Mejia was assigned to minor-league camp Monday, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
Mejia was unable to settle in with the Brewers in 2022, as he was knocked around for six runs (five earned) on five hits and five walks while fanning one over two appearances prior to being sent down. However, He'll be a candidate for a mid-season promotion if continues to show good stuff in the minors. Mejia fared much better at Triple-A Nashville last season with a 2.76 ERA and 0.96 WHIP with a 33:13 K:BB across 29.1 innings.
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Brewers' J.C. Mejia: Sticks with Milwaukee
Rotowire
Mejia agreed to a minor-league contract with the Brewers on Thursday, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.
The right-hander was acquired by Milwaukee last November, but he appeared in only two big-league games and missed half the season due to an 80-game suspension. Mejia pitched in 24 contests for Triple-A Nashville and posted a 2.76 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 33:13 K:BB across 29.1 innings, and he'll likely begin 2023 with the affiliate.
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Brewers' J.C. Mejia: Reinstated, sent down
Rotowire
Mejia (suspension) was reinstated from his rehab assignment and optioned to Triple-A Nashville on Thursday, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
Mejia had been sidelined since mid-May for violating the league's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program, but he was able to begin a rehab assignment in early August. The right-hander struck out four in 3.2 perfect innings over four rehab appearances but will remain in the minors now that his suspension has been served. According to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com, as a result of the suspension, Mejia won't be eligible to pitch in the postseason if Milwaukee should qualify.
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Brewers' J.C. Mejia: Begins rehab assignment
Rotowire
Mejia (suspension) began a rehab assignment with Double-A Biloxi on Tuesday, Sophia Minnaert of Bally Sports Wisconsin reports.
Mejia has been out since mid-May after violating the Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. He'll be eligible to return in mid-August, but he'd only made a pair of major-league appearances prior to his ban, so he could remain in the minors once activated.
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Brewers' J.C. Mejia: Dealt 80-game suspension
Rotowire
Major League Baseball handed Mejia an 80-game suspension Tuesday for violating the Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.
He becomes the second Brewers player to receive an 80-game suspension this season, joining catcher Pedro Severino, who was handed his ban in early April. The Brewers will place Mejia on the restricted list as a result of the suspension, a transaction that opens up a spot on the 40-man roster and 26-man active roster for right-hander Trevor Kelley, whose contract was selected from Triple-A Nashville. Mejia had made two appearances out of the bullpen since being promoted from the minors May 10, working 2.1 innings while giving up six earned runs. He'll be eligible for reinstatement from the suspension in mid-August.
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Brewers' J.C. Mejia: Back with big club
Rotowire
The Brewers recalled Mejia from Triple-A Nashville on Tuesday.
Milwaukee cleared room on the 26-man active roster by optioning Jandel Gustave, who had appeared in relief in three of the past four days and likely wasn't going to be available for Tuesday's game in Cincinnati. The addition of Mejia gives Milwaukee a fresh arm out of the bullpen.
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Brewers' J.C. Mejia: Optioned to Triple-A
Rotowire
Mejia was optioned to Triple-A Nashville on Monday.
Mejia was traded from the Guardians to the Brewers in November, and he posted a 4.76 ERA and 1.41 WHIP in 5.2 innings across six relief appearances this spring. Although he was unable to make the Brewers' Opening Day roster, he made 17 appearances (11 starts) for Cleveland last year, so he'll likely be in the mix for a major-league roster spot at some point in 2022.
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Brewers' J.C. Mejia: Moves to Milwaukee
Rotowire
Mejia was traded from the Guardians to the Brewers in exchange for cash or a player to be named later Monday, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.
Mejia struggled to an 8.25 ERA in 52.1 innings as a swingman in his MLB debut last season. His underlying numbers suggest he didn't deserve a number nearly that bad, but even his comparatively optimistic 4.71 xFIP doesn't provide much reason to get excited. He generated an above-average 47.9 percent groundball rate, something he'd done throughout the minors, but both his 19.7 percent strikeout rate and 10.1 percent walk rate were poor. Still just 25 years old, he has time to improve, but he needs some major improvements to become a notable name.
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Guardians' J.C. Mejia: Designated for assignment
Rotowire
Mejia was designated for assignment by Cleveland on Friday.
Mejia was shuffled between the major-league club and Triple-A Columbus in 2021. He made 17 appearances (11 starts) in his first taste of big-league action but had a lackluster 8.25 ERA and 1.61 WHIP in 52.1 innings. The right-hander will now lose his spot on the 40-man roster.
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Indians' J.C. Mejia: Sent down again Tuesday
Rotowire
Mejia was optioned to Triple-A Columbus on Tuesday.
Mejia has pinballed between the majors and Triple-A multiple times in the last week. The rookie right-hander will likely remain near the top of the list for potential call-ups if Cleveland needs another arm in its bullpen.
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Indians' J.C. Mejia: Back with big club
Rotowire
Mejia was recalled from Triple-A Columbus on Friday.
Mejia was up with the big club for a doubleheader Tuesday but did not make an appearance. With two more twin bills awaiting Cleveland next week, Mejia will provide a fresh arm for the team. Alex Young was optioned to Columbus in a corresponding move.
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Indians' J.C. Mejia: Sent back to Triple-A
Rotowire
Mejia was optioned to Triple-A Columbus on Wednesday.
Mejia was summoned as the 29th man for Tuesday's doubleheader versus Minnesota, but he did not appear in either game before returning to Columbus. With two doubleheaders on the schedule next week, it's possible Mejia could be called up again to provide length out of the bullpen.
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Indians' J.C. Mejia: Up as extra man
Rotowire
Mejia was recalled to serve as the extra man for Tuesday's doubleheader against the Twins, Mandy Bell of MLB.com reports.
Mejia was optioned last Tuesday but returns a week later to serve as presumably a low-leverage relief option. He's accomplished very little in his first taste of the majors this season, struggling to an 8.75 ERA and 1.65 WHIP in 11 starts and three relief appearances.
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Indians' J.C. Mejia: Recalled by Cleveland
Rotowire
Mejia was recalled from Triple-A Columbus on Thursday, Chris Assenheimer of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram reports.
Mejia was sent to the minors in early August but didn't fare very well across his three starts with the Triple-A club. The right-hander posted a 9.64 ERA and 2.04 WHIP in 9.1 innings across his three most recent Triple-A appearances and will likely slot into a low-leverage bullpen role with the major-league squad.
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Indians' J.C. Mejia: Dropped from active roster
Rotowire
Mejia was optioned to Triple-A Columbus on Saturday.
Mejia clearly needed a reset, as he's allowed four or more earned runs in each of his last six starts, struggling to a 12.55 ERA and 2.11 WHIP over that stretch and raising his season ERA to 8.75. His spot in the rotation is due up Monday against Cincinnati, so Cleveland will have to call up a starter by then. For now, it's infielder Andres Gimenez who will take his place on the roster.
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Indians' J.C. Mejia: Trampled by Toronto
Rotowire
Mejia (1-7) took the loss Wednesday, surrendering eight runs on seven hits and four walks over 2.1 innings as Cleveland fell 8-6 to the Blue Jays. He failed to strike out a batter.
George Springer clobbered the first pitch he saw for a solo shot to lead off the bottom of the first inning, and things never got any better for Mejia. The rookie is saddled with an 8.75 ERA through his first 47.1 big-league innings thanks in part to 11 homers allowed, and only Cleveland's injury woes are keeping him in the rotation.
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Indians' J.C. Mejia: Walks four in no-decision
Rotowire
Mejia allowed four runs on four hits and four walks over 4.1 innings in Friday's loss to the White Sox. He struck out two and did not factor in the decision.
Through three innings of work, the only real damage against Mejia was a solo blast by Yoan Moncada in the second. He then coughed up two more runs in the fourth and one final run in the fifth. It was his fifth straight outing giving up four or more runs, yielding 25 runs through 21.1 innings (10.55 ERA) during that span. On the year, the right-handed rookie owns a 7.20 ERA through 13 appearances. For now, he's projected to face the Blue Jays on the road next week.
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Indians' J.C. Mejia: Hit hard again
Rotowire
Mejia (1-6) took the loss Saturday as Cleveland fell 8-2 to the Rays, coughing up five runs on seven hits -- including three home runs -- and two walks over six innings. He struck out six.
The rookie did give his team some length, lasting six innings for only the second time in nine starts, but Mejia left too many juicy pitches over the plate as five of the seven hits off him went for extra bases. The 24-year-old has served up an ugly nine homers over his last 28 big-league innings, posting a 9.00 ERA and 1.57 WHIP over that stretch despite a superficially strong 28:10 K:BB.
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Indians' J.C. Mejia: Yields four runs in loss
Rotowire
Mejia (1-5) allowed four runs on seven hits and two walks over 4.1 innings Monday, striking out eight and taking a loss against the Astros.
Mejia allowed RBI base hits in the first and fourth innings before coughing up a two-run shot to Yordan Alvarez in the fifth, knocking him out of the contest. He's given up at least four runs in four of his last five outings, driving his ERA up to 7.53 through 34.2 innings. He's also lost five straight decisions dating back to June 9. Mejia is currently projected to face the Rays at home this weekend.
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Indians' J.C. Mejia: Rejoining rotation after break
Rotowire
Cleveland plans to call up Mejia from Triple-A Columbus to start its fourth game of the second half July 19 in Houston, Mandy Bell of MLB.com reports.
Mejia was sent back to Columbus following his start Wednesday in Tampa Bay, but that was mostly for roster-management purposes, as the young right-hander wouldn't have had sufficient rest to contribute out of the bullpen before the end of Cleveland's first-half schedule. He'll end up settling back into the rotation coming out of the All-Star break, with he and Triston McKenzie getting the nods for the final two starting spots over Sam Hentges.
