Jake McKibbin

The interesting thing about this is, time wise, by missing 12 games they could give someone 18 days off due to the ASB. Not too bad, but we'll see how they play it. I'd say its far more likely that Monasterio is sent down at this point given his lack of utility off the bench, he's barely been used and mostly as a PR for Hoskins.

Image courtesy of © James A. Pittman-Imagn Images Trevor Megill has been admirable this season, closing out 18 of 22 games and often coming up clutch even in non-save, late-game situations. That being said, the Milwaukee Brewers have become accustomed to a certain shutdown "unhittability" from their closers, and Megill doesn't quite meet that lofty standard. The four-seam fastball has been more hittable than ever this year, meaning that if he loses the feel for his knuckle-curveball, it can become a dire situation quite quickly. On top of that, they've moved Nick Mears away from high-leverage spots to decrease his burden, while Abner Uribe is tiring. Both Mears and Uribe have shown wear under extreme usage. Jared Koenig has been solid as well, but the Brewers bullpen just hasn't had that same aura of invincibility—even as they've come on strong over the last month. The Brewers rank fourth in Major League Baseball for innings pitched out of the bullpen (332 1/3) and are running a 4.22 relief ERA. Yes, some blowouts (such as the Yankees series) may be skewing that ERA, but even from the start of May, their bullpen ERA is 17th with a 4.04 mark. In 2023 and 2024, they had the second-best bullpen in baseball, but that just hasn't been a strength this season. A few distinct problems plague the relief corps. They don't keep the ball on the ground all that effectively (42.8%, 15th), don't strike a lot of hitters out (22.6%, 13th) and have a moderately high walk rate (12th-highest in MLB, at 9.5%). Those are the components of a mid-tier pitching performance, and that's exactly where the bullpen sits right now. The addition of one player comfortable in high-leverage spots could change all of that immediately. Whether it be in place of DL Hall (who appears to be in the dog house right now), Grant Anderson or Rob Zastryzny (who has actually been very effective but would have less leeway than most), if the Brewers can split the 7th- to 9th-inning duties between Uribe, Megill, Koenig and one new weapon, they can allow for one of that group to rest with greater regularity. Anderson, Zastryzny and Aaron Ashby have the stuff to handle the 7th inning, and the funkiness to exploit situational matchups every once in a while. Allowing Uribe, Koenig and Megill to be fresh come September by adding another dominant arm could have massive implications in September and beyond. As it stands, Uribe is tied for sixth in the majors in games pitched out of the bullpen, while Koenig is tied for 13th. The question, of course, is whom they should add to the mix. On the surface, Seranthony Domínguez has been highly effective, albeit with a few command issues. His raw stuff is some of the best in baseball, with a 97-98 mph fastball from a low arm slot (adding some variety when following or preceding the slots of Megill or Mears) and a deep arsenal for a reliever. With above-average whiff rates (misses per swing) on his four-seamer and sinker and the deadly offspeed mix of his splitter and sweeper, Domínguez has a ceiling of being one of the best relievers in baseball. To add to that, when he's keeping his fastball in that upper third, every single one of his pitches generates poor quality of contact against them. Domínguez's electric raw stuff would give the Brewers' coaching staff a lot to work with. He's in the top 5 percent of major-league hurlers in both expected batting average and expected slugging, and has given up just three home runs all season—all on fastballs he missed down in the zone with. He's very hard to square up Historically, Domínguez also hasn't been as wild with his walk rates, sitting at 9.8% and 8,2% in 2023 and 2024 before jumping to 14.2% in 2025. If we compare the different pitch usage, a couple of things stand out. Here's his movement plot for 2025 (left) and for 2024 (right): Domínguez has ditched his slider for the bigger-breaking sweeper and is leaning on the sweeper and splitter—two pitches that traditionally work best when they end up outside the strike zone. Thus, he's sitting inside the strike zone a lot less. To round out his arsenal, the Brewers may want to bring back that shorter slider and use it to create a breaking pitch that can land in the strike zone (and still manage contact effectively), creating that thought in a hitter that a glove-side pitch isn't necessarily going to break almost a foot. Maybe the answer is even replacing the slider with a firmer, shorter version thereof, akin to a cutter. Overall, Domínguez is landing just 42.3% of his pitches inside the strike zone. With his prodigious stuff, he doesn't need to be landing a lot in the zone, but it needs to be closer to that 50% mark for him to have more sustainable success, especially against the more patient offenses that you'll face come October. All in all, Domínguez is one of the best high-ceiling relievers in baseball and is a free agent after 2025, curtailing the price somewhat. There should be serious demand for him, but it's unlikely to be a true top prospect-caliber deal, which is where the depth of the Brewers' farm system could come to the fore. The price tag for Dominguez could look more like Brett Wichrowski than Josh Knoth or Bryce Meccage. Having such a bevy of talented hurlers gives the Brewers the luxury of considering that kind of move, to deepen their bullpen for a pennant race to come. What would you think of a package for Seranthony Dominguez? Would you chase him to bolster this Brewers bullpen? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! View full article

Anthony Seiglers quality of contact as a lefty are absolutely nuts. To produce those averages without big top end EV's speaks to remarkable consistency and barrel control

Yep. You get a pick if you bring them up with enough time to accrue a year's service time, thus the PPI incentive to say "we'll reward you if they're a great player and you're not manipulating their service time" The Pirates got burned by this when they manipulated Skenes last season only for him to win ROY. No pick, and Skenes got the full year of service time Miz wasn't close to ready for the start of the year so this isn't the situation that the penalty/incentive was designed around but still the Brewers will lose their 7th year with Misiorowski should he come top 2 in RoY voting

This is the first time my timing has been impeccable with a move, and I'm going to enjoy it

Not to stoke fire on this, but Hamstring strains of any grade are a minimum two week absence. You can't image immediately after as the swelling and bruising hide the damage, so there's still a very real chance this is a lot worse and more on the grade 2-3 scale meaning 6-8 weeks. Grade 1 tears usually don't require assistance to get off the field

In almost every interview this year when asked "what's your focus" Blake Burke has responded with swing decisions time and again. Swinging at strikes, taking out of zone. Well over a 50 pitch rolling sample it seems he's in a purple patch now and the power is showing up alongside that Chase rate is currently below 25% while he's swinging at 70% of in zone pitches. Thing you love to see. It's no coincidence that he's also popped his only two home runs in June over the last week to boot

@Terrywas ahead of the game on this!

As Wiguy said, Zamora's underlying numbers and surface level numbers don't come even remotely close to what Seigler is producing at present. He's unlikely to get a call up barring injury desperation I'd say Monasterio isn't an ideal SS to begin with, however in the situation I'm proposing it would be very late in games, more on the comeback trail than anything. My idea would be to use Turang ideally for the next inning at short but if it increases their chances of staying in the game when behind late (8th at a push, more often the 9th inning), I'd be happy with literally anyone fielding the following inning because at least you're still playing. For starting games, he would get to spell Durbin on occasion vs right handed starters

Image courtesy of © Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Looking at the third base market, there are several clubs in borderline must-win scenarios looking for big third base upgrades. The New York Yankees would ideally move Jazz Chisholm Jr. to second base and find a bigger bat to occupy third base. They currently have DJ LeMahieu and his .640 On Base plus Slugging (OPS) holding down second base while Chisholm covers the hot corner, and Oswaldo Cabrera on the 60-day injured list (and having recorded a .630 OPS of his own this season). Then you have the Chicago Cubs, who have Matt Shaw holding their third base roster spot, but despite some fantastic defensive acumen, his bat hasn't translated to the big leagues, posting a .593 OPS across 191 plate appearances. Both teams are looking heavily into the third base market and have the prospect capital and demand to make a big splash. The competition raises prices of assets across the board to the point where rental acquisitions are costing significantly above their actual value. Eugenio Suarez, Ryan McMahon, and even Nolan Arenado could all be moved, but all would require sizeable packages to get the job done. Instead, the Brewers have been granted a boon. In June, Joey Ortiz and Caleb Durbin have been the Brewers' third and fourth-best hitters by WRC+. Both are capable of being above-average defenders on the left side of the infield, with Durbin looking surprisingly smooth of late, while Ortiz is making more of the "highlight plays" the Brewers have been looking for. # Name Team G PA HR R RBI SB BB% K% ISO BABIP AVG OBP SLG wOBA xwOBA wRC+ BsR Off Def WAR 1 Christian Yelich MIL 20 82 3 8 18 2 9.8% 26.8% .192 .479 .356 .427 .548 .421 172 0.1 7.0 -2.7 0.7 2 Brice Turang MIL 22 92 1 12 8 2 9.8% 20.7% .099 .381 .309 .370 .407 .342 119 -0.9 1.1 0.4 0.5 3 Caleb Durbin MIL 20 78 3 16 8 1 7.7% 14.1% .147 .273 .265 .346 .412 .336 115 -0.1 1.2 0.3 0.4 4 Joey Ortiz MIL 22 78 2 11 11 3 3.8% 15.4% .123 .339 .301 .338 .425 .335 114 0.3 1.6 1.7 0.6 5 Jackson Chourio MIL 22 98 3 15 12 4 5.1% 17.3% .185 .274 .250 .286 .435 .310 96 0.3 -0.1 0.1 0.3 6 Sal Frelick MIL 22 97 1 13 12 4 5.2% 15.5% .070 .338 .291 .333 .360 .309 96 1.2 0.7 0.5 0.4 7 William Contreras MIL 20 87 1 5 8 0 14.9% 20.7% .097 .255 .208 .322 .306 .283 78 -0.4 -2.7 1.4 0.2 8 Rhys Hoskins MIL 21 82 3 8 5 0 7.3% 29.3% .153 .170 .153 .232 .306 .240 49 -0.2 -5.2 -1.4 -0.4 The real issue instead is how little depth and time off each of these two is able to get. Caleb Durbin, in particular, has some quite aggressive splits, recording an .838 OPS against lefties and just a .615 OPS against right-handed pitching. Ortiz has also performed better against left-handers this season with a .661 OPS compared to a .526 mark against right-handers. What they could use is a left-handed bat to pinch hit, and occasionally start against right-handers, and for that, the Brewers have the perfect player in the minor leagues. Anthony Seigler entered the organization as a switch-hitter, playing either catcher or second base for the New York Yankees. Intriguingly, he has quite a large gap in terms of his exit velocities and quality of contact when hitting right-handed compared to when he is a left-handed hitter. The majority of his damage has come as a left-handed hitter, to the point he's now experimenting with ditching the switch-hitting altogether. Still, the important thing is that Seigler is CRUSHING right-handed pitching in Class Triple AAA to the tune of a 1.013 OPS in 207 plate appearances. All 22 of his extra-base hits have come against right-handed pitching, with seven home runs and more walks (38) than strikeouts (37). The graph above shows data from both sides of the plate, but it accurately represents the hitter Seigler is. He doesn't boast supreme, high-end exit velocities, but what he does have is elite barrel control in the strike zone. His swing decisions are fantastic, resulting in a phenomenal walk rate without being overly passive in the strike zone. When he makes contact, he elevates the ball at an elite level and consistently squares it up, boasting a 48.4% hard hit rate and 45.2% sweet spot launch angle rate. In short, while he won't hit the ball 115 mph, he'll quite regularly hit it between 95-100 mph and elevate the ball on a line to the outfield. As a pinch hitter, that provides a lot of value in a variety of circumstances whether you need to get a runner on base to start a rally, push in a runner from third with less than two outs, or just keep the line moving, Seigler's quality of at bats suggests a more than capable utility bench option capable of replacing either Durbin or Ortiz in late game situations, as well as starting games at third base against right handers. The Brewers have had the same thought, giving Seigler experience over the last three weeks at the hot corner. He's started 10 games there and is looking smoother with each passing week. He has a solid arm and decent range to the point the Brewers should feel comfortable with him defensively, and his bat profiles a whole lot better than Andruw Monasterio's off the bench. The other role Monasterio has occasionally been used in is to pinch run for Rhys Hoskins, and Seigler brings some value here as well. He has 19 stolen bases in Triple-A so far this year. All in all, Seigler is the complement that should add some nuance and variety to the Brewers' offense. He gives them added variety off the bench and a high-quality at-bat that can be used in tight situations, something the Brewers are not comfortable doing with Monasterio right now. It shouldn't be long before Anthony Seigler is up with the Milwaukee Brewers. He won't provide the type of boom that you may get from Eugenio Suarez, but he does round out the offense with some consistent high-quality contact and high-class pitch recognition, giving an advantage in tight games when the Brewers want to mix and match. In what's shaping up to be a closely fought season, these fine margins can make all the difference. What would you think of adding Anthony Seigler to the Brewers roster in short order? How much of a boost do you think he can bring? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! View full article

Apparently Owens is getting a lot of hype and might be a first rounder, so I'm not sure if he'll be available at this point. Some reports that scouts saw him showcase a lot more pop than expected with a fairly simple swing and that's really boosting his stock

It's interesting. I think sometimes that because the sweeper and changeup move so much in opposite directions you can't actually have the same starting point for both offerings. For example, to land the sweeper in zone he'd have to start it at the front hip of a right hander, but if that was a changeup it could go two feet behind his legs. The cutter holds the key as to whether it can tunnel just long enough to sequence with the sweeper for my money, but he's not there just yet. MLB hitters are just too patient, but I'm hopeful he'll have a shot by August/September despite having no evidence to prove that right now

Yoho is also fascinating. His changeup and sinker/four seam (called as such because they seem to consider the big horizontal break come from his arm angle rather than his grip) have found the zone much more consistently but he's really struggling for command of the big moving sweeper. Yes he's getting chases and whiffs at Triple A, but 19.2% in zone just won't cut it in the majors and he'll need that opposite moving pitch to be true back end reliever. Even 35-40% and he'll look a lot more consistent overall. There might be tunnelling issues here too given the big horizontal spread between the changeup and his sweeper, but fascinating to watch from afar

Just a quick look and you can really see Henderson giving the slider more runway, to quite effective results vs his 2024 iteration

Awesome spot Jim! the sheer violence in the swings of Both Quintana and Fielder is something to behold. If Quintana especially can find a more consistent quality of contact, and get the ball in the air, there's real damage in that profile. Corobo by contrast looks so smooth and simple in the box

A fun little tidbit: It seems like Jesus Made has improved steadily over the season to now make elite in zone contact over the last while, almost at 90%. He's also chasing at just a 24% clip on the season according to this model while also swinging at a more reasonable rate from his passive early season numbs, now sitting at 40-45% over his last 300 pitches faced. All good signs in terms of batted ball data

Tobias Myers again with just five changeups used in all. As @Ro Mueller said, the velocity spiked mid game and the stuff graded out exceptionally well although I would point out he averaged89-91 mph to start the game and didn't finish strongly either. That being said, a lot of fastball whiffs in the middle portion of the game, but he's missing that changeup to add the wrinkle that completes his profile.

I'm by no means a draft guru, but I have been doing some research lately and have come up with some ideas: The Brewers know that they can't afford big power bats on the open market with any regularity They also know the value of such bats out of college, when paired with a passable hit tool, are at more of a premium Finally, rafting multi-sport athletes allows them to take advantage of the increased all around athletic profile they possess while then, when taken out of high school, moulding that athleticism under their watchful eye more effectively. They also like to save money with their top two picks as this is predominantly where you can save the most for later rounds, even given the 75% minimum slot value if players attended the MLB Draft combine. They love loud tools they can mould and save money on and especially if they feel there's untapped power. As such, Josh Owens is really, really interesting to me as I mentioned on twitter (X). He's receiving a lot of hype with surprising power production for his frame and compared to recent seasons as well as having that highly athletic mould the brewers just love. All that with what appears to be a really strong hit tool, comfortable spraying the ball to all fields and with good zone coverage and he might make a lot of sense for them, even as high as #20. Current scouts are unsure, but estimate him anywhere between picks 25-50 depending how much teams like his profile

All in the Twitter post!

That's up to 20 K's in 14 innings pitched and just two runs allowed and a WHIP below 1 , three walks and two hit batters overall 👀

This is such an awesome read, thanks Jim!

Agreed. It was something (I can;t find the exact clip) he was working on developing pre-draft with a kick changeup that graded out exceptionally well from a movement standpoint although they can be difficult to command. Regardless, if the movement has signs of being a plus pitch I'd love to see it in action more often even if it is t the detriment of immediate results. The best way to get better

Okay Joseph, I'll do it for you! Cooper Pratt, after a rough month of May in which his chase rates really soared, is now slashing .326/.429/.435 in June (159 WRC+) and looks an altogether different proposition in the batters box. We'd love to see some more home run power coming out to see him truly take off. I really hope its in there, as its the final piece to the puzzle. I defer to Longehagen's blurb from FanGraphs: