The Brewers designated Hiura for assignment Monday, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
Hiura was told Friday that he wouldn't be a part of the Opening Day roster and now he's been dropped from the team's 40-man roster. The former top prospect for Milwaukee has never really clicked at the major-league level, most recently batting .226 with a career-high 41.7 percent strikeout rate over 234 at-bats in 80 games last season. Hiura will now either be claimed by another team, remain with Triple-A Nashville or be released outright. Considering the fact that he's only 26 years old, it's unlikely that he wouldn't draw interest from another team.
Brewers' Keston Hiura: Won't make Opening Day roster
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Hiura was informed Friday that he will not be on the Brewers' Opening Day roster, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
That might explain why Hiura was scratched from the starting lineup for Friday's Cactus League game against the Dodgers. Milwaukee will look to trade the former top prospect over the next few days, per general manager Matt Arnold. If there are no takers, he'll be put on waivers. It sounds like the 26-year-old's time in the Brewers organization is about to come to an end.
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Brewers' Keston Hiura: Scratched from lineup
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Hiura was scratched from the Brewers' lineup ahead of their game against the Dodgers on Friday, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
No word yet on what might be keeping Hiura out of the lineup, but the Brewers will likely provide an update soon. Hiura is slashing just .156/.229/.219 through 35 plate appearances this spring.
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Brewers' Keston Hiura: Bringing back toe tap
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Hiura has brought back the toe tap in his swing, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.
It's something that Hiura is trying to reincorporate on the fly as he struggles to find a groove in Cactus League play. Through his first 35 plate appearances this spring, the 26-year-old has batted just .156/.229/.219 with zero home runs and 15 strikeouts. He is out of minor-league options, so a tough decision could be coming soon as the Brewers sort out their Opening Day roster.
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Brewers' Keston Hiura: Settles at $2.2 million
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Hiura agreed to a one-year, $2.2 million contract with the Brewers on Friday to avoid arbitration, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.
It's Hiura's first year of arbitration eligibility, and he'll receive a nice raise from his pre-arbitration salary over the past few years. The 26-year-old had a .226/.316/.449 slash line with 14 home runs and a 41.7 percent strikeout rate in 80 games last season, and he's likely to open 2023 in a bench role.
Hiura is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Rockies.
Hiura had started each of the past six games at either first base or designated hitter, going 6-for-24 with a double, a walk, two runs and an RBI. With an .819 OPS on the campaign, Hiura has played his way into more opportunities, though he's still likely behind Rowdy Tellez and Andrew McCutchen in the pecking order for work at first base and DH, respectively.
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Brewers' Keston Hiura: Hits walkoff homer
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Hiura went 1-for-3 and hit a game-winning, two-run home run in Monday's 7-5 victory over the Pirates.
The Brewers trailed by two runs heading into the bottom of the eighth inning, but they tied the game in that frame and wound up in the win column thanks to Hiura's long ball in the ninth inning. Hiura still isn't playing on an everyday basis, but he started 12 of the Brewers' last 22 games. During that timeframe, he's hit .262 (11-for-42) and has posted six homers, 11 RBI and a 1.017 OPS.
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Brewers' Keston Hiura: Cranks two homers
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Hiura went 2-for-4 with two homers, three RBI and two runs scored in Sunday's 5-2 win over the Cubs.
The Brewers' DH went hitless in his two at bats against starter Justin Steele but got to the Cubs' bullpen with a solo shot in the seventh to tie the game at 2-2 and a two-run homer in the top of the ninth to push the game to 5-2. The 26-year-old is now slashing .247/.349/.507 despite his strikeout rate being north of 40%. If he can find a way to more regular at-bats, he could continue to be a sneaky source of home runs the rest of the way.
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Brewers' Keston Hiura: Collects fifth stolen base
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Hiura went 2-for-4 with a stolen base in Wednesday's 2-1 loss to the Dodgers.
Despite not having a full-time role with the Brewers at any point this season and having spent chunks of the year in the minors, Hiura has been a sneaky source of counting stats with 10 home runs and five steals across 160 plate appearances. After a quality showing at the plate Wednesday while serving as the Brewers' designated hitter, Hiura will stick in the lineup for Thursday's series finale, batting sixth and manning first base.
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Brewers' Keston Hiura: Second home run in as many days
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Hiura went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Sunday's 4-2 loss to the Reds.
In his second start since getting called up from Nashville, Hiura launched a 422-foot home run to right field against Hunter Strickland to send the game to extra innings. Hiura has now hit a home run in both starts since his promotion. Despite a 43.5 percent strikeout rate, the first baseman has been effective when given the opportunity in the big leagues, sporting a 132 wRC+ in 45 games. He could be a difference maker if he can keep the strikeouts in check and starts more regularly.
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Brewers' Keston Hiura: Delivers two-run blast
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Hiura went 1-for-2 with a two-run home run in Saturday's 7-5 loss to the Reds.
This was Hiura's first start and second game since he was brought up from Triple-A Nashville on Wednesday. He got the Brewers within a run with his fourth-inning blast, but the Reds pulled away again after that. For the season, Hiura owns a .240/.354/.472 slash line with nine long balls, 19 RBI, 21 runs scored and four stolen bases. The righty hitter owns noticeable reverse splits with a 1.054 OPS against righties versus a .559 OPS versus lefties this year, but he may still have to settle for the short side of a platoon with Rowdy Tellez at first base.
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Brewers' Keston Hiura: Gets call-up from Nashville
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The Brewers recalled Hiura from Triple-A Nashville on Wednesday.
Though Hiura will be back to provide the Brewers with another right-handed-hitting option off the bench, he might not be guaranteed a short-side platoon role. Albeit in a limited sample, Hiura has been far more effective against righties (.453 wOBA, 194 wRC+ in 79 plate appearances) than lefties (.238 wOBA, 48 wRC+ in 65 plate appearances) during his time with the big club this season.
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Brewers' Keston Hiura: Sent down Wednesday
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Hiura was optioned to Triple-A Nashville on Wednesday.
Hiura was carving out more consistent playing time for the Brewers recently, drawing starts in five of the last seven games. He went 6-for-16 with a homer, a double, two runs, two RBI and a stolen base during that time but will head to the minors ahead of the All-Star break after right-hander Connor Sadzeck's contract was selected Wednesday.
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Brewers' Keston Hiura: Heads to bench Tuesday
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Hiura is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Twins.
Hiura closed out last week by going 5-for-14 at the dish while making four straight starts -- two in left field and two at designated hitter -- but he'll cede his spot in the lineup to Hunter Renfroe (calf), who is back from a stint on the 10-day injured list. Christian Yelich was scratched from the lineup Tuesday with mid-back tightness, and given his history of back issues, it's possible the Brewers take a cautious approach with him through the All-Star break. If that's the case, Hiura and Jonathan Davis could be the main candidates to get more work in the outfield.
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Brewers' Keston Hiura: Nabs fourth straight start
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Hiura will start in left field and bat fifth in Sunday's game against the Pirates.
Hiura's playing time is on the upswing; he'll make his fourth consecutive start after going 5-for-11 with a home run and a walk in the past three contests. Though he should be a fixture in the lineup against left-handed pitching for the foreseeable future, Hiura looks like he could see an uptick in opportunities against right-handed pitching in the short term with Andrew McCutchen picking up more time in the outfield of late with Tyrone Taylor (concussion) and Hunter Renfroe (calf) on the injured list.
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Brewers' Keston Hiura: Slugs eighth homer
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Hiura went 1-for-4 with a solo home run Wednesday against the Cubs.
Hiura took Adrian Sampson yard in the fifth inning to account for Milwaukee's only run of the game. Hiura has eight home runs on the season, three of which have come in his last nine games. Despite the hot stretch, he remains a part-time player for the Brewers and is striking out at a 44.7 percent clip across 132 plate appearances on the campaign.
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Brewers' Keston Hiura: Crushes seventh homer
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Hiura went 2-for-5 with a solo home run and two runs in Friday's victory over the Pirates.
Something about Pirates pitching particularly appeals to Hiura, who has hit 43 home runs in his career and 12 against Pittsburgh. Hiura has filled a part-time role all season and started just seven times over the Brewers' last 23 games, but he has gotten the job done when called upon, posting a .756 OPS over 124 plate appearances.
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Brewers' Keston Hiura: Hits sixth homer
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Hiura went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Friday's victory over the Reds.
The long ball was Hiura's sixth of the season, and it was also his first extra-base hit off a lefty this season. Hiura has some notable reverse splits going at the moment, as the right-handed hitter owns a stellar 1.090 OPS against pitchers who throw with the same hand but just a .411 OPS against southpaws.
