MILWAUKEE BREWERS

The Milwaukee Brewers sign third baseman Renato Nuñez to a minor-league deal to provide more infield depth with Adames and Escobar injured

Tom Haudricourt
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Renato Nuñez, who has played the 2021 season with the Detroit Tigers' organization, celebrates hitting a two-run home run in the fourth inning against the Baltimore Orioles - his former team - on Aug. 12. The Brewers signed Nuñez on Monday after he became a free agent.

The Milwaukee Brewers signed third baseman Renato Nuñez to a minor-league deal and assigned him to Class AAA Nashville.

The 27-year-old was recently assigned outright by the Detroit Tigers to Class AAA Toledo but turned down that assignment to become a free agent. 

Nuñez had been designated for assignment on Aug. 21 to clear a spot on the Tigers’ 40-man roster. He appeared in only 14 games in the majors, spending most of the season with Toledo, where he batted .291 with 20 home runs, 64 RBI and .986 OPS in 311 plate appearances.

Nuñez’s biggest season in the majors came in 2019 with Baltimore when he slugged 31 home runs and drove in 90 runs. He was released by the Orioles last offseason and signed with Detroit.

Renato Nuñez of the Baltimore Orioles splinters his bat during a game against the New York Mets on Sept. 8, 2020. He was released by the Orioles in the offseason and has spent the 2021 season in the Detroit Tigers organization before being designated for assignment Aug. 21.

General manager Matt Arnold said the signing of Nuñez provided extra infield depth while Willy Adames and Eduardo Escobar were banged up.

"We like his bat and you know how we like depth," Arnold said. "We thought it made sense to pick him up. You always want to protect yourself (against injuries) if you can."