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    116 rumors in this category

      Spencer Michaelis

      Sean Episcope is from the Chicago area originally, but has spent his college career at Princeton. At 6'0, he throws from a higher slot than you would expect. After undergoing Tommy John Surgery his senior year of high school, he is dealing with another elbow injury currently that will likely keep him out for a while.

      MLB Pipeline has Episcope ranked 215th overall, and their write-up discusses how he, "made 10 uneven starts as a freshman with the Tigers in 2024, but came out of the gate this year like gangbusters, with 26 strikeouts and just four walks in 20 innings, including a nine-strikeout, five-inning start at Wake Forest that opened a lot of eyes. But he came out of his fourth start with his biceps tingling, and it was eventually determined that he required another procedure, getting internal brace surgery in May."

      They then dive into his interesting pitch mix, saying, "Episcope does have the pitch mix to potentially start when healthy. He was topping out at 97 mph with his fastball and averaging a touch over 94, while maintaining that velocity throughout his starts before he got shut down. He has two legitimate breaking balls, with a mid-80s gyro-like slider and more of a 12-to-6 power curve up to 82 mph that registered elite-level spin rates north of 3,000 rpm. Combined, the two breakers elicited a 60-percent miss rate over his four starts, according to Synergy. Episcope did an excellent job filling up the strike zone this spring, but given the lack of history on the mound and the multiple elbow procedures, it's a little more difficult to pinpoint where he belongs in a Draft class. Some thought he could go as high as the second round as a future starter had his success continued, while others see his size and injuries and see a reliever profile."

      The Brewers' next selection will come in the sixth round, 185th overall.

      Spencer Michaelis

      Joshua Flores hails from the same high school as 2023 pick Josh Adamczewski and 2024 pick Griffin Tobias, making it three years in a row the Brewers went to the well at Lake Central High School in Indiana.

      MLB Pipeline has Flores ranked 243rd overall, and wrote, "Indiana's high school pitching crop runs deeper than usual this year, and Flores has the loudest stuff of the group. He features one of the best curveballs in the national prep class, though he also averaged a walk per inning as a senior. He comes with a high ceiling but also a good deal of reliever risk. Flores' hammer curveball ranges from 82-85 mph with downer break, grading as a well above-average pitch at times but also moving so much he has difficulty landing it in the zone. He has better command of a tighter slider with similar velocity. Hitters can't really guard against his breaking balls because his fastball sits at 92-95 mph and touches 97 with some armside run and carry. Flores barely utilizes his mid-80s changeup, which flashes some interesting tumble. The Kentucky recruit has a long arm action and effort in his delivery, which hampers his ability to throw strikes, let alone locate his offerings with much precision. He'll be an intriguing project for a team that believes in its ability to develop pitchers."

      The Brewers' next selection will be 155th overall, in the fifth round.

      Steve Drumwright

      Outfielder Jackson Chourio will get ready for his third season in a Milwaukee Brewers uniform by playing for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic. The Brewers made what had seemed a likely decision official via social media Thursday.

      This will be Chourio's first WBC. Rosters for all WBC teams are due February 3, which is Tuesday.

      Venezuela will be one of the teams to watch in this year's tournament. In 2023, Venezuela went 4-0 in pool play before being knocked off by the U.S. 9-7 in the quarterfinals. The U.S. went on to lose to Japan 3-2 in the championship game.

      Chourio was announced to Venezuela's roster along with Ronald Acuna Jr., Maikel Garcia, and Wilyer Abreu. The team captain is Salvador Perez. Whether Brewers catcher William Contreras will be named to the roster is unknown, especially since Perez is a catcher, too, as well as the team captain.

      No other Brewers are known to have made a WBC roster at this point. Sal Frelick is a strong candidate to play again for Italy.

      Harold Hutchison

      Devin Williams is slated to hit free agency after the 2025 season. Williams struggled with the Yankees, posting a 4.79 ERA – nearly three full runs over his career record with Milwaukee – and being demoted from the closer’s role, with the Bronx Bombers turning to David Bednar and Luke Weaver to fill the slot.

      That being said, with the Brewers showing they can give pitchers new life (Jose Quintana being the latest example), it may behoove them to see if Williams would like to return. They’ve done this before with a closer – see Jeremy Jeffress, who ended up performing well for the Crew after having a rough time of it elsewhere.

      Adding Williams back for at least 2026 could also be a good thing for Craig Yoho, who struggled in some of his appearances with Milwaukee in 2025. Yoho could stick in Triple-A Nashville for some more seasoning and adjustments – while also putting off further additions to his service time – and it could also help manage his innings.

      Given Pat Murphy’s tendency to lean heavily on reliable arms, having Williams, who had an excellent track record with the Crew, may be a good way to avoid overuse of Abner Uribe, Jared Koenig, Trevor Megill, Grant Anderson, and Nick Mears as well as giving Yoho the chance to develop.

      As for Williams, a return to the Ueck would be a chance to show that 2025 is an aberration. A one-year deal (maybe with a mutual option for 2027) could be just the thing to set him up for a better free-agent deal.

      The Brewers need arms Pat Murphy can trust. Williams needs a chance to bounce back from an off year. A 2026 reunion would be a potential win-win for both parties.

      Brock Beauchamp

      I'll preface this by saying I'm a sucker for powder blue uniforms. As a child of the 1980s when it felt like every team had one, it evokes nostalgia for a time when baseball was stupid, played on concrete, and everyone was doing something illegal.

      To my knowledge, the Brewers have never used "Milwaukee" on a powder blue jersey, making these likely to be road uniforms. The block font is a throwback, but only to jerseys that read "Brewers" in the 1970s and 1980s. Milwaukee was typically written in a script font, not dissimilar to the current dark blue jerseys worn on the road.

      What are your thoughts on these new jerseys? Yay or nay?

      Steve Drumwright

      For the first time in Milwaukee Brewers history, they have a team captain.

      The Brewers on Saturday announced that Christian Yelich would be their captain and wear a C on the front of his uniform.

      Since joining the Brewers via a trade from the Miami Marlins before the 2018 season, the 34-year-old has produced on and off the field. Early on, it was a lot on the field, becoming the fourth player (fifth time) in Brewers history to win an MVP, taking the NL honor in his debut season with the Crew. Yelich followed that up with a better 2019, but a fractured kneecap in August sidelined him for the remainder of the season.

       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       

      A post shared by Milwaukee Brewers (@brewers)

      That would be the first of a handful of injuries, mainly dealing with his back, that Yelich dealt with, with his offensive production not necessarily matching the nine-year, $215 million contract he signed in 2020.

      But he made up for whatever downswing in his stats with his leadership. Yelich has been a three-time All-Star with the Brewers, a three-time NL Silver Slugger and a two-time NL batting champion during his nine seasons in Milwaukee. He won an NL Gold Glove with the Marlins.

      The announcement was made to the team during a meeting before Saturday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Yelich also made sure to have the approval of Brewers legend Robin Yount, the Hall of Famer and two-time AL MVP.

       

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      The balky right shoulder has landed Brandon Woodruff back on the injured list.

      The Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday placed the veteran right-handed starter on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation and called up left-handed reliever Drew Rom from Triple-A Nashville.

      Woodruff was removed from Saturday's 4-3 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks with two outs in the fourth inning after an outing in which his velocity was down across the board. His four-seamer was down 7 mph and his changeup 6 mph. This was his third start since coming back from the same ailment, which sidelined the big right-hander for six weeks. Woodruff did strike out six, including the final three batters he faced, vs. the D'backs.

      The 33-year-old underwent surgery in September 2023, which forced him to miss all of 2024 and, combined with other injuries, the first three months of 2025. He returned to be a force in the Crew's rotation over 12 starts, but the shoulder acted up again near the end of the regular season, sidelining him for the postseason. He made six starts to begin this season before going on the IL on May 1.

      Rom is up for the second time with the Brewers this year. He has appeared in four games and 5⅓ innings, allowing two runs on six hits and four walks with 10 strikeouts for a 3.38 ERA.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      Following his signing a long-term contract extension last month, Luis Lara has been called up to make his MLB debut.

      The Brewers on Tuesday promoted Lara, Brewer Fanatic's No. 4 prospect, from Triple-A Nashville and sent center fielder Blake Perkins back to Triple-A. Lara will make his debut in Tuesday's doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals. The Brewers also called up left-handed starter Robert Gasser from Nashville as the extra player for the doubleheader.

      Lara, a 21-year-old switch-hitting center fielder, a seven-year, $31 million extension on June 9. He was the second top prospect at the time to ink a long-term deal with the Brewers while still in the minors, joining shortstop Cooper Pratt. Pratt, who signed his deal in April, was promoted about a week after Lara got his deal finalized.

      In his first season at Triple-A, Lara has had a breakthrough season offensively. He has a .321/.432/.470 slash line with career highs of nine homers and 42 RBIs in 78 games with still about half a season to play. Lara had never hit better than .286 (2023), hit more than four homers (2024) or driven in more than 41 runs (2024) before this year.

      Lara won a minor-league Gold Glove last year for his defense in center field and also is a speed threat on the bases, having swiped 24 in 31 tries this year.

      Perkins did not make the Brewers' Opening Day roster and has been called up twice, yet has not been able to get going offensively. Perkins has a slash line of .157/.250/.258 in 53 games with one homer, 11 RBIs and three stolen bases.

       

      Steve Drumwright

      Ryan Braun, the 2011 NL MVP with the Milwaukee Brewers, who had two incidents regarding performance-enhancing drugs, failed to receive 5% of the vote for the Hall of Fame on Tuesday and will no longer appear on the main ballot. Carlos Beltran and Andruw Jones were elected to the Hall of Fame.

      After playing his entire career with the Brewers, from 2007-20, the 2007 NL Rookie of the Year was in his first year on the Baseball Writers Association of America ballot. It was a long shot for him to be elected in his inaugural appearance on the ballot, so the real question is whether Braun would hit the threshold to improve his position in future years.

      But Braun received only 15 votes from the 425 writers who turned in ballots, or 3.5%. In fact, 11 of the 12 players who were appearing for the first time did not get 5% and are off the BBWAA ballot (Cole Hamels got 23.8%). Players not elected by the BBWAA will be considered by one of the committees and could be nominated for a vote.

      While Braun has some of the best numbers in Brewers history, he also had two well-publicized incidents involving PEDs. The first came after his MVP season of 2011, when he tested positive and faced a suspension. But he became the first player to successfully appeal on the grounds that his testing sample was handled improperly. Braun admitted to lying about never taking PEDs. Braun was involved in the Biogenesis scandal in 2013 and served a 65-game suspension.

      Steve Drumwright

      Milwaukee Brewers pitching prospect Frank Cairone posted an Instagram story of him throwing a ball just a month after being involved in a serious vehicle collision that left him hospitalized.

      The 18-year-old left-hander, who was a second-round draft choice by the Crew last summer, was involved in a two-vehicle collision Jan. 3 late at night in Franklin, N.J., and flown to an Atlantic City, N.J., hospital. According to police, Cairone was the driver of a vehicle that was hit by another vehicle that blew through a stop sign. 

      In the Instagram update, Cairone is in sweats and a baseball cap and slowly throws a yellow ball against a wall. While that is certainly a terrific sign for Cairone, it is unknown whether he will report to spring training, let alone pitch this season, as he continues to recover from the serious injuries he sustained. A passenger in Cairone's vehicle was also hospitalized with leg injuries.

      Cairone, a 6-foot-2, 195-pounder, was the 68th overall pick in the 2025 draft out of Delsea Regional High School and turned down a commitment from Coastal Carolina to sign with the Brewers for a $1.1 million signing bonus. He did not pitch for any Brewers affiliate, instead working out in Arizona in anticipation of making his professional debut in 2026.

      Jason Wang

      Perhaps superstar is a bit much, but it's undeniable that Brice Turang has been one of the best second basemen in baseball over the past two years. In 2025, he posted a 124 wRC+ and accumulated 4.4 fWAR, both marks placing him fourth amongst all second basemen. Although his defensive prowess took a step back last season, it has only been a year since he was the National League's Platinum Glove award winner.

      Turang joins a growing list of exceptional baseball talent and was part of the latest batch of players to officially join the team, along with Kyle Schwarber, Gunnar Henderson, and Will Smith. The roster and depth chart are far from complete, but there's a solid chance that Turang ends up as the starting second baseman for all, if not most, of the tournament. He could split time with Nico Hoerner if he ends up participating as well, but Brewers fans can expect to see plenty of Turang on the international stage regardless.

      It's a well-deserved honor for the 26-year-old and also begs the question, what other Brewers will be participating in the World Baseball Classic? Freddy Peralta hasn't officially announced his commitment, but has expressed a strong desire to represent the Dominican Republic. Neither William Contreras nor Jackson Chourio played for Venezuela in 2023, but they could be key parts of their lineup in 2026. Sal Frelick competed for Italy but hasn't confirmed his return to the team.

      One of the biggest struggles for teams in the past has been assembling a quality pitching staff, as the best arms are typically still ramping up when the tournament starts in early March. So far, Paul Skenes is the only pitcher who has decided to play for Team USA, and depending on the willingness of other top names like Tarik Skubal and Garrett Crochet to join him, the Brewers could send a few of their own. Quinn Priester and Jacob Misiorowski would be the top two candidates, but Chad Patrick or Tobias Myers could provide some solid value as well. 

      Steve Drumwright

       

      The long wait for JoJo Romero to make his Milwaukee Brewers debut is over.

      The left-handed reliever, acquired at the Aug. 3 trade deadline, was activated from the 15-day injured list by the Brewers, who also called up catcher Bo Naylor from Triple-A Nashville as rosters expanded from 26 to 28 Tuesday.

      Romero, picked up along with right-handed starter Dustin May from the NL Central rival St. Louis Cardinals at the trade deadline, has been sidelined since mid-July following an appendectomy. He had two recent rehab appearances and then threw a bullpen to show his readiness before being activated. Romero fortifies the back end of the bullpen and provides another late-inning left-handed option other than Aaron Ashby. In 44 games and 43 innings this season, Romero has a 3.99 FIP (3.35 ERA) with an 8.6% walk rate and 23.1% strikeout rate this year.

      Naylor was also acquired at the trade deadline from the Cleveland Guardians along with right-handed reliever Codi Heuer for center fielder Blake Perkins and right-handed reliever Blake Perkins. Heuer was quickly cut loose by the Brewers without making an appearance. Naylor has been at Triple-A Nashville and now comes up to allow manager Pat Murphy more flexibility with how he deploys starting catcher William Contreras and backup Gary Sanchez while having a safety net in Naylor. Unlike his brother, Seattle Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor, Bo Naylor doesn't do much offensively. He was slashing .143/.200/.238 with two homers and seven RBIs in 28 games with the Guardians before being sent to Triple-A. He made his MLB debut with the Guardians in 2022 and has a career slash line of .199/.279/.372. Naylor was added as the 27th player for the Little League Classic but did not play.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      Coleman Crow will have to wait to follow up his impressive MLB debut.

      The Milwaukee Brewers sent Crow back to Triple-A Nashville on Saturday and promoted right-hander Carlos Rodriguez from Triple-A.

      Crow looked very poised and unleashed his dazzling curveball during his debut Friday against the Miami Marlins, going 5⅓ innings, allowing two runs on four hits and a walk with four strikeouts. The Brewers won 7-5 in 10 innings.

      He was called up to make a spot start with left-hander Kyle Harrison needing a few extra days after a slight injury to his left wrist in Sunday's start. Harrison is scheduled to have a bullpen session Saturday and return to the rotation in the next series against the Detroit Tigers.

      Rodriguez, a starter, will add length out of the Brewers' bullpen. He has made seven appearances, including three starts, over the last two seasons with the Crew, posting a 6.95 ERA. In three starts at Nashville this year, Rodriguez has an 8.71 ERA, allowing 10 runs on 16 hits and 10 walks with 12 strikeouts.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      Yoho has been Yo-Yo'd. It comes at Coleman Crow's expense.

      The Milwaukee Brewers on Friday placed Crow, a right-handed starter, on the 15-day injured list with a strained right forearm flexor and recalled right-handed reliever Craig Yoho from Triple-A Nashville. Yoho had been optioned to Nashville on Monday to make room for recently acquired right-handed reliever Joel Kuhnel.

      But the bigger news is Crow. who made a two-inning relief appearance Tuesday in a 7-4 loss to the A's in Las Vegas. He allowed one hit and one walk in an otherwise clean performance after making a short start five days earlier against the San Francisco Giants. In that game, Crow lasted just 2⅓ innings, getting tagged for six runs on nine hits and two walks while fanning a pair. Crow has made five appearances this season (just the one in relief), including his MLB debut, posting a 4.55 FIP (5.30 ERA) with a 7.1% walk rate and 11.8% strikeout rate.

      Yoho was called up a week ago today for the road series against the Colorado Rockies and appeared in two games, giving up a solo homer and three walks while striking out five in three innings as he made his season debut with the Crew.

      The Brewers' rotation is set for this week, with veteran right-hander Brandon Woodruff expected to be activated off the 15-day IL for the Cleveland Guardians series.

       

      Steve Drumwright

      In the first injury news of the regular season affecting the Milwaukee Brewers' pitching staff, left-handed reliever Jared Koenig was placed on the 15-day injured list Monday with a sprained UCL in his left elbow.

      To replace Koenig, the Crew called up left-hander Shane Drohan from Triple-A Nashville. Drohan will make his MLB debut when he appears in a game. In a bit of ironic timing, Drohan will be active for the three-game series vs. the Boston Red Sox that begins Monday. Drohan was one of three players the Brewers acquired from the Red Sox in exchange for third baseman Caleb Durbin and two other infielders. Koenig is expected to be out two to four weeks.

       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       

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      Drohan, once a well thought of prospect, had nerve decompression surgery shortly after the Chicago White Sox selected him in the Rule 5 draft following the 2023 season. The procedure was one reason why the White Sox returned him to the Red Sox the following season. Drohan had a 2.27 ERA in 14 appearances at Triple-A last season in 15 appearances, all but one a start. He appeared in one game for Nashville this season, striking out six, walking four and allowing two runs in 3⅓ innings.

      Right-hander Chad Patrick had been scheduled to start the finale of the Red Sox series on short rest Wednesday, but that spot is now listed as TBA, possibly an opening for Drohan if he doesn't pitch in relief in the first two games.

      Matthew Lenz

      The Milwaukee Brewers have been busy making option decisions over the last two days. Yesterday, they exercised the option on Freddy Peralta, while declining Danny Jansen's option. Additionally, starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff informed the team that he would be opting out of his deal, making him a free agent.

      Today, they declined three more options: William Contreras, Rhys Hoskins, and Jose Quintana, per the team's official X account. Hoskins and Quintana are set to become free agents, while Contreras will be retained via arbitration.

      Hoskins was limited to 90 games in 2025 due to injury, but once available, he was a plus bat in the lineup. Across 328 plate appearances, he carried a .748 OPS with 12 home runs and two stolen bases. This resulted in a 109 wRC+, indicating he was 9% better than the average MLB player. The Brewers will pay him a $4 million buyout instead of a $16 million salary in 2026.

      Quintana, who was set to make $15 million in 2026, will receive a $2 million buyout after making 24 starts and sporting a sub-4 ERA. However, his 4.61 FIP and 7% K-BB suggested he wasn't as effective as his ERA would suggest. Though he is a solid innings eater and provides a veteran presence, FanGraphs Value metric estimated he was worth just $6.8 million in 2025. At 37 years old, he will look to find a major league deal with another club.

      Contreras is in his second year of arbitration and is projected to make slightly less than his $12 million option would have paid him.

      Do you think the club made the right call on Hoskins and Quintana? Would you like to see them bring either player back? Let us know in the comments!

      Matthew Lenz

      The Milwaukee Brewers' offseason has already gotten off to a fast start. The organization has made or been informed of multiple option decisions, and yesterday tendered a qualifying offer to Brandon Woodruff. They also announced changes to the coaching staff and the organization.

      Per a post from their official X account, Rickie Weeks will transition to a Special Assistant - Baseball Operations and Domestic/International Scouting. He served as the team's associate manager over the last two seasons.

      In a statement, Brewers President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Matt Arnold said, "This new role is an opportunity for Rickie to advance his career and broaden his experience, building off what he has accomplished already as a player, coach, and baseball operations executive." Weeks will now adjust his focus to evaluating draft-eligible and international players. He will also work with the Ops team to assess and recommend changes that impact on-field competition. It is not expected that the now vacant associate manager role will be filled.

      How do you think Weeks will impact that scouting department? Let us know in the comments!

      Steve Drumwright

      Outfielder Jordyn Adams, who has 38 games of MLB experience over the last three seasons, has signed a minor-league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive. The deal likely includes an invite to spring training, which begins next week.

      Adams, who plays center and right field, was the No. 17 overall pick in the 2018 draft out of a North Carolina high school. At the same time, Adams had committed to play football at North Carolina as he was a four-star wide receiver recruit. He chose a pro baseball career over football, receiving a $3,472,900 signing bonus from the Angels.

      While not possessing terrific power, having topped out at 15 homers in the minors in 2023, he does have speed, swiping 44 bags also in 2023, all at Triple-A. That was the same year he made his MLB debut, coming up Aug. 1. In two MLB stints, he played in 17 games, putting up a .128/.125/.128 slash line in 40 plate appearances. He had another cup of coffee with the Angels in 2024, but again struggled offensively with a slash line of .229/.289/.314 in 38 plate appearances over 11 games.

      He was designated for assignment that offseason, but was quickly picked up by the Baltimore Orioles for the 2025 season. He again got a small amount of MLB action, going hitless in five plate appearances over 10 games.

      In seven minor-league seasons, Adams has a .247/.328/.377 slash line with 52 homers, 288 RBIs, and 158 steals in 195 chances. One major drawback is that he does strike out quite a bit, with 758 in 2,738 plate appearances in the minors, a whopping 27.7% of the time.

      It would be hard-pressed for Adams to crack the Brewers' Opening Day lineup, but he would be a solid depth piece at Triple-A Nashville. He is the latest player to join the non-roster invitees to spring training.

      Steve Drumwright

      The Milwaukee Brewers are going conventional when it comes to their 26-man postseason roster.

      While some teams carry an extra position player or two in the early rounds of the playoffs, the Brewers split their 26-man roster evenly with 13 pitchers and 13 position players for the NL Division Series against the San Diego Padres.

      The teams open the best-of-five series Saturday with Brewers right-hander Jacob Misiorowski facing Padres left-hander Robbie Ray. First pitch is 7:30 p.m.

      Perhaps the only surprising inclusion was left-hander Kyle Harrison, whose struggles knocked him out of the starting rotation. But he showed the Brewers enough in the final two weeks of the regular season in a relief role to be on the playoff roster. First baseman Andrew Vaughn had been activated from the 10-day injured list after he dealt with an illness at the end of the regular season.

       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       

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      Steve Drumwright

       

      The return of Brian Fitzpatrick to the majors lasted just one day.

      The Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday placed the left-handed reliever on the 15-day injured list, only listing it as a left arm injury with no other detail on the official announcement. Left-handed reliever Drew Rom was called up from Triple-A Nashville to make his Brewers debut.

      Fitzpatrick was called up Friday when fellow left-hander DL Hall went on the IL with a pectoral strain. Fitzpatrick was injured while warming up for the seventh inning against the Colorado Rockies after he pitched a scoreless sixth. He immediately grabbed his elbow area and headed for the clubhouse. Friday was his fifth appearance for the Brewers, including his MLB debut. He has thrown 6⅔ innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on seven hits and three walks with five strikeouts.

      Rom last appeared in the majors with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2023, when he made eight starts and compiled an 8.02 ERA in 33⅔ innings. He signed a minor-league deal with the Brewers this offseason and has strictly been in a relief role after primarily being a starter in the Cardinals' organization. In 22 appearances over 26⅔ innings at Nashville, Rom had a 3.04 ERA with nine walks and 39 strikeouts.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      One of the most electric pitchers in MLB and one of the top two-way catchers will represent the Milwaukee Brewers in the All-Star Game.

      Right-handed starter Jacob Misiorowski and catcher William Contreras were selected to the All-Star Game, which will be played July 14 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. It is the second appearance for Misiorowski, who debuted just weeks before the 2025 game, while Contreras is going for the third time and second with the Brewers. He also went in 2024.

      Misiorowski is a far cry from a controversial pick this year and has an outside chance to start this year's game, although he is currently scheduled to pitch the Sunday before the All-Star Game. The Miz leads MLB with a 1.47 ERA and 156 strikeouts and has a shutout in his 17 starts and 104 innings. He has a 6.8% walk rate and an amazing 39.3% strikeout rate.

      Contreras has a slash line of .293/.358/.416 while playing virtually every day with nine homers and 51 RBIs. His .293 batting average is the highest of his seven-year career. He has made the All-Star Game every other year since becoming an MLB regular in 2022 with Atlanta.

      The nine starters for each team were determined by two rounds of fan balloting, with Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani and Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Ernie Clement getting automatically selected to start by virtue of leading the first round in the NL and AL, respectively.

      The 23 reserves, which includes 12 pitchers as that position is not up for voting, are selected by player voting and the Commissioner's Office, which ensures that each team has a representative in the game.

       

      Jason Wang

      With a little over a month left before the start of the tournament, the rosters for each participating nation are all but finalized. Some countries have a few spots to fill, and Joey Ortiz was recently announced as part of the newest crop of baseball talent to join the Mexican National Team. He was added alongside Jonathan Aranda, Alek Thomas, and Taijuan Walker. 

      Ortiz has Mexican heritage through his parents and should be a big upgrade over Alan Trejo, who served as the team's starting shortstop in 2023. His offensive regression for the Brewers last season was a point of concern, but his defensive production allowed him to stay slightly above replacement, giving him 1.4 fWAR. 

      He'll be joined in the infield by Ramón and Luis Urías, the latter of whom is a former Brewer. Mexico's roster is now stacked with big-leaguers, including many returning faces from 2023 like Randy Arozarena and Jarren Duran.

      The schedule of the tournament will directly conflict with Spring Training, a crucial time for young talent like Ortiz to prepare for the upcoming season. These refusals are often due to injury risk ,but front offices have occasionally been strict with the way that their younger players are managed. Despite his regression in 2025, it's an encouraging vote of confidence by the franchise that he'll be allowed to forego spring training for the WBC.

      Ortiz will join fellow Brewers Brice Turang, Jackson Chourio, and Tyler Black in Miami for the competition.

      Steve Drumwright

       

      Despite a weekend scare, Jackson Chourio is also returning to the Milwaukee Brewers' offense.

      Chourio, an outfielder, and first baseman Andrew Vaughn were activated from the 10-day injured list Monday and were in the lineup for Monday's series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals. Outfielder Blake Perkins was optioned to Triple-A Nashville and outfielder Greg Jones was designated for assignment to make room on the 26-man roster. Also, right-handed starter Quinn Priester was pulled from his rehab assignment while still remaining on the 15-day IL. The return of Chourio and Vaughn, who hit in the top half of the batting order, is a much-needed boost for an offense that has been missing a spark.

      Today's transactions

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      — Milwaukee Brewers (@brewersbot.bsky.social) May 4, 2026 at 1:00 PM

      Chourio was a surprising IL placement on Opening Day. He sustained a fractured left hand while playing for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic, but the injury didn't appear to bother him as he continued to play after sitting out two games. The injury popped up during the Brewers' final exhibition games just days before Opening Day.

      Chourio then fouled a ball off his left ankle Saturday during a rehab assignment game for Nashville, which put his expected return Monday in doubt. But he went through running drills and was deemed fit enough to be activated.

      Vaughn joined Chourio on a rehab assignment last week as he recovered from hamate surgery in his left hand.

      Perkins was returned to Nashville, where he started the season. The defensive-minded center fielder has been the odd man out with a healthy Garrett Mitchell able to patrol center field and the emergence of Brandon Lockridge. But the switch-hitting Perkins mustered a measly .109/.212/.174 slash line in 19 games.

      Jones was a minor-league free-agent signing this offseason and appeared in 11 games since coming up April 14. He also struggled at the plate, going 2-for-21 (.095). If he passes through waivers, he could return to Nashville.

       

      Steve Drumwright

      While there is a huge qualifier to this announcement, it still deserves its proper space.

      The Milwaukee Brewers will begin Cactus League play on Feb. 19 with a home game at American Family Fields of Phoenix against the Los Angeles Angels. The Crew will play 32 exhibition games, 15 at home. All 30 teams will play that same day.

      The Brewers will conclude Cactus League play with games March 22-23 against the rival Chicago Cubs at Sloan Park in Mesa, Ariz., before opening the 2027 season at home vs. the Angels on March 25.

      And now for the line that has to be included with any story about the start of the 2027 MLB season: Everything is dependent on owners and the MLB Players Association reaching a deal on a new collective bargaining agreement. The last time the owners locked out the players was 2022, with an agreement reached March 10, just three weeks before the scheduled start of the regular season.

      Steve Drumwright

      After a tremendous 2025 regular season in which they had MLB's best record, the Milwaukee Brewers won't have a lot to work with regarding a 2026 draft bonus pool.

      But when has that ever mattered to the Crew?

      The Brewers were informed that they will have $8,042,900 in their pool this year, which ranks 25th among the 30 MLB teams. They also have the No. 25 pick in the draft, which moved up due to four teams being penalized for eclipsing the second competitive balance tax threshold.

      The slot value for the Crew's top pick is $3,696,000. Last year, when the Brewers picked 20th and selected corner infielder Andrew Fischer, their pick had a value of $4,268,100.

      The top bonus pool belongs to the Pittsburgh Pirates at $19,130,700, while the smallest pool goes to the Los Angeles Dodgers, one of those four teams who had their top pick moved back 10 spots as a CBT penalty.

      The Chicago White Sox hold the No. 1 pick, which has a slot value of $11,350,600. They also have the No. 3 bonus pool of $17,592,100. Each slot value went up 2.5% based on increased MLB revenue.

      2026 MLB Draft bonus pools

      • Pittsburgh Pirates: $19,130,700
      • Tampa Bay Rays: $19,009,300
      • Chicago White Sox: $17,592,100
      • Minnesota Twins: $16,929,600
      • St. Louis Cardinals: $16,612,300
      • Kansas City Royals: $15,954,000
      • Atlanta: $15,870,800
      • Colorado Rockies: $15,557,600
      • San Francisco Giants: $14,080,400
      • Athletics: $13,840,300
      • Houston Astros: $13,712,700
      • Arizona Diamondbacks: $13,603,100
      • Baltimore Orioles: $13,114,000
      • Cleveland Guardians: $12,573,900
      • Washington Nationals: $12,278,300
      • Miami Marlins: $11,960,100
      • Los Angeles Angels: $11,755,400
      • Cincinnati Reds: $10,758,500
      • Texas Rangers: $10,219,200
      • Chicago Cubs: $9,644,100
      • San Diego Padres: $9,479,000
      • Detroit Tigers: $9,165,100
      • Boston Red Sox: $8,219,200
      • Seattle Mariners: $8,218,200
      • Milwaukee Brewers: $8,042,900
      • Philadelphia Phillies: $7,773,000
      • New York Yankees: $7,342,800
      • New York Mets: $6,730,900
      • Toronto Blue Jays: $5,543,100
      • Los Angeles Dodgers: $3,951,900
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