Kinney’s status uncertain after move by Brewers

MIAMI – Bangor native Matt Kinney was designated for assignment by the Milwaukee Brewers Saturday to make room on the roster for righthanded starter Wes Obermueller, who was recalled Friday Triple-A Indianapolis.

Being designated for assignment means Kinney must pass through waivers without being claimed by another team. If that happens, he will be assigned to Triple-A Indianapolis. Although he’s a four-year veteran player, he must accept the assignment. If he pitches well at Indianapolis, he would likely be called up by the Brewers next month for September roster expansion.

Obermueller, who is 3-5 with a 6.69 ERA for the Brewers this season, spent four weeks in the minors and pitched well in his past two starts before Saturday’s start.

“I tried to simplify everything down there, and that seemed to help,” he said.

The 6-foot-5, 230-pound Kinney was shifted from the starting rotation to the bullpen three months ago. Since becoming a long reliever, he has a 3.13 ERA in 26 appearances. Overall this season, he has a 5.78 ERA with a 3-4 record and no saves in 32 games – six of them starts. In 62 1/3 innings, he has allowed 77 hits and 23 walks while notching 52 strikeouts.

The 27-year-old former Bangor High and Bangor American Legion star pitcher was drafted by the Boston Red Sox and traded to Minnesota in 1998. The Twins traded him to Milwaukee in 2002.