MILWAUKEE -- Brewers left-hander Brent Suter gets a spot start Monday when Milwaukee opens a three-game interleague series against the Baltimore Orioles at Miller Park.
Suter (0-1, 4.20 ERA) replaces right-hander Chase Anderson, who was lost for four to six weeks when he strained an oblique muscle in the first inning of his last start, costing the Brewers their best and most consistent starter this season.
The Brewers do have their top pitching prospect, lefty Josh Hader, up at the big league level, but manager Craig Counsell said the team wants to leave him in a relief role for now. Counsell opted instead for Suter, who has made one start among eight appearances this season. He allowed three runs over 4 2/3 innings June 13 in the first game of a doubleheader at St. Louis.
"I think what we're doing with Josh is we're making progress getting him to a relief role," Counsell said. "You've seen how we've used him. We've been very cautious with how we've used him. I think we're getting through that phase now, and it's important that we get him through that phase, because he's obviously proving to be very valuable. We want to continue with that progress.
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"Look, this is about outs for one game. This is about getting 27 outs for one game. It's how to put together 27 outs for one game, and that's what we're going to look at for (Monday), and Josh is going to be involved in that."
After the bullpen covered five innings Sunday because of a short start from Junior Guerra, the Brewers could use a long outing from Suter.
"I hope to get a bunch of outs from him," said Counsell, who added that the team could still make a roster move before the game.
Suter has never faced the Orioles, who send Wade Miley (3-6, 4.54 ERA) to the mound. The Baltimore lefty is looking to snap a personal two-game losing streak.
Miley hasn't finished six innings in any of his past five starts, allowing at least four runs in each of those outings. He gave up four runs (three earned) on six hits over five innings against Toronto his last time out, boosting his ERA to a season-high 4.54.
"What did me in was falling behind guys right out of the gate," Miley said after that game. "Got to figure out how to get the fastball back over the plate. Didn't have it at all tonight. Just lost. Try to throw down the middle, and I was struggling getting it over there. I was a little quick in my delivery at times."
He has had success, though, facing Milwaukee in his career, going 3-1 against the Brewers despite a 5.17 ERA. Miley has not faced Milwaukee since 2014.
The Orioles (40-41) come into the game having won five of their past seven. Baltimore beat the Tampa Bay Rays 7-1 on Sunday to salvage the finale of a three-game series.
Milwaukee (44-40) is coming off a 10-3 drubbing Sunday at the hands of the Marlins. The first-place Brewers are two games ahead of the defending World Series champion Chicago Cubs in the National League Central.
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