The Brewers announced that they have selected the contract of right-hander , with left-hander optioned in a corresponding move. To open Ryan Burr Jersey a spot on the 40-man roster, righty was transferred to the 60-day injured list. It was a few weeks ago that Williams has stre s fractures in his back and will be out of action for about three months. Herget, 33, has logged big league time in each of the past two seasons, spending the 2022 campaign in the Rays organization and the 2023 season with the Reds. Hes posted a 5.74 ERA in 31 1/3 MLB frames, with a 12.6% strikeout rate thats only a bit more than half the league average but an outstanding 4.4% walk rate. Herget delivered pedestrian numbers in 47 1/3 Triple-A innings with the Reds top affiliate last season but was excellent in Triple-A with the 2022 Rays when he racked up 97 1/3 frames with a 2.95 ERA, 24.4% strikeout rate and pristine 3.9% walk rate. Though Herget doesnt throw hard (92.6 mph average fastball) or mi s many bats, his command is sharp. Hes only walked 6% of the hitters hes faced in pro ball, including just 6.3% in parts of seven Triple-A seasons. Hes walked only one of his 17 opponents (5.8%) in 4 1/3 shutout innings to start the Triple-A season with the Brewers affiliate in Nashville. Herget also has a pair of minor league options remaining, so if the Brewers decide this will be a short stint in the big league bullpen, he can be sent back to Nashville without first needing to clear waivers. Optioning Ashby is the latest discouraging development in whats been a frustrating couple of years for the former top prospect. The now-25-year-old lefty debuted late in the 2021 season and impre sed down the stretch, fanning nearly 30% of his opponents in 31 2/3 innings. Ashby split the 2022 season between the Brewers rotation and bullpen, pitching quite well through the seasons first few months so much so that Milwaukee signed him to a five-year, $20.5MM contract extension. That hasnt gone nearly as well as hoped. Ashby posted a decent 4.23 ERA with a 4.31 FIP and much more promising 3.44 SIERA in his final 38 1/3 innings that season. He fanned 26.1% of his opponents, i sued walks at a 9.1% clip and kept the ball on the ground at a 57.4% rate in 22 following the extension. Shoulder troubles popped up in 2023, however, eventually requiring arthroscopic surgery. Ashby wound up pitching just seven innings all season all of which came in the minors. He returned this season but was rocked for 11 runs (nine earned) on 14 hits and five walks with seven punchouts in just 8 1/3 spring innings. His regular season began with a the left-hander yielding eight runs (four earned) on six hits and a pair of walks in 3 2/3 innings. Ashby averaged 96.5 mph on his sinker in 2021 and 95.8 mph in 2022; hes sitting at just 93.8 mph to begin the current season. The Brewers are surely still hopeful that Ashby can rebound to an extent. Whether he factors into the rotation or eventually settles in as a bullpen piece, the former fourth-round pick has shown clear ability to mi s bats and generate grounders at a premium level. Command has long been an i sue, and Ashby probably wont ever excel in that regard, but he could still play a prominent role on the team if he can get back to the 27.1% strikeout rate, 12.6% swinging-strike rate and 34.1% opponents chase rate he displayed in 2021-22. Under the terms of that previously mentioned contract extension, Ashby is being paid $1.25MM in 2024. Hes owed salaries of $3.25MM, $5.5MM and $7.5MM from 2025-27, and Milwaukee has club options on what wouldve been his first two free agent seasons: $9MM in 2028 (with a $1MM buyout) and $13MM in 2029. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Jersey