BrewersRaptor Brewers Recap: Hotlanta, Hot Brewers

I have to admit, I’ve been a Negative Nelly the past week or so. The lack of splashes at the trade deadline (combined with two series losses) had me annoyed. The trade deadline is one of my favorite times of the season. I know they kept saying they were probably just adding a veteran starter, but I also thought this might be the year the team got a surprising, big-name trade target. It did not come to pass.

My recent podcast episode was also pretty negative to start. We know the team is good and should be fine, with lots of potential. It's also fine to feel frustrated with your favorite team from time to time, and not a bad thing to have multiple emotions during a season.

This team has shown that they can adapt and step up. This isn’t the same Milwaukee Brewers, and you can add "adapt" to the identity list. The new Crew love to bunt, run, fight and now adapt. With 48 games to go, Milwaukee still has a healthy lead in the division, a top-five record in the National League, and is a lot of fun to watch (usually).

Is Jackson Chourio’s Contract Already Worth It?

Short answer: Probably. His first few months definitely showed he was a rookie. Some defensive decisions need to get better. But since the start of June, the 20-year-old outfielder is now a must-start player. It's been a Jackson Summer for quite a while now.

If Paul Skenes hadn’t been so good right from the jump, Chourio would easily win NL Rookie of the Year. But it’s hard to compete with a guy who has been lights-out since his debut and has a legitimate shot to win the NL Cy Young Award, too. The Pirates might finally have something cooking, unless they act like the Pirates again and Skenes is a New York Yankee in three years.

You could argue that Chourio’s first year at his contract's annual average value of $10M is already covered. Let’s take a look at some other outfielders who make around the same as him. Now technically, he is only making $2.25 million this season, but it's still $10.25 million against the luxury-tax number (admittedly, not a huge consideration for the Crew), so we will stay around $10 million.

Harrison Bader and Kevin Kiermaier are making $10.5 million this year. Jason Heyward is making $9 million. Alex Verdugo is making $8.7 million, and Randy Arozarena is making $8.1 million. We can even throw in Brewers legend Hunter Renfroe, who is making $13 million.

Chourio is hitting .277, has an OPS of .763, and has amassed 14 home runs and 50 RBIs. He also has 15 stolen bases already. He's tied for 25^th in home runs for outfielders in MLB.

• Bader: .271, .719, 8 HR, 41 RBI
• Kiermaier: .188, .532, 4 HR, 18 RBI
• Heyward: .209, .683, 5 HR, 24 RBI
• Verdugo: .235, .665, 10 HR, 50 RBI
• Arozarena: .220, .731, 16 HR, 39 RBI
• Renfroe: .236, .712, 11 HR, 44 RBI

Chourio seems to only be trending upward, and could be one of the best signings the Brewers have ever done. And making history already in his rookie season.

Colin Rea is An Ace

There need to be college classes and advanced studies done on Colin Rea and what he is doing during the 2024 season. Last year, he was a serviceable fourth or fifth starter with the Brewers. This year, he has turned into their ace.

Rea currently has a 10-3 record with a 3.38 ERA over 22 games. Freddy Peralta will probably remain Milwaukee’s number-one starter, but there is no question that Rea is pitching better and more consistently. His career ERA is 4.33, so basically, he took an entire run off his average this season--so far, anyway. All I’m saying is that Colin Rea wouldn’t have given up those runs for the National League in the All-Star Game. Rea’s season has been more than impressive.

His start against the Braves this week was nothing short of magical. He went seven innings with five hits, zero earned runs and nine, yes nine, punchouts. When you have accounts like Talkin’ Baseball and Pitching Ninja talking about you, you know you’re playing well. And in a year where the Brewers absolutely needed a guy like him: No Corbin Burnes, no Brandon Woodruff and Peralta having a very inconsistent season. The team needed a pitcher to step up, and Rea did just that. With practically an entire pitching staff still on the injured list, Brewers fans should appreciate what we are seeing this year from the Iowa native.

Six-Man Rotation Incoming?

As of right now (Thursday afternoon), the Brewers have TBD as their starting pitcher for Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Reds. Milwaukee beat writer Curt Hogg posted something that would make a lot of sense.

Jeff Levering also mentioned on several broadcasts that the team might switch to a six-man rotation soon. With DL Hall coming back, don’t be surprised to see that happen. So you’ll have Peralta, Rea, Tobias Myers, Aaron Civale, Frankie Montas and Hall. It gives your starters some extra rest as we approach the last month of the season, and will determine who can help the Brewers win some playoff games.

I swear I am not trying to jinx anything. It’s just that, statistically speaking, Milwaukee has a 99% chance of making the playoffs right now. It would have to be a collapse of epic proportions, and that's not in this team’s DNA. You could easily see a playoff rotation of Rea, Peralta, Myers and Montas, with Civale and Hall ready for long relief if needed, especially the first series.

Players are getting healthy and the offense seems to be waking up at the right time. So for now, the focus is staying healthy and winning the NL Central. Oh, and also winning more than 76 games, so I can cash one of my bets. Having a run differential of +101 doesn't hurt either.

Be good people, and Go Brewers!