Above And Beyond: Five Brewers That Greatly Improved In 2025

In the early spring of 2025, most prognosticators opined that the Milwaukee Brewers would finish in the middle of the pack in the National League Central, behind the consensus favorite Chicago Cubs. The win total for the Brewers was usually predicted to be in the mid-80s, behind the Cubs and perhaps even behind the Cardinals, Reds, or Pirates. 

None of that has come true.

With eight games left on the 2025 slate, the Brewers have fashioned a major league-best 94-59 mark (as of Friday before game time), three games ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies in the running for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, and six games in front of the Cubbies in the hunt for the NL Central title, which would be their sixth such championship. The Brewers also earned division titles in both 1981 and 1982, when they played in the American League East.

Here are some of the key performers who have scratched and clawed every day as manager Pat Murphy's 'Average Joes.'

Honorable Mention
Sal Frelick, Andrew Vaughn, Aaron Ashby.

Using my hockey background, terminology-wise, here are the five 'stars' of the Brewers season (compared to last year).

#5 Star-Isaac Collins
Coming into the season, Collins was expected to play a bench role as primarily an outfielder, but spring injuries to Blake Perkins and Garrett Mitchell gave Collins an opportunity to be penciled into the everyday lineup in left field, where he has made 85 starts this season. According to FanGraphs' advanced stats, Collins ranks seventh among starting NL left fielders with a +1 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) number. And the diminutive switch-hitter has certainly passed the eye-test, making several outstanding running or diving catches during the season. Collins can also swing the stick as evidenced by his top-5 rankings for Milwaukee with 21 doubles, three triples, 16 stolen bases, and an OPS of.368. Collins has also moved into the Rookie of the Year talk in the National League.

#4 Star-Caleb Durbin
Durbin came over to Milwaukee with Nestor Cortes from the New York Yankees in the Devin Williams trade last December. In spring training, Durbin was seen either as a platoon partner at third with Oliver Dunn or as a back-up infielder. By mid-April, Dunn was sent down to Nashville and Durbin became the starting third baseman. Although Durbin played twice as many games at second than he did at third in the minors, he was installed at the hot corner on a more-or-less regular basis in Milwaukee, making 110 starts so far at 3B. His FanGraphs' DRS number of  +5 is tied for third in the NL with multiple-Gold Glove winner Nolan Arenado. At the plate, Durbin ranks in the top-5 for Milwaukee with 24 two-base hits and 16 stolen bases.

#3 Star-Abner Uribe
The excitable 6-foot-3 right-hander is in his third year as a Brewer and has already made 70 relief appearances, which tops the Brewers staff. With the injury to closer Trevor Megill nearly a month ago, Uribe has become the highest of high-leverage pitchers for the Brewers, appearing in the ninth or final inning in seven of his eight outings. Uribe's numbers show him in the top-5 on Milwaukee with a bWAR of 2.3, five saves, relief IP (70.1), relief K's (84), ERA+ of 234, and FIP of 2.91. The man with the baby blue '44' glove that dances off the mound after key innings is truly a key player in the Brewers' success this season. Will he go back to his eighth inning role when Megill returns? Only time will tell, but the Brewers will need both of them to continue their high level of play if the Brewers want to move deep into this postseason.

#2 Star-Freddy Peralta
Normally you wouldn't think that Fastball Freddy would be on this list, but his bWAR of 5.4 this year compared to last season's 2.6 says otherwise. The casual fan would be surprised to know that Peralta is in his eighth season as a Brewers but won't turn 30 until next June. On this year's stat sheet, Peralta is truly head-and-shoulders above not only the Brewers, but in the National League. Even though 'pitcher wins' aren't a 'big thing' in today's analytics, Freddy leads the major leagues with 17 victories. On the Brewers, Peralta leads the starters with an ERA of 2.65, 31 games started, 169.2 innings pitched, 195 strikeouts, and an ERA+ of 158. Freddy will be a key part of the Brewers postseason rotation.

#1 Star-Quinn Priester
The 'Reverend' came over in the highly-debated trade in early April 2025 with the Boston Red Sox that cost the Brewers top OF prospect Yophery Rodriguez, a Competitive Balance Round A pick, and a PTBNL, who turned out to be pitcher John Holobetz. Much grumbling went on in Brewer Nation because of Rodriguez and the draft pick, but after five quality months in the Brewers rotation by Priester, odds are that the Milwaukee fan base has forgotten all about Rodriguez and the draft selection. Holobetz has done well and has advanced to Double-A for Boston while 'Yoph' is struggling at High-A. In the meantime, Milwaukee has a starter that has helped lead the team to the playoffs. Priester is among team leaders with his bWAR of 3.0, 13 wins, 146.2 innings pitched, and 118 strikeouts. He won 12 straight decisions coming into Thursday's game and the Brewers have won the last 19 games he started, including a 5-2 win over the Angels in the final game of a three-game sweep Thursday. Once again, 'The Rev' pitched well, going 5.2 innings, allowing three hits, two runs, and two walks while striking out double-digit (10) hitters for the third time this year.

Next Stop, World Series?
All the players listed above have played huge roles in helping Brew City make it to 94 wins this season. Uribe and Peralta had prior success with Milwaukee and were expected to contribute again this year, and they have. But the others? Collins should finish in the top-5 (at worst) in the NL ROY race, while Durbin and Priester have performed as management and the fans had hoped they would. It is up to them, along with the other 20 players on the 28-man roster to keep on 'keepin' on' and send the Brewers to a place they haven't been since 1982--The World Series.