The Milwaukee Brewers have been without outfielder Jackson Chourio for the entire first month of the season as he recovers from a fracture in his left hand. The 22-year-old rising star suffered the injury while playing for Team Venezuela at the World Baseball Classic.
Fortunately for Milwaukee, Chourio has been working his way back on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Nashville. When he returns, his impact will be undeniable.
Chourio impacts the game in nearly every way. He is an elite defender and a constant threat on the bases. Across his first two MLB seasons, he owns a .272 batting average, .317 on-base percentage, .781 OPS, 42 home runs and 157 RBIs.
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That is why his early exit from Saturday’s rehab game was incredibly alarming for Brewers fans. In the bottom of the third inning, Chourio fouled a ball off his left foot and immediately hobbled in discomfort, unable to put full pressure on it.
Trainers checked on him, and although he initially stayed in the game, he was removed before the top of the fourth inning. With Chourio working to return, this appeared to be a worst-case scenario.
Fortunately, the Brewers quickly provided an update that should ease concerns. “Jackson Chourio was removed from tonight's game for precautionary reasons, the Brewers say,” reported Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
This is reassuring for Milwaukee, as Chourio remains a crucial part of the organization’s long-term plans. He made history in December 2023 when he signed an eight-year, $82 million contract extension, the largest ever for a player with no MLB experience at the time.
Even without him, the Brewers have managed an 18-14 record, but with him, their ceiling rises dramatically. His status will continue to be monitored, but for now, the Brewers avoided the worst-case scenario.
