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Come Fan with UsFriday, June 26, 2026

Shaun Marcum Held Up By Shoulder Problems

Brewers starter Shaun Marcum is battling some shoulder stiffness, and it’s holding him back in spring training. One can’t help but wonder about Opening Day.

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Phoenix, AZ, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Shaun Marcum (18) during photo day at Maryvale Baseball Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-US PRESSWIRE
Phoenix, AZ, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Shaun Marcum (18) during photo day at Maryvale Baseball Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-US PRESSWIRE
Phoenix, AZ, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Shaun Marcum (18) during photo day at Maryvale Baseball Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-US PRESSWIRE

Last year in Brewers camp, Shaun Marcum developed a little shoulder discomfort. It was problematic for a time, but Marcum got through it, started the team's second game of the season, and carried a sub-3 ERA into late June. In other words, what could've been a concern was in fact no concern.

This year in Brewers camp, Shaun Marcum has developed a little shoulder discomfort. Here’s the good news, from Todd Rosiak:

“We’re going to back him off a day,” Roenicke said. “Just a little tender, a little bursitis. Not as bad as it was last year. But there’s a little bit.”

Here’s the worse news, from Adam McCalvy:

There were new concerns in Brewers camp about right-hander Shaun Marcum, who remains bothered by a stiff shoulder and was examined Monday by the team’s head physician.

Marcum was to pitch Saturday, March 10. He’s no longer going to do that, setting back his spring-training schedule. As is, there’s still an opportunity for the Brewers to build up Marcum’s arm strength to a satisfactory level in camp, but everything needs to go right, and one can’t predict exactly how Marcum will recover.

So Shaun Marcum is a bit of a question mark, and the Brewers can’t be too comfortable until Marcum is throwing free and easy, which he’s not, yet. One notes that, including the playoffs, Marcum made 36 meaningful starts in 2011. That arm’s got miles.

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