Wrigley Field and the deadline for teams to formally set their 28-man rosters. The news was not a shock, since Gott was out of options, has experience closing games for the Giants and has pitched well for the Brewers while continuing to evolve his deep arsenal of pitches. But it was a relief to escape the uncertainty that players on the bubble across baseball are feeling right now.

"It's awesome,” Gott said. “I've made a couple Opening Day rosters and I would say this one means the most coming off the past couple years that I had. I really appreciate it."

Gott joins a group of five other relievers considered locks for the 28-man roster: Josh Hader, Devin Williams, Brad Boxberger, Brent Suter and Jake Cousins. Young left-hander Aaron Ashby is expected to bounce between the bullpen and rotation as needed. Recently signed José Ureña will have a spot barring any setbacks beginning with his scheduled Cactus League debut on Sunday. That makes eight, leaving one open spot if the Brewers open with a 14-man pitching staff.

Gott, 29, owns a 5.01 ERA and a relatively modest 7.5 strikeouts per nine innings in 140 career Major League innings, but the Giants thought enough of his arm that they had Gott close some games in 2020. He spent all of 2021 at Triple-A Sacramento striking out 11.4 batters per nine innings, and the Brewers scooped him up early.

They offered some ideas, backed by data, to further refine his pitch mix. Gott said he thinks his cutter could be particularly key this season.

“I can't wait to be back out on a Major League mound, confident, throwing all my stuff,” he said. “I feel better than I've ever been, and I'm just really excited."

Gott has primarily been a one-inning arm but said he’s open to a multi-inning role if the Brewers ask it of him. And he said he’s all for manager Craig Counsell’s philosophy of “out-getters” vs. relievers in set roles.

“He's pitched very well this spring,” said Counsell, referring to Gott’s 1.00 WHIP and 11.3 K/9 in four appearances. “We just really liked the direction he's headed. He's excited about what's ahead of him here. He's definitely going to get opportunities.”

Of Gott embracing the Brewers’ plan for him, Counsell said, “This is [pitching coach] Chris Hook. This is why Chris is so good. How he presents, how he marries the data with teaching points to help players is really just excellent. It's not easy to do but Chris is really good at it.”

Last call
• Counsell was not ready on Friday to announce the Brewers’ plans for non-roster invitee Luis Perdomo, one of the candidates for a bullpen opening. Perdomo started Friday's 5-3 win over a Cubs split squad and pitched two scoreless innings with two hits, a strikeout and no walks. He has a 1.23 ERA in five Cactus League appearances.

• Bally Sports Wisconsin’s Sophia Minnaert reported that Rowdy Tellez’s stride to the plate Friday while the Disney song “Let It Go” blared from the American Family Fields of Phoenix sound system was the April Fools' Day work of assistant hitting coach Matt Erickson. Well, it worked. Tellez lofted a home run to right field, his second of the spring.

• With Adrian Houser’s five-inning outing in a Minor League game on Thursday night, all of the Brewers’ starting pitchers have one exhibition outing remaining. Whether they continue adding to their pitch count or back off in the final outing will depend on personal preference, said Counsell, who is pleased with where each of the starters -- Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, Freddy Peralta, Eric Lauer and Houser -- stand at this particular point in time. All are built up beyond 70 pitches.

• Usually, the big league team is first to leave Spring Training, but this year the Triple-A Sounds were first to depart on Friday morning. They open at home on Tuesday against Durham.