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. 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. View full rumor

Image courtesy of © Michael McLoone-Imagn Images Should we be surprised that the Milwaukee Brewers are leading MLB in stolen bases? Probably not. After all, the Crew finished second in MLB last year with 164 steals, 30 behind the Tampa Bay Rays. It is more the frequency—and the success rate—that the Brewers are swiping bases. After six games, the Brewers had 15 steals in 16 tries. The Colorado Rockies (double-checks notes, yes, the Rockies) are second with nine in 12 attempts. Those are the only teams to have double-digit attempts entering the weekend. At this rate, 2.5 per game, the Brewers are on pace for 405 steals, which would easily break the MLB record of 347 set by the 1911 New York Giants. But, of course, it is too early to even consider that. We are talking about six games. David Hamilton, thought to be the utility infielder entering the season, is the early ringleader of this band of thieves. The former Brewers prospect who was shipped away before the 2022 season and then brought back in the six-player Caleb Durbin trade with the Boston Red Sox this spring has four stolen bases, tied for the MLB lead. Hamilton has started four times, three at third base and another at shortstop, and is just off to a 2-for-12 start, meaning he has twice as many steals as hits. Hamilton has also walked four times. Center fielder Garrett Mitchell is right behind with three steals, which is the same or better total than 14 teams. Is it just because Hamilton is a better base stealer than Durbin is? Or Mitchell than Blake Perkins? That might be part of the answer. Hamilton swiped 55 bases over the last two seasons with the Red Sox, getting 33 in 98 games (317 plate appearances) in 2024 and 22 in 91 games (194 PAs) in 2025. Durbin, meanwhile, had a minor-league reputation of being a base-stealer, getting 31 in 105 games in 2022, 36 in 69 games in 2023, and 31 in 90 games in 2024. But it was in the 2024 Arizona Fall League where he really stood out. In just 24 games, Durbin swiped 29 bases in 30 attempts. But Durbin didn't flash that ability in his only season with the Crew. He tried to steal just 24 times and was successful 18 times in 136 games. Maybe Durbin didn't have the green light to run? Or maybe he didn't feel comfortable running as a rookie? Durbin tried to steal after getting his first hit with the Red Sox this year. It could be a change in mindset, too, for the Brewers in 2026. Especially now, with not having the injured Jackson Chourio and Andrew Vaughn, manager Pat Murphy may have decided to be more aggressive without two of his more dependable power hitters. It could also be a tool to get the Crew's offense ignited early in the season. Remember, the Brewers didn't hit their stride last year until around Memorial Day weekend and needed 11- and 14-game winning streaks to win the NL Central by five games. The Brewers entered this weekend averaging 7.5 runs per game, again an unsustainable rate. But that could help players loosen up in the early stages of the season, hoping that more power follows later on. Mitchell is another interesting case. Speed is definitely part of his talent toolbox. He has 26 steals in his 146-game start-and-stop four-plus-year career in the majors and 41 in 158 minor-league games. That 41 is more indicative of the type of trouble Mitchell can create on the basepaths when healthy. He has begun 2026 with three steals in five games, including two in the second game of the season against the Chicago White Sox, the same game Hamilton stole a pair. That game saw the Crew steal seven times against the White Sox, including another pair by Joey Ortiz. They all came against catcher Reese McGuire, who had been in camp with the Brewers this spring before opting out of his contract just before Opening Day, so maybe they knew they could run wild. McGuire would have begun this year as a backup at Triple-A Nashville had he stayed with the Crew. Nick Fortes, whom the Tampa Bay Rays acquired for his defense last year, allowed a pair of two-steal games when he was behind the plate in the second series of the season. Whatever the reason, the aggressiveness to begin the season has been noticeable and helped the Brewers be one of three MLB teams to jump out to a 5-1 start. View full article

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 View full rumor

Not that the Milwaukee Brewers are hurting for outfield bodies, but that position just got a little deeper. The Brewers on Monday picked up outfielder Luis Matos from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for cash. Matos had been designated for assignment on Wednesday after not getting a spot on the Giants' Opening Day roster. To make room on the Brewers' 40-man roster, minor-league left-handed reliever Sammy Peralta was designated for assignment. Peralta will now hit the waiver wire and will either be claimed, traded, or outrighted to Triple-A Nashville. Matos is out of minor-league options, so a corresponding move to put him on the 26-man roster is needed. He is expected to join the Brewers on Tuesday. So, unless there is another injury, that could mean center fielder Blake Perkins returns to Nashville. Perkins was called up on Opening Day when star outfielder Jackson Chourio went on the 10-day injured list with a fractured left hand. Another option would be sending catcher Jeferson Quero back down after three days up for his MLB debut. The 24-year-old Matos, a native of Venezuela like Chourio, catcher William Contreras, and left-handed reliever Angel Zerpa, has played in 178 games with the Giants over the last three seasons and put up a .231/.281/.369 slash line with 15 homers, 61 RBIs, and seven steals. A right-handed hitter, Matos started 2025 on the Giants' Opening Day roster, but was on the plane to Triple-A three times and had an MLB slash line of .221/.266/.424 in 59 games, hitting eight homers, driving in 22 runs, and stealing four bases. In 36 games at Triple-A Sacramento last year, Matos slashed .293/.327/.510 with seven homers, 29 RBIs, and six stolen bases. Before the 2022 season, Matos was a consensus top-75 prospect. View full rumor

Image courtesy of © Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images After just one game of the regular season, the Milwaukee Brewers are suddenly down two of the primary nine position players they expected to begin 2026 with. First, on Opening Day, left fielder Jackson Chourio was ruled out for two to four weeks after he sustained a fractured left hand with Venezuela in a March 4 World Baseball Classic exhibition game and exacerbated the injury in the final tune-up games to begin this week. Then on Saturday, first baseman Andrew Vaughn followed Chourio to the 10-day injured list with a fractured left hamate bone. Vaughn is expected to miss four to six weeks following surgery, which is scheduled for Monday. The hamate bone is a small, relatively useless bone at the base of the ring and little finger bones. New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor had surgery to remove his left hamate bone on Feb. 11 and returned to play a spring training game on March 15. Arizona Diamondbacks left fielder Corbin Carroll broke his right hamate bone on Feb. 11, had surgery the same day, and was back in action March 11. Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday had his right hamate bone removed Feb. 12 and began a rehab assignment Friday. Those cases show the ends of the four- to six-week recovery. Generally, there are no long-term effects to hitters who have their hamate bone removed, although there could be some short-term negative impact. So what do the Brewers do now? It is a little complicated, but that is what the Brewers do. This is where their positional versatility will come into play. It just depends on how manager Pat Murphy wants to execute the plan. With catcher Jeferson Quero, Brewer Fanatic's No. 7 prospect, called up to take Vaughn's spot on the roster and set to make his MLB debut, there are two obvious solutions. Jake Bauers, a left-handed hitter who plays first base and left field and was expected to be the top bat off the bench this year, started in left field on Opening Day in place of Chourio. Bauers went 2-for-5 with a three-run homer in the Crew's 14-2 triumph over the Chicago White Sox. Bauers is a good defender at the position and had a tremendous spring that carried over to the season's first game. If Bauers is at first base, that would put Brandon Lockridge, a right-handed hitter, or Blake Perkins, a switch-hitter, in left field. On Saturday, Bauers started at first, and Lockridge was in left. The other top option, considering Quero was called up, would be backup catcher Gary Sanchez, a right-handed hitter who could be in the lineup against left-handed starting pitchers. Bauers could still be in the lineup in left field, with Sanchez at first base and William Contreras behind the plate. Sanchez doesn't have a wealth of experience at first, having made four of his seven MLB appearances at the position in 2024 in his first stint with the Crew. Those two choices provide Murphy with the ultimate flexibility. But there are other pieces to the plan. Contreras, who wants to play every day, could slide over to first base, where he made his lone appearance last year in the ninth inning of a 14-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Aug. 12. That would come into play when Quero starts behind the plate. A bit out of the box, infielders Luis Rengifo and David Hamilton could try their hand at first base. Neither has played the position in the majors or minors, but both have played third base and should be able to adjust to the mechanics of first base, at least in an emergency. Bauers at first and Lockridge in left feels like the most likely configuration, but the Brewers do have the flexibility for other combinations. Vaughn and Chourio were big parts of the Brewers' offense entering the season, but now must deal with the absence of the hitters for a good chunk of April, a month where they have a season-high five days off (not including July's All-Star break). View full article

Image courtesy of © Jeff Curry-Imagn Images On the surface, you might wonder how the Nashville Sounds, the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers, would fare over a 162-game MLB schedule. That is because the roster is loaded with prospects, some of whom will make their MLB debuts this season or return to the majors to fortify the major-league roster. But the players on the Sounds' 28-player Opening Day roster are in Nashville for one reason or another. For several, they need that extra bit of seasoning before they start to cook for the Brewers. For others, it was simply a numbers issue at the MLB level. Seven of Brewer Fanatic's Top 20 prospects, including three of the top seven, begin the season with the Sounds. Already, the Brewers have tapped into that depth as they had to call up center fielder Blake Perkins, a surprise demotion, to replace injured outfielder Jackson Chourio. For the moment, the Sounds only have two listed outfielders, although some of the infielders can easily move to the outfield. Left-hander Robert Gasser will be on the mound as the Sounds open the season Friday on the road with three games against the Norfolk Tides, a Baltimore Orioles affiliate. Nashville returns home Tuesday to open its first homestand against the Charlotte Knights (Chicago White Sox). Three players are on the injured list. Right-handers Gerson Garabito (broken ankle) is on the 60-day IL, while relievers J.B. Bukauskas and Thomas Pannone are on the seven-day IL. Here is the roster that manager Rick Sweet will have to work with: Projected starting rotation (5) Robert Gasser, LH Logan Henderson, RH (No. 6 Brewer Fanatic prospect) Shane Drohan, LH Coleman Crow, RH Carlos Rodriguez, RH Gasser and Henderson could have easily been in the Brewers' rotation. They will undoubtedly get their shots at some point in the season. Is there anything to read into Gasser starting the season opener over Henderson? Probably not. Gasser came back from Tommy John surgery after five MLB starts to begin 2024 to make two abbreviated late-season starts and was included on the postseason roster, making a pair of relief appearances. Henderson had three call-ups and made five starts in his MLB debut season of 2025 before elbow issues shut him down prematurely. That elbow caused him to miss a little time in spring training, which may have led to him starting the season at Nashville. Drohan and Crow are exciting arms to watch. Drohan certainly would have been included in our prospect list, but was acquired from the Boston Red Sox after it was published. Both have dealt with significant injuries, with Drohan limited to 15 starts in 2025 by a forearm strain and Crow returning from Tommy John surgery to make 12 starts. The 24-year-old Rodriguez has been pushed down the depth chart, but has made five MLB appearances for the Crew over the last to seasons. Projected bullpen (9) Kaleb Bowman, RH Will Childers, RH Joe Corbett, RH Brian Fitzpatrick, LH Blake Holub, RH Tate Kuehner, LH Easton McGee, RH Sammy Peralta, LH Drew Rom, RH Garrett Stallings, RH Peter Strzelecki, RH Jacob Waguespeck, RH While technically there are no prospects in the bullpen, there are plenty of talented arms. McGee was bumped off the Brewers' Opening Day roster by the acquisition of right-hander Jake Woodford on Tuesday. Holub, Kuehner, Peralta, and Waguespeck are some of the other interesting arms who could find their way to Milwaukee at some point this season. Catcher (3) Jeferson Quero (No. 7 prospect) Andrick Nava Ramon Rodriguez Quero is the Brewers' catcher of the future, perhaps starting in 2027, depending on whether William Contreras is still around. Quero dealt with surgery on his right labrum after being injured in the 2024 season opener for the Sounds, then had a cranky hamstring that delayed the start of his 2025 season, and later injured his left shoulder. Quero is terrific defensively, but his throwing has not been as good as it was before the surgery. His power, which produced 16 homers in 90 games in 2024 and 11 in 69 last year, has been slow to return, but improved as 2025 wore on. Getting his arm back up to par and showing off his hit tool (.276/.353/.453 career slash line in the minors) will be key. Infield (8) Luke Adams, 3B (No. 13 prospect) Tyler Black, 1B-LF Eddys Leonard Ethan Murray Cooper Pratt, SS (No. 4 prospect) Brock Wilken, 3B (No. 15 prospect) Jett Williams, SS-2B-CF (No. 3 prospect) Freddy Zamora Sweet will be like a kid in a candy store with this talented group. With only two outfielders to begin with, Williams is likely to get more time in the outfield to begin the season. Otherwise, Sweet will be able to roll out a number of different combinations. Williams' versatility is the key to that, while Pratt is likely to play a position other than shortstop for the first time since just after he was drafted in 2023 and had three games at second base in the Arizona Complex League. Williams, a consensus top-75 prospect, could force his way onto the Brewers' roster with a good first-half showing. He struggled in 34 games after being promoted by the New York Mets to Triple-A last year. Adams and Wilken will probably alternate at the two corner infield spots, with Black, who had a strong spring, also seeing time at first. Adams further developed his power in 2025, but still topped out at 11 homers for the season. He did hit three homers in 16 Arizona Fall League games. Wilken is looking to stay healthy after two freak injuries marred his last two seasons (hit in the face by a pitch, knee injury while celebrating the first-half title). Still, Wilken produced 18 homers in 79 games in 2025. Outfield (2) Greg Jones Luis Lara (No. 11 prospect) Lara's defense is the star attraction, which bodes well for him eventually fitting into the Brewers' roster. But he has also made improvements at the plate. He had a .257/.369/.343 with 44 steals in 51 attempts. In three seasons since coming Stateside, Lara has translated his speed into 121 steals in 152 attempts. Unfortunately, the power is nonexistent, with eight homers in that same timespan. Any improvement there would help raise his profile for his eventual MLB debut. View full article

Image courtesy of © Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images After an offseason of waiting, Opening Day is finally here. The Milwaukee Brewers will host the Chicago White Sox on Thursday at 1:10 p.m. CT at American Family Field, to begin the 2026 season. The Brewers have high expectations, having won the last three NL Central championships, but they also enter the season with several questions. As such, here are three reasons why the Brewers will again finish atop the Central—and three reasons they could fall short. The Brewers will win the Central because ... The young starting pitchers step up With a recent history of pulling the most out of pitchers, the Brewers' four young starters—Jacob Misiorowski, Chad Patrick, Brandon Sproat and Kyle Harrison—will elevate their performances and carry the Crew to a fourth consecutive Central championship. Misiorowski has the ability to become an NL Cy Young contender with his 31.9% strikeout rate, which is nearly 50% better than the MLB average. The key for Misiorowski will be his control, as he walked 11.4% of hitters as a rookie, a full three percentage points worse than the MLB average. He did have a nice opponent batting average of .214. Patrick feels like the most stable of these four, so simply repeating last year's 3.53 FIP and improving his .248 opponent batting average would suffice. Sproat has the potential to be surprising. He was very good from a metrics point of view in his four-game MLB debut with the New York Mets, not only limiting hard contact but also inducing groundballs. That fits into the Crew's defensive scheme very well. But the biggest step will be taken by Harrison. Acquired from the Boston Red Sox in the six-player Caleb Durbin deal, Harrison unveiled a kick-change late last year and took another step with it this spring, notching eight strikeouts in his first spring outing. That pitch will turn into a monster for the left-hander, who will finish behind only Misiorowski on the club in strikeouts. All of this by the young starters will also invigorate veteran Brandon Woodruff. Jackson Chourio becomes a superstar Jackson Chourio has had a very nice first two years, becoming the youngest player in MLB history with back-to-back 20-homer, 20-stolen base seasons. His slash lines have been remarkably similar, going .275/.327/.464 as a rookie to .270/.308/.463 in his sophomore season. But there is more to unlock in Chourio. He has a quick bat and speed that reminds many of Ronald Acuña Jr. He also plays with the joy of a Julio Rodríguez. Dreaming on Chourio being a 30-30 player isn't hard. But what if Chourio ramped up his game to 35 homers and 40 stolen bases? That would also come with taking his batting average up to the .290 or .300 level. Chourio has shown more discipline this spring in drawing walks, which will force pitchers to attack him more, leading to more hits and being able to utilize his speed on the basepaths. Chourio has an electric smile and talent to match. It is time to put that on display for all of MLB to see. Hopefully, his hand injury will be only a brief and unimportant setback on that journey. Garrett Mitchell plays 145 games The wait for the Garrett Mitchell breakthrough has been agonizing, because the reason he hasn't been on the field is for what feels like a series of unrelated injuries. But 2026 is the year in which Mitchell avoids any health issues and more than doubles the number of games he has played in his first three-plus seasons with the Brewers (141). The center fielder with the sweet swing can be a dynamic force for the Brewers with his power and speed combination. In 2024, when he played in a career-high 69 games, he hit eight homers and stole 11 bases. That would put him around a 20-20 pace if he played in 145 games and hits in the .275 range. Combine that with what Chourio and William Contreras can do offensively, and the Brewers will be lighting up scoreboards around MLB this year. The Brewers won't win the Central because ... Brandon Woodruff's shoulder falls apart It gives me no pleasure to write this. Yet, it is the thought that every one of us has as Brandon Woodruff begins 2026 with the Brewers. The sturdy right-hander hasn't had a full spring training, only making two starts and going five innings as he makes his way back from the strained right lat that knocked him out of commission in mid-September. The Brewers signaled early in spring training that Woodruff was going to be slow-played this season, not emphasizing getting him to full speed for Opening Day. Instead, they're making sure (as much as they can) that he will be around for Game 162 and the postseason. Of course, the lat injury followed the right shoulder surgery (anterior capsule) he had at the end of the 2023 season and which kept him out all of 2024. His 2025 debut was delayed by other injuries, including being drilled by a comebacker in a minor-league rehab game. While he deserves a much better ending considering his performance history, his season, probably his final one in Milwaukee, will come to an end early as his right shoulder gives out one more time. Brice Turang and Sal Frelick regress offensively One of the keys to the Crew's offense in 2026 was that second baseman Brice Turang and right fielder Sal Frelick, both 2024 Gold Glove winners, were no longer black holes with the bat. Turang, in particular, has shown remarkable progress at the plate in each of the last two seasons. Turang jumped from .218 as a rookie in 2023 to .254 in 2024 and up to .288 last year—not to mention the late-season power surge he experienced with 10 blasts in August and six homers in 2023 and seven in 2024. He finished with 18 in 2025. Frelick, meanwhile, has gone from .246 to .259 to .288. While not as dramatic as Turang's climb, the growth of both offensively was why the Brewers clicked last year. But if Turang goes back to hitting single-digits in home runs and he and Frelick drop down to .260 or less, the Crew's offense will be in trouble in 2026. Luis Rengifo is a bust at third base If things go right for the Brewers, they just need Luis Rengifo to be himself in 2026. They don't need him to shoulder the burden of the offense, just match his career slash line of .250/.307/.382 with maybe 10 homers. That was close to the output of Durbin last year. But Rengifo has played more often at second base than third base in his career, and he will be at the hot corner only with the Crew. Last year, he had a career-high 76 appearances at third, as well as 74 at second. At third, Rengifo had -5 Defensive Runs Saved, which ranked 166th out of 176 MLB third basemen. He had a poor season at the plate last year with the Los Angeles Angels, slashing .238/.287/.335 and striking out 19.2% of the time. While that strikeout rate is just a bit worse than the MLB average, it was his highest since going down on strikes 20% of the time in 2021. Rengifo struggled this spring, hitting .244 (11-for-45) while hitting three homers and driving in five. If he struggles to the point of needing to release him, that could pave the way for Jett Williams to possibly come up—but a lot of damage could be done before then, and the NL Central is unforgiving. View full article

Image courtesy of © Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images It takes the full 26-man roster (and then some) to survive each MLB season. After all, the 162-game schedule isn't the sprint that the NFL has (17 games) or the middle-distance race of the NBA (82 games). No, this is an endurance race that has many ups and downs. The Milwaukee Brewers learned that last year. Remember the season-opening series against the New York Yankees, when the world became aware of Torpedo bats and the Crew were outscored 32-12 in the final two games? That led to an 0-4 start, but that was followed by four straight wins. The team more than erased their slow start, eventually, with 11- and 14-game winning streaks (the latter being a club record) and a 97-65 record, best in MLB and best in franchise history. It took contributions from everyone who donned a Brewers uniform to forge that fantastic result in 2025. With that being said, we're now on the cusp of the 2026 season, and new faces and new expectations litter the roster. Who are the most important Brewers, as the team seeks a fourth straight NL Central championship? Here is one opinion. (Players are ranked based on their importance to how the 2026 season goes.) 26. Jake Woodford Acquired Tuesday from the Tampa Bay Rays, the right-hander will toil in a bit of a swing role, especially as the last man in the bullpen. Woodford was released from the minors by three teams in 2025 before landing a major-league job with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Like others in this bullpen, Woodford has the ability to go more than one inning consistently. He's a bit of a flier for the Crew after he put up a 4.26 FIP (6.44 ERA) in 22 appearances with the D'backs. 25. Grant Anderson Following two years with the Texas Rangers, the right-hander found a nice role in his first season with the Brewers in 2025. Anderson made 66 appearances, a significant bump from the 49 he made in his two seasons in Texas. More of the B bullpen, often coming in during blowouts in order to preserve the arms of the more vital members of the relief corps, Anderson had a 3.84 FIP in 69 ⅔ innings. He had a solid strikeout rate of 24.9%, but did walk 9.7%, which needs to be improved upon. 24. DL Hall Will this be the year the Brewers truly get to see what the left-hander can do? Hall has been limited by injuries and ineffectiveness in his two seasons with the Crew, appearing in just 33 games. At one point thought to be a starter, Hall is now focused on a relief role. He is one of a few relievers with the ability to go multiple innings, something that could prove valuable early in the season. Hall has had a problem with walks with the Brewers, issuing free passes to 10.8% of the hitters he has faced. 23. Gary Sánchez Finding at-bats for the backup catcher will be tougher in his second tour of duty with the Crew. In 2024, Sánchez, in addition to giving William Contreras the occasional day off, could also be in the lineup as the designated hitter. But that was when Christian Yelich still played left field on a regular basis. Now that Yelich is basically a full-time DH, Sánchez will be relegated to pinch-hitting when not starting as the backstop. His 2025 with the Baltimore Orioles came to an early end with a sprained right knee, after he'd played in just 29 games. Whatever power Sánchez can produce when he does come to the plate will be just what the Brewers were looking for. 22. David Hamilton The former Brewers prospect who was traded away came back in the same fashion, as part of the six-player trade that sent third baseman Caleb Durbin to the Boston Red Sox. Hamilton brings two Crew favorites, speed and defense, to the infield mix. He's more of a second baseman and third baseman, but has also shown this spring the ability to play shortstop. The offense is the big question with Hamilton, but with him taking over the Andruw Monasterio role, not a lot of offense is expected. 21. Jared Koenig The left-hander has been a quiet and stable force in the Crew's bullpen. During his two seasons in Milwaukee, Koenig has a 3.31 FIP in 127 appearances. He won't be forced to pitch in as many big situations this year with the arrival of Ángel Zerpa, but that won't diminish his importance. He could be called upon more to clean up a bad outing by a starter. Still, he is as reliable as they come. 20. Brandon Lockridge No one knew or, frankly, cared much about the center fielder when the Brewers acquired him at the trade deadline from the San Diego Padres in exchange for left-hander Nestor Cortes and prospect shortstop Jorge Quintana. That all changed with what he did down the stretch, after being needed on the active roster immediately instead of going to Triple-A after the deal. Now, Lockridge figures to be a platoon candidate with Garrett Mitchell in center to begin 2026, with his speed and newly tapped-into power being the skills he brings to the offense. 19. Jake Bauers The left-handed-hitting first baseman/left fielder will be a key bench bat for the Crew. In fact, he could hit his way into a more prominent role. While that also depends on the production of others, Bauers was one of the few consistent bats the Brewers had to finish the regular season and into the postseason. Then he nearly hit .500 (.457) this spring. How his at-bats shake out will be interesting, with Andrew Vaughn starting at first base, Jackson Chourio in left field and Christian Yelich at designated hitter. 18. Luis Rengifo You have to consider what the Brewers will actually get out of the third baseman, and not compare him to any predecessors. The Crew actually got lucky with Durbin having the type of season he did last year, after trotting out Vinny Capra for Opening Day. Rengifo is more of a second baseman who can play third. Of his 673 MLB games, 499 have come at second and 199 at third. Last year, it was evenly split between the two (74 at second, 79 at third). His offense suffered last year with the Los Angeles Angels, as he put up a .238/.287/.335 slash line with 9 homers, 43 RBIs and 10 steals over a full season. That came after a 2024 in which he had a .300/.347/.417 mark with 6 homers, 30 RBIs and 24 steals in 78 games. His season was curtailed by left wrist inflammation. Something in the middle would suit the Brewers just fine, as long as he plays good defense at the hot corner and shows off his speed when he does get on base. 17. Ángel Zerpa The new, shiny toy in the Crew's bullpen, Zerpa was acquired from the Kansas City Royals for outfielder Isaac Collins and right-handed reliever Nick Mears. For those who hadn't seen the left-hander until then, the World Baseball Classic certainly opened the eyes of fans unsure of what they were getting. Zerpa was downright nasty for Venezuela, not allowing a run in his six appearances. In a lefty-heavy bullpen, Zerpa is likely to slot in behind Abner Uribe and Trevor Megill in terms of late-inning usage. He was a key piece of the Royals' bullpen the last two years, with 129 appearances. 16. Aaron Ashby The durable left-hander is primed for a huge season. In 2025, he showed how valuable he can be by posting a 2.70 FIP (2.16 ERA) in 43 games, a figure that seems low. He was a key piece of how the Brewers put together their postseason pitching plan, with a number of regular starters injured or ineffective. He only made one regular-season start in 2025—something that feels bound to change based on what has transpired this spring, when he started three of his five appearances. Regardless of his role, he is simply an outgetter and has been reliable when called upon. 15. Kyle Harrison Acquired from the Red Sox in the Durbin trade, the left-hander begins the season as the No. 4 starter. Harrison bounced from the MLB rotation with the San Francisco Giants to the Triple-A rotation with the Red Sox following the Rafael Devers trade. He was the headliner in the Red Sox's return, in what has turned out to be a roundabout salary dump. Now, he is with the Crew and will be counted upon to shoulder a veteran's role in a rather young rotation. Harrison has started 37 of 42 MLB appearances, numbers no one else in the rotation mix (not named Brandon Woodruff) can claim. The Brewers did their usual tinkering with Harrison, and are ready to see him live up to the hype that made him the Giants' No. 1 prospect just a few years ago. 14. Joey Ortiz Is the beard the secret to unlocking the shortstop's offense? While it looks like he might be getting ready for the witness protection program after all of the daggers that were thrown his way last year, Ortiz had a .394/.487/.515 slash line in Cactus League play and went 3-for-10 with Mexico in the World Baseball Classic. He walked seven times and struck out 10 times overall. While that won't repeat during the regular season, any improvement from his 2025 slash line of .230/.276/.317—in which he always seemed to come up with the bases loaded and didn't produce—will be a welcome relief. Ortiz provides terrific defense at the most important spot on the field, finishing 2025 with one fewer error in an additional 120 innings than in 2024. He only drew a walk 5.3% of the time, a significant drop from the 11% of 2024, while reducing his strikeout rate from 20.2% to 14.6%. 13. Abner Uribe Manager Pat Murphy raised a few eyebrows when he essentially said that Uribe and Megill would be sharing the closer's role this season. He later backed off of that and indicated that Uribe would still be mainly setting up Megill, but is likely to get more opportunities to close in order not to overwork Megill (without using Uribe too much). There is no question that Uribe is the closer of the future, perhaps as early as next season, so having someone of his caliber available at the back end of the bullpen makes that a major asset. 12. Trevor Megill The right-hander has been really good in finishing off games, notching 51 saves in 60 chances over the last two seasons. Megill made a career-high 50 appearances last year, two more than in 2024, but that was also limited somewhat, as he missed a month late in the season with a strained right flexor. Megill was the subject of trade rumors this offseason, which will only increase after 2026 as he will be entering his final season of arbitration eligibility and is likely to be dealt away. Still, the bullpen is the bedrock of this team, and it begins with Megill locking down victories. 11. Sal Frelick The right fielder was in the hunt for the NL batting title in 2025, finishing seventh at .288. It was a significant step up from .246 and .259 in his first two seasons, respectively. He also went from 2 to 12 homers and has a combined 37 steals over the last two years. It doesn't feel like there is much more power in his game, but as long as he can drive the ball often enough to get on base for the rest of the offense, he provides an option as a leadoff hitter or someone to keep the bottom half of the lineup productive. 10. Brandon Sproat The right-hander earned the No. 3 slot in the Brewers' rotation after coming over with infielder/outfielder Jett Williams from the New York Mets in the late-January Freddy Peralta/Tobias Myers trade. Sproat made his MLB debut last year, making four late-season starts. Now, he's the de facto replacement for Peralta, who was the Brewers' Opening Day starter the last two years. Some scouting reports say Brewer Fanatic's No. 5 prospect is a back-end starter, while others say he has the stuff to handle a No. 3 or even a No. 2 spot. Now, he has his chance to show which side is correct. 9. Garrett Mitchell The center fielder needs to stay healthy. Since being called up for his MLB debut with 38 games left in the 2022 season, Mitchell has appeared in a mere 141 games—a number you might understand for a full season, but not for three-plus years. But various injuries have prevented Mitchell from displaying his talents on a regular basis. He survived spring training, but was just 2-for-32 (.063/.189/.188) with 15 strikeouts. If he can shed the horrible spring and stay on the field, he could be another dynamic piece of the Crew's offense. If not, the team will have to rejigger its outfield significantly. 8. Chad Patrick The right-hander was an early winner of the Crew's rotation battle, getting named a starter along with Jacob Misiorowski with three weeks left in camp. Perhaps that was a nod to what Patrick did in 2025. Patrick made the Opening Day roster last year, with his first appearance a late-inning mop-up in the torpedo bat series disaster. But then he was thrust into the rotation, with a 3.53 FIP in 23 starts and four relief appearances. He was very valuable in relief in the postseason, allowing just two runs over nine innings, striking out 11, and walking one. Now, he'll be counted on to eat innings and repeat his 2025 performance, which saw him finish seventh in NL Rookie of the Year voting. He was one of three Brewers in the top seven. 7. Andrew Vaughn The range of outcomes for Vaughn in 2026 is huge. You can't expect a repeat of his first month with the Crew following the trade from the Chicago White Sox (.365/.426/.731, 5 HR, 21 RBI in July), but you also can't expect the same production he had before the trade (.189/.218/.314, 5 HR, 19 RBI) that resulted in the lowly South Siders sending him to the minors. Vaughn has fit right in with the Crew and had a very nice spring (.372/.449/.581). With his average and power, he slots into the lineup as protection for William Contreras and Christian Yelich. 6. Brice Turang We all saw the second baseman's power come to life in August, when he almost reached the total from his first two seasons (13) in 31 days. Those 10 homers showed that Turang can drive the ball when he wants to. While he isn't being encouraged to be a 40-homer guy, hitting 20 homers (more spread-out over the season, of course) is certainly within reach. His defense at second base has been stellar, as recognized by his 2024 NL Platinum Glove, but his offense has taken strides in each of his three seasons. Turang went from a .218 hitter as a rookie to .288 in 2025, which helped him earn down-ballot MVP votes. His stolen base total took a step back from the 50 he had in 2024, as he had 24, so keeping the running game as a more consistent part of his game will benefit the offense. 5. Christian Yelich Pretty much locked into the designated hitter role due to his series of back injuries, Yelich played left field just 19 times in 2025. While his ability to play left more often would make the Brewers' offense more flexible, the most important part of his game is his left-handed bat. His slash line was a bit down in 2025 at .264/.343/.452, but he did have 29 homers (third-most of his career) and 103 RBIs. That came after a slash line of .315/.406/.504 before his 2024 season ended after 70 games due to back surgery. Getting his average back up around the .300 mark would help fuel the Brewers' offense. 4. William Conteras The catcher is entering a crucial season for his career. With the way the Brewers handle star players entering their final year of arbitration (generally trading them in the offseason), Contreras is basically in a platform season. The good news is that he should be motivated by his subpar performance from 2025, which was hampered by a fractured middle finger on his catching hand. Contreras had an offseason procedure to repair the injury, which led to his .260/.355/.399 slash line with 17 homers and 76 RBIs. He expects more out of himself, and hitting in the middle of the Crew's lineup should give him plenty of opportunities to do so. 3. Jackson Chourio The floor has been set for the 22-year-old outfielder. Chourio is the youngest player in MLB history to have back-to-back 20-homer, 20-stolen base seasons. He was much more consistent in 2025 than in his rookie year of 2024. Now, how much more is there to tap into? A 30-30 season could be the next step. More important, though, is Chourio's continued maturation at the plate. In Cactus League play, Chourio struck out just three times in 28 plate appearances, while drawing three walks. He walked twice and struck out four times in 19 plate appearances in the World Baseball Classic. His patience at the plate (5.9% career walk rate, 36.9% chase rate in 2025) has been a sore spot. 2. Jacob Misiorowski Following a spectacular start to his MLB career (which landed him a surprising spot in the All-Star Game), the flame-throwing right-handed starter endured some struggles and an injury that eventually took him out of the rotation. Misiorowski did right himself and was a weapon in the postseason, including a five-inning relief effort in Game 3 of the NL Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Now, Misiorowski, who turns 24 just a few days after the season begins, is the Crew's Opening Day starter. It seemed like he bucked some of the things the coaching staff was trying to help him with, which led to his stint in the bullpen, but now he has a fresh start in 2026 and needs to be the version of himself that began his career for the Brewers to have success. 1. Brandon Woodruff While he will slide into the rotation as the No. 5 starter, that isn't because of his talent. Woodruff is still on the comeback trail from a lat injury that kept him out of action for the last couple weeks of the regular season and the postseason. The Brewers are taking baby steps with Woodruff, so he won't be a traditional ace, but there is no doubting his importance to this team and this pitching staff. He returned from 2023 surgery on his right shoulder to put up a 3.17 FIP in 12 starts in 2025, with career bests in walk rate (5.4%) and strikeout rate (32.3%). In order to keep Woodruff healthy for the entire season, they will slowly build him up, perhaps taking a page out of the book the Los Angeles Dodgers wrote last season with Shohei Ohtani's comeback from elbow surgery. Woodruff is also important to the team as a leader in the clubhouse, so his presence matters on multiple levels. View full article

Image courtesy of © Dave Kallmann / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images As many managers and front-office leaders will say, the Opening Day roster is good for exactly one day. But it is also a significant achievement for players who have never started a season on an MLB roster. The Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday revealed the 26 players who will line up along the baselines and be introduced to the American Family Field sellout crowd on Thursday before taking on the Chicago White Sox (1:10 p.m. CT first pitch). As part of that, the Crew had to make several moves to get down to that number. Here is what the Brewers did (all 15-day injured list moves are retroactive to Sunday): Optioned right-handed reliever Easton McGee to Triple-A Nashville. Right-handed starter Quinn Priester (right thoracic outlet syndrome) was placed on the 15-day IL. Right-handed reliever Craig Yoho (strained right calf) was placed on the 15-day IL. Left-handed Rob Zastryzny (strained left shoulder) on the 15-day IL. Outfielder Steward Berroa (strained right shoulder) was placed on the 15-day IL. Confirmed the previously announced move of outfielder Akil Baddoo (strained left quad) to the 60-day IL. That is the bad news. Here is the good news: Making their first Opening Day roster are Jacob Misiorowski, Brandon Sproat, and Grant Anderson. Milwaukee Brewers (@brewers) • Instagram photo WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM 6,073 likes, 102 comments - brewers on March 25, 2026: "Now presenting your 2026 Milwaukee Brewers ‼️". Starting rotation (5) Jacob Misiorowski, RH Chad Patrick, RH Brandon Sproat, RH Kyle Harrison, LH Brandon Woodruff, RH The only question was if Woodruff would be healthy enough to begin the season or have to go on the IL for a brief time. Worries cropped up with a big drop in velocity in the fourth inning of this last spring start, but he will continue his comeback from a lat injury in the majors. Expect short outings to begin the season. Misiorowski starts Opening Day after making his MLB debut in June. There is plenty of talent here, but also lots of inexperience outside of Woodruff. Sproat is the Freddy Peralta replacement, coming over in the trade with the New York Mets. Bullpen (8) Trevor Megill, RH Abner Uribe, RH Angel Zerpa Aaron Ashby, LH Jared Koenig, LH DL Hall, LH Grant Anderson, RH Jake Woodford, RH Woodford joined the team on Tuesday in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays, which cost McGee a spot on the Opening Day roster. Megill and Uribe are a terrific 1-2 punch at the back end, and now get support from Zerpa, who came over from the Kansas City Royals via trade. The depth is very good here. Catcher (2) William Contreras Gary Sanchez Contreras had offseason surgery on the middle finger of his catching hand, an injury that happened late in the 2024 season and plagued him throughout 2025. He could be an MVP candidate as he begins the season healthy. Infield (6) Andrew Vaughn, 1B Brice Turang, 2B Luis Rengifo, 3B Joey Ortiz, SS Jake Bauers, 1B-OF David Hamilton, IF Rengifo takes over at third base following the trade of Caleb Durbin to the Boston Red Sox. Can he get back to his pre-injury 2024 form? Vaughn begins his first full season with the Crew after making a splash following his trade from the White Sox during the 2025 season. Ortiz has a fresh start after a frustrating offensive showing in 2025, his first as the Brewers' starting shortstop. Outfield (5) Christian Yelich, LF Jackson Chourio, LF Garrett Mitchell, CF Sal Frelick, RF Brandon Lockridge, CF Mitchell is looking to stay healthy and showcase the skills that led the Brewers to draft him in the first round in 2020. If he can, this could be a pretty productive group offensively, with Yelich at designated hitter. Chourio, just two weeks after turning 22, has shown the floor to his game is 20 homers and 20 stolen bases. He is the youngest player in MLB history to have back-to-back 20-20 seasons. This will be a standout defensive group regardless. View full article

Image courtesy of © Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images The always-tinkering Milwaukee Brewers made a surprising move less than 48 hours before Opening Day, acquiring right-hander Jake Woodford from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for right-hander K.C. Hunt, a prospect, and cash. Woodford is coming off a 2025 in which he made 22 relief appearances for the Arizona Diamondbacks, his fourth team of the year. The 29-year-old signed a minor-league contract with the Rays in November and was a non-roster invite to spring training. Woodford had an upward mobility clause in his deal that had a deadline of Tuesday to be triggered. That mean he at least be added to the 40-man roster or Tampa Bay had to allow him to move to another team that offered that opportunity. That ended up being the Brewers. Woodford, who has started 25 of his 111 career appearances since making his MLB debut in 2020, He started twice in his four Grapefruit League appearances, allowing one run on four hits with two walks and five strikeouts in 7⅓ innings. To make room for Woodford on the 40-man roster, Akil Baddoo was transferred to the 60-day injured list. Baddoo, who signed a split contract contract with the Crew this offseason, has been battling a strained left quad in spring training and is not expected to be ready until June. Woodford not only gives the Brewers another reliever who can go multiple innings, but he offsets the wealth of left-handers in the bullpen. This move could mean that right-hander Easton McGee will be bumped off the Opening Day roster. McGee has 11 career appearances over the last four years with the Rays, Seattle Mariners and Brewers. That length out of the bullpen, along with left-handers Aaron Ashby and DL Hall, adds to the coverage the Brewers will need at least early due to Brandon Woodruff, who is still building up following a lat injury late in 2025, not fully stretched out. In fact, in Woodruff's last Cactus League start, he looked good for three innings before a significant velocity drop in the fourth inning. Woodford certainly made the rounds in 2025. He signed a minor-league deal with the Colorado Rockies in January, was released in March and latched on with the New York Yankees a few days later. That lasted until June 1, when he was again sent packing, but quickly found a new home with the Chicago Cubs. Woodford made it to July 1 before being released for a third time, then signing a major-league deal with the D'backs the next day. To cap the season off, he was designated for assignment with a week to left to play. With the D'backs, Woodford notched a 4.26 FIP (6.44 ERA), with a good 7.6% walk rate, right at his career average, and a substandard 13.5% strikeout rate. Woodford, who played his first four seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, has a career strikeout rate of 14.9%, still far below the league average of 22.7%. Woodford has a five-pitch arsenal, led by a 93.3 mph sinker and an 81.1 mph sweeper that contributed to his 45.8% groundball rate in 2025. He does a nice job at limiting hard contact. He posted a 33.6% hard-hit percentage and an 86.1 mph average exit velocity, both excellent numbers. Woodford also uses a 86.5 mph changeup, 93.1 mph four-seam fastball and 89 mph cutter. For his career, Woodford has a 4.84 FIP. Hunt, a 25-year-old who was a 12th-round draft choice of the Pirates in 2022 but didn't sign, joined the Brewers as a nondrafted free agent in 2023. He was promoted to Double-A Biloxi during the 2024 season and pitched for the Shuckers for all of 2025. Hunt made 26 starts last year, with a 4.45 ERA, 43 walks and 122 strikeouts in 121⅓ innings. View full article

Image courtesy of © Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images With their time in Arizona over and the Milwaukee Brewers returning to Wisconsin after more than a month of the desert warmth, it's time to reflect on what took place over the last six weeks. The biggest thing to note is that the Brewers appear to be pretty healthy going into Opening Day, which is Thursday at American Family Field against the Chicago White Sox. They're dealing with injuries, to be sure, but they're relatively few and minor, compared to other teams. Let's take a look at what happened in Arizona, picking out one starting pitcher, one reliever and one hitter who had good and bad springs. Who's Hot? ? Jake Bauers If you have an OPS of more than 1.700, you are simply en fuego. Welcome to the world of Bauers this spring. The first baseman/left fielder put together a slash line of .471/.581/1.147. How does that happen? Bauers, who came to life late in the 2025 season to provide an unexpected spark, went 16-for-34 with 6 homers and 8 RBIs. He walked seven times and struck out seven times. His 16 hits tied him with Andrew Vaughn for the most on the Crew, while the half-dozen homers led the team, and his walks were tied for second-most. He and Vaughn will share time at first base in the early going. Aaron Ashby Let the speculation continue. Of all of the Crew's pitchers who made multiple starts this spring, Ashby performed the best. A stalwart of the bullpen in recent years, this spring has once again raised the specter of Ashby being part of the rotation. In four games, including two starts, Ashby had a 1.17 ERA over 7⅔ innings, walking five and striking out eight. Ashby could be in line for more of a hybrid role this season, perhaps piggybacking with Brandon Woodruff as the grizzled right-hander slowly builds up his velocity and endurance. Ashby's versatility could be one of the most important aspects of the pitching staff this season. Jacob Waguespeck The skyscraping righty is one of those Brewers finds. Having spent 2022 and 2023 in Japan, he returned to the U.S. and joined the Tampa Bay Rays, pitching in an MLB game for the first time since 2020. But that only lasted four games, and he spent most of the year in the minors. That is also where he was most of 2025, when he dealt with injuries, a midseason release and then joining the Philadelphia Phillies. He latched on with the Crew this spring, and the 32-year-old turned in a 1.17 ERA in tying for the team lead with seven appearances. Waguespeck allowed three hits and two walks against seven strikeouts in 7⅔ innings to put himself in position to be a call-up this season. Who's Cold? ? Garrett Mitchell The center fielder had horrible numbers in camp, going 2-for-32 (.063/.189/.188) with 1 homer and 4 RBIs. On top of that, he struck out in 15 of the 30 at-bats in which he did not get a hit. Mitchell did draw a respectable five walks, at least. Even with those poor numbers, the 2020 first-round draft choice was given a spot on the Opening Day roster. Perhaps that's because of the talent he's shown (when healthy) in his three-plus seasons with the Crew. The obvious problem, though, is that Mitchell only played in 113 of 468 games from 2023-25. He flashes enormous potential when available, but various injuries have kept him from consistently showing his skills. Chad Patrick Figuring out why a pitcher struggles in spring training can be a futile effort. Sometimes a guy is working on a specific mechanical cue or tinkering with a grip to get things just right for the regular season. Is that what was going on with Patrick this spring? He capped Cactus League play by surrendering seven runs while reaching 87 pitches Sunday against the Chicago Cubs. As a caveat, Patrick was the only player from major-league camp who was left in Arizona as the team traveled back to Milwaukee. Still, he lasted just four innings, giving up six hits and two walks, while striking out four. It wasn't his only poor statistical outing, as he gave up six runs in his previous start to finish Cactus League play with an 11.68 ERA, including 8 walks in 12⅓ innings. Mark Manfredi We'll give the 2023 ninth-round draft choice a mulligan, considering this was his first major-league camp experience. Even so, the 26-year-old left-hander has progressed through the system quickly, spending 2024 at High-A Wisconsin and 2025 at Double-A Biloxi, notching a 3.30 ERA in 44 appearances and 60 innings. Given a shot to make an impression this spring, Manfredi appeared in five games and allowed four runs over four innings. He walked five and struck out five. It will be something to work off of in 2026, but for a guy on the old side to still be considered a prospect, it wasn't quite the springboard for which he might have hoped. View full article

Image courtesy of © Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images The clock is ticking down for the Milwaukee Brewers toward Opening Day. Some guys are in a groove, while others are still looking to get untracked. There are just three games left in Arizona before the Brewers host the Cincinnati Reds for two exhibition games at American Family Field on Monday and Tuesday. As a reminder: Don't take anything too seriously in this recap. It is only spring training, where exhibition games often devolve into minor-league scrimmages. The information below is meant as basic information, not necessarily hardcore analysis. The Brewers are 11-14 in Cactus League play after beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 24-9 Monday, then dropping a pair of split-squad games Wednesday to the Seattle Mariners 7-3 and the Los Angeles Angels before beating the Texas Rangers 11-4 Thursday. Who's Hot? 🔥 Brandon Lockridge In a game that may have locked up his spot on the Opening Day roster, the center fielder capped off a 10-run fifth inning against the Dodgers by hitting a grand slam. It was part of a 3-for-5 day with three runs scored. His fourth homer of the spring, a shot to center field, came off veteran reliever Blake Treinen. He followed that up with a 1-for-4 against the Mariners and a 1-for-2 with a double and two RBIs vs. the Rangers. The Rangers game came just hours after the Crew optioned fellow center fielder Blake Perkins to Triple-A, paving the way for Lockridge to be there on Opening Day. Andrew Vaughn The first baseman has been as consistent as any player this spring, which may be why he hasn't appeared in this feature until now. Vaughn went 4-for-7 with a pair of RBIs in the last two games. That put him at a nice .400/.478/.625 slash line with two homers and RBIs in Cactus League play. He leads the team with 16 hits to go along with five walks, while striking out only seven times. If the Crew can get anything close to what Vaughn produced last year after coming over in a trade from the Chicago White Sox, the offense should be just fine. Aaron Ashby It feels like the left-hander doesn't care what role he is in; he just wants to pitch. Could the Brewers be seriously thinking of Ashby in the rotation? He has pitched at least two innings in all three of his Cactus League appearances, allowing one run, while walking four and striking out six. The latest was a two-inning effort against the Angels in which he did not allow a hit in an efficient 22 pitches. Regardless of his role, Ashby will be a big part of the Crew's pitching staff in 2026. Who's Cold? 🧊 Brandon Woodruff The good news was the right-handed starter made his second appearance of the spring with a scheduled four-inning outing against the Rangers. The bad news was that Woodruff only made it through three batters in the fourth as velocity took a noticeable dip. He hit 93.7 mph with his four-seamer in the first inning and was routinely at 92 mph in the second and third innings. But in the fourth, his fastest pitch was 88.8 mph, and he gave up a pair of homers. It is possible Woodruff pitches the second of two exhibition games at American Family Field, but that also depends on how he bounces back from Thursday's outing. Getting three innings out of Woodruff to begin the season might be acceptable with the depth and length the Brewers have in their bullpen. Otherwise, the injured list could be where he begins Opening Day. Garrett Mitchell It may have been more surprising that it was Mitchell who was stuck in camp while Perkins was optioned. The talented center fielder has not gotten anything going this spring and just had back-to-back 0-for-4, three-strikeout games. Having endured a handful of injuries that have curtailed his playing time since making his MLB debut in 2022, Mitchell has now struck out a team-worst 18 times in just 29 at-bats. He has just two hits, one being a homer, that have resulted in a paltry slash line of .069/.206/.207. Mitchell could be a dynamic part of the Crew's offense if he gets going. Chad Patrick Locked into the starting rotation, perhaps as the No. 2, the right-hander struggled with his control against the Dodgers. Patrick walked four and allowed five hits while surrendering six runs to a lineup featuring a number of Dodgers regulars. He threw 83 pitches, which is good as he gets ready for the season, with just 48 strikes. There might not be anything to worry about, as you never know what the pitchers might be working on in any specific spring start. Patrick feels lined up to start the second game of the season, March 28, vs. the Chicago White Sox. View full article

Image courtesy of © Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images The Milwaukee Brewers made their first significant camp cuts this spring on Thursday, optioning right-handed starter Logan Henderson and center fielder Blake Perkins to Triple-A Nashville. First baseman-outfielder Tyler Black was also optioned to Triple-A, with shortstop Cooper Pratt reassigned to Nashville. Perkins' demotion means that center fielder Brandon Lockridge has likely made the Opening Day roster with Garrett Mitchell. The moves leave 34 players in major-league camp. That means Henderson is out of the mix for the Opening Day rotation. Henderson reported a sore elbow last week and is scheduled to pitch two or three innings Friday, perhaps against the Arizona Diamondbacks or on the back fields. He has made just two Cactus League appearances thus far, with a 2.25 ERA in four innings, with no walks and one strikeout. The Brewers still have plenty of competition for the three rotation spots after right-handers Jacob Misiorowski and Chad Patrick, who were previously named to the Opening Day rotation. Right-hander Brandon Woodruff could be in the rotation, but he hasn't pitched in a game this spring since March 7, when he threw 32 pitches over two innings. Woodruff, still on the mend from the lat injury that sidelined him for the last two weeks of the regular season and the postseason, was scheduled to pitch four innings in Thursday night's game vs. the Texas Rangers. That leaves left-handers Kyle Harrison and Robert Gasser, as well as right-hander Brandon Sproat, as rotation candidates. In another possibility, Aaron Ashby, a valuable left-hander out of the Crew's bullpen, could be in a starting role. Even with Ashby in the rotation, the Brewers could still have at least three lefties out of the 'pen in Angel Zerpa, Jared Koenig, DL Hall, and Rob Zastryzny in contention. Perkins' demotion is surprising only in the fact that he returned from a fractured right shin in spring training to become the primary center fielder in the second half of last season. While defense is his forte, he put up only a .226/.298/.348 slash line last year with three homers, 19 RBIs, and seven stolen bases. He did strike out in 27.5% of his plate appearances. The left-handed hitter had been having a solid spring, with a .290/.343/.323 slash line in 35 plate appearances, with no homers, four RBIs, and one stolen base. Lockridge, a right-handed hitter, made a nice debut with the Crew after being acquired from the San Diego Padres at the trade deadline in the Nestor Cortes deal. In 20 games, Lockridge had a .261/.308/.370 slash line, no homers, six RBIs, and two steals. The speedy outfielder showed up to camp this year looking to tap more into his power and has produced a .314/.442/.686 slash line with four homers, seven RBIs, and three steals. Mitchell, a left-handed hitter, has had a slow spring, going just 2-for-25 for a .080/.233/.240 slash line. He has struck out 15 times in those 25 at-bats while drawing five walks. The 2020 first-round draft choice has put up some solid offensive career numbers (.254/.333/.433), but has only played in 113 games over the last three full seasons due to a variety of injuries. View full article