Willy Adames has added a new element to his game this season.
Adames entered Wednesday’s road game against the Pittsburgh Pirates after recording a career-high 20 stolen bases for the Milwaukee Brewers.
He is the first shortstop in franchise history to hit at least 30 home runs and steal 20 bases in a season.
“I didn’t think I’d get to 20 at first,” Adames said after stealing his 20th base in the Brewers’ 7-2 win over the Pirates on Tuesday in the series opener. “Maybe I’ll get to 25.”
Adames said his coaching staff and teammates have encouraged him to aim for 20 steals this season, after his previous career high was eight in 2022.
He is the fifth Milwaukee player to steal at least 20 bases this season, joining rookie Jackson Chaulio as the first Brewers teammate to record at least 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in the same season.
“I think it was the right mentality to fit in with the team,” Adames said of his increased stolen base numbers. “They were aggressive from Day 1 and I just wanted to be involved with them.”
Brewers manager Pat Murphy doesn’t need a major milestone to acknowledge Adames is having the best season of his career, and he’s focused on getting his team into the postseason in good shape, which starts with winning the series against the Pirates.
“We’ve got to continue to play good baseball. We played a good game (Tuesday),” Murphy said. “I’ve said it all year: (Pittsburgh) is not a bad team. They have hitters and pitchers that we all know.”
Freddy Peralta is scheduled to start for the Brewers (90-67) on Wednesday.
Peralta (11-8, 3.69 ERA) is 4-1 with a 2.19 ERA in his past seven starts.
Peralta’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies on September 18 was a no-conclusion game despite allowing one run and two hits over five innings. He left the game with the score tied at 1-1, and the Brewers ultimately won the game 2-1 after clinching the National League Central Division title earlier that day.
Peralta has appeared 21 times against the Pirates, 12 as a starter, going 2-1 with a 3.56 ERA. He last faced Pittsburgh on April 25, pitching 4 2/3 innings and allowing five runs, five hits and five walks in a no-decision game.
Luis L. Ortiz is scheduled to start for the Pirates (73-84) in Wednesday’s game.
Ortiz (6-6, 3.43 ERA) is 0-2 with a 5.17 ERA in three starts this month but has pitched well in his recent outings, including on Thursday when he held the St. Louis Cardinals to just two runs and five hits in six innings while striking out seven and walking two.
The right-hander lost a decision in the Pirates’ 3-2 win but was pleased with his performance.
“Today I just focused on getting them to hit the weak ball, and I got them to strike out,” Ortiz said through a translator. “I wasn’t trying to strike them out, but I was able to throw quality pitches and that’s what got the result. I’m very happy.”
Pirates manager Derek Shelton was also impressed with Ortiz’s control.
“I thought he was really sharp,” Shelton said. “He was really good. He was able to throw his cutter and his four-seam fastball. I thought he made some good pitches.”
Ortiz is 1-0 with a 2.93 ERA in four appearances (two starts) against the Brewers, and is winless with a 3.86 ERA in two relief appearances against Milwaukee this year.
–Field Level Media
