3 Quick Takeaways from the Milwaukee Brewers' 2025 ZiPS Projections

The Brewers Roster is Already Well Placed to Compete for the NL Central in 2025
While the Brewers' offense isn’t flush with star talent, it’s well-balanced. I’d argue that has an outsized impact in a competitive division, as they can absorb any lost production from various positions through injury or ineffective performance. The outfield and middle infield are set up for success, even with a slightly disappointing (surprisingly so?) 2.6 fWAR projection for Jackson Chourio.

The corner infield positions remain the major cause for concern. Joey Ortiz filling a Willy Adames-shaped hole at shortstop leaves third base for a group of players who are either unproven (Oliver Dunn, Caleb Durbin), not quite ready (Brock Wilken), or only moderately effective in a managed role (Andruw Monasterio). On the other side of the infield, Rhys Hoskins will be overpaid at $18 million. Given the Brewers' lack of financial flexibility, I’d argue solving for one of the corner infield spots (though not both) remains a realistic offseason need.

Further Rotation Depth is Needed
The starting rotation might not look that exciting on paper, but ZiPS likes it quite a bit. In fact, it’s the primary area where they have a leg up on the Chicago Cubs (14.5 WAR to 12.2). While that’s an exciting foundation, some of it feels tenuous. There’s a healthy projection for Brandon Woodruff, who's coming off a missed season due to shoulder surgery. The model also likes Tobias Myers and Nestor Cortes plenty. After Aaron Civale (who is just an innings eater), there’s not much starting pitching depth that has shown proof of concept at the MLB level just yet. I'd argue this group needs deepening before spring.

Trading Devin Williams was the Right Call
The Devin Williams trade seemed like an inevitable fulcrum of the Brewers offseason, and, per ZiPS, it was the right call. The Brewers have an edge over the Cubs with their bullpen projection (5.3 to 3.6). It’s not a top-heavy group either, with several options well suited to pitch in medium- to high-leverage roles. The bullpen is also an area where the Brewers have strong reinforcements on the way in the upper minors.

For one of several organizations who haven’t done much to bolster their MLB roster this winter, the Brewers have a strong foundation in place for 2025. Given their lack of financial flexibility and the strength of their farm system, trades seem like the most viable route to meaningful upgrades prior to spring training. Bolstering third base and adding starting pitching depth would be high-leverage paths to meaningful improvement.

What do you make of the Brewers ZiPS projections? Where would you like to see them focus their remaining offseason energies and resources?