Brewers Hitter of the Month - August 2023

While it might be a stretch to say that the Brewers had a great offense in August, it was definitely a slight improvement over the rest of the season. They posted a .710 team OPS, a slight bump to their season-average of .693 OPS. So who showed up the most?

Honorable Mention
Sal Frelick - .239/.350/.388 (.738), 80 PA, 16 H, 4 2B, 2 HR
There were some concerns around Frelick’s ability to perform at the major league level given his underwhelming .675 OPS at AAA this season but since being called up in July, he’s performed admirably. Aside from making highlight reel catches, he posted an .840 OPS over 36 plate appearances in July.

He cooled down a decent amount in August but was consistent, displaying some strong on-base skills while getting some doubles and homers on the way. He’s got a long way to go, but he outperformed fellow rookies Andruw Monasterio and Joey Wiemer and has been exceeding expectations thus far. 

#4: Tyrone Taylor - .271/.339/.542 (.881), 65 PA, 16 H, 5 2B, 3 HR
Tyrone Taylor hasn’t had a great season, but he had a great month of August. Posting a <.500 OPS heading into the month, he seemed to figure things out at the plate and racked up 11 RBI in August, four more than he had accumulated the rest of the season. While he had fewer plate appearances than his everyday counterparts, he made the most out of each opportunity.

The hope is that these improvements aren’t transient and instead the results of an actual change to approach and swing, factors that could help the Brewers team significantly for the remainder of the regular season and into the playoffs.

#3: Mark Canha - .271/.357/.400 (.757), 98 PA, 23 H, 5 2B, 2 HR
For many fans, Mark Canha was the second half of a disappointing trade deadline that just added him and Carlos Santana as new bats to the lineup. Sure, he isn’t putting up Barry Bonds numbers but he’s showed off some improved power and ability to hit in clutch moments.

On the bright side, his OPS+ of 106 with the Brewers is still slightly better than his OPS+ of 102 with the New York Mets so the argument can be made that the team got an improved version of Canha.

#2: Willy Adames - .250/.330/.413 (.743), 103 PA, 23 H, 3 2B, 4 HR
After a freezing cold start to the season, Willy Adames is finally returning to the shortstop we all know and love. His hot streak really started towards the second half of the month, with his ability to hit for average and power returning in a big way. In his last 15 games, he’s slashed .293/.349/.534. 

His season OPS of .696 still leaves a lot to be desired but who’s to say that he won’t have as hot of a September as he did August?

#1: William Contreras - .280/.374/.470 (.844), 115 PA, 28 H, 10 2B, 3 HR
When I sit back and think of the Brewers’ best moments in August, Contreras is somehow involved in every one. Aside from being one of the best defensive catchers in the business, he’s also known to get an extra base hit or two. Looking at his slash line for the month, he really just did it all - hit for average, walked, and hit for power.

While Christian Yelich still has a slight edge in rWAR, Contreras is just 0.1 behind him and making a strong case for being the Brewers’ most valuable player this season. He’s already earned his keep as Milwaukee’s best offseason addition which honestly isn’t saying much given his peer group includes Jesse Winker and Brian Anderson.