Jason Wang

The Brewers did just what they needed, nothing more, in the first game of the series against the Los Angeles Angels (of Anaheim). Image courtesy of © Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports Box Score Starting Pitcher: Wade Miley - 6.0 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 84 pitches, 54 strikes (64.3%) Home Runs: Willy Adames (5) Top 3 WPA: Rowdy Tellez (.293), Wade Miley (.229), Devin Williams (.160) Bottom 3 WPA: Luke Voit (-.215), Brian Anderson (-.073), Christian Yelich (-.047) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Miley Dashes Angels Hopes Over And Over Wade Miley needed just two strikeouts to keep the Angels to one run across his six-inning start. While he gave up seven hits, none of these were for extra bases and for the most part, they were spread across several innings, which explains the limited scoring. Other than the little pitch clock hiccup that occurred in the second inning, it was a strong start. Given his veteran tenure, the pitch clock violation isn't surprising, but it was pretty funny. Nonetheless, it was another strong start for Miley, whose ERA currently sits at 1.86 across five starts and 29 total innings pitched. Work Smarter, Not Harder When Willy Adames went yard early and hit a 406-foot bomb to left field off of Tyler Anderson, it seemed like the start of another bombastic offensive showcase for Milwaukee. But Tyler Anderson had a great start, tossing 109 pitches in 6.2 innings and earning 20 swings and misses. The Brewers were able to load the bases in the second inning and had two runners in scoring position in the fourth inning, but Anderson was able to get himself out of trouble both times. After multiple three-batter innings, the Brewers finally got to work in the eighth. With William Contreras and Brian Anderson on base, Rowdy Tellez hit a crucial go-ahead single to put the Brewers on top. While this would ultimately be the team’s final hit of the game, it was just enough to squeak by with the win after passing the torch to Devin Williams. Don’t Sleep On This Bullpen Milwaukee relievers quietly have the third-best ERA in the major leagues and the best ERA in the national league at 2.70. Part of this is due to some weaker performers being pulled, with Javy Guerra being designated for assignment and Matt Bush being placed on the 15-day IL with rotator cuff tendinitis. Alex Claudio and Jake Cousins have been called up and made very brief appearances at the major league level thus far, but we’ll see if they can add value to this highly underrated set of relievers. Oh, by the way, Devin Williams, after marking his ninth inning pitched today, has yet to give up an earned run. In case you were wondering. What’s Next? The series against the Angels continues with Corbin Burnes facing off against lefty Reid Detmers. Burnes hasn’t looked like himself this season, recording just one game with more than five strikeouts. His current ERA of 4.55 is hopefully just indicative of a rough start and not a more concerning sign of regression, but we’ll have to wait and see until then. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet MON TUE WED THU FRI TOT Payamps 0 31 0 0 14 45 B Wilson 28 0 11 0 0 39 Cousins 38 0 0 0 0 38 Peguero 0 34 0 0 0 34 Strzelecki 0 10 5 0 15 30 Williams 0 0 9 0 13 22 Milner 0 0 12 0 0 12 Claudio 4 0 0 0 0 4 View full article

The Milwaukee Pain Train made a stop in Seattle and claimed victory in dominant fashion, with pretty much everyone lending a helping hand. Alas, even the Brewers themselves had to incur their share. Image courtesy of © Stephen Brashear-USA TODAY Sports Box Score SP: Corbin Burnes - 5.1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 85 pitches, 52 strikes (61.2%) Home Runs: Brice Turang (2) Top 3 WPA: Corbin Burnes (.168), Luke Voit (.139), Brian Anderson (.116) Bottom 3 WPA: Garrett Mitchell (-.071), Christian Yelich (-.035), Peter Strzelecki (-.022) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Burnes Limits The Damage In the team’s first series against an American League opponent, Corbin Burnes was able to hold the Mariners to just two earned runs. He still didn’t seem like his dominant self, striking out just three batters, and Burnes was heavily reliant on his defense. He struggled to paint the edges of the zone with his cutter the way he normally would. Also aided by a generous strike zone, Burnes still gave up just one tally, on a home run in the second inning by Cal Raleigh. He did have a somewhat flashy defensive play to catch Eugenio Suarez stealing third base to end the fourth inning. Maybe he doesn’t need strikeouts, after all. In the sixth inning, though, that play took on a sinister new significance. After a four-pitch walk to J.P. Crawford, Burnes got Julio Rodriguez to fly out to center field, but started calling for the training staff the moment the ball settled in Garrett Mitchell's glove. Manager Craig Counsell said after the game that the team diagnosed Burnes with a left pectoral strain. It's believed to be very mild, and Burnes might even make his next scheduled start, but the nervousness among Brewers fans will only die down if and when it becomes clear that Burnes will avoid the injured list. Teamwork Wins Games Rather than one or two players putting the team on their backs, it felt good to watch everyone chip in. Six different players contributed an RBI, with a seventh run being attributed to an error by J.P Crawford. Of the 10 players who had plate appearances, eight of them recorded at least one hit, and the two players who weren’t able to get a hit (Christian Yelich and Joey Wiemer) still recorded at least one walk apiece. Brice Turang also hit his second home run of the season, a solo shot to right center field on the first pitch he saw from Penn Murfee. Overall, the Brewers seemed like a cohesive, well-rounded, dangerous team with no free outs. Everything was clicking, and everyone did what was required of them to get the first win of the series. Brian Anderson Has A Productive Night While he batted in just one run, Brian Anderson went 3-for-5 at the plate. Two of his batted balls had exit velocities greater than 95 mph and if he had been able to get a little steeper of a launch angle, they might have landed for extra bases. Anderson has been making more consistent contact this year, with his batting average sitting at .298 as opposed to his career average of .256. His highest full-season batting average was .273, and that came in 2018 with the Miami Marlins, so we’ll see if this is a short-term trend or a sign of overall improvement. What’s Next? The Brewers have two more games against the Seattle Mariners, the next one featuring a pitching showdown between right-handers Colin Rea and Logan Gilbert. Rea looked exceptional in his first start for the Brewers, and hopes to continue performing at the highest level while filling Brandon Woodruff’s spot in the rotation. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet THU FRI SAT SUN MON TOT B Wilson 0 50 0 0 0 50 Williams 16 0 0 33 0 49 Milner 0 0 27 0 20 47 Strzelecki 22 0 0 8 13 43 Payamps 15 0 12 0 15 42 Bush 27 0 0 0 11 38 Guerra 0 0 19 0 0 19 Varland 0 0 15 0 0 15 Tweet Highlight A few days ago, Rowdy Tellez said that he could beat Luke Voit in a race. After watching this base-running highlight, I'm starting to think that may be true. View full article

The Padres respond with a blowout of their own, overcoming Milwaukees bullpen to tack on a surge of late-inning runs. Image courtesy of Ray Acevedo-USA TODAY Sports Box Score SP: Freddy Peralta - 5.0 IP, 9 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 98 pitches, 59 strikes (60.2%) Home Runs: None Top 3 WPA: Victor Caratini (.147), Jesse Winker (.145), Joel Payamps (.025) Bottom 3 WPA: Freddy Peralta (-.374), Brian Anderson (-.127), Willy Adames (-.101) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Peralta Might Be Human After All Freddy Peralta had his first tough outing of the season, giving up a total five earned runs. Two back-to-back RBI singles by Nelson Cruz and Jake Cronenworth in the first inning got the scoring started early, followed by an RBI single by Manny Machado in the third inning. Things seemed to be calming down until Cronenworth hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning, giving the Padres a 5-3 lead. Peralta’s velocity seemed in line with his season and career averages, and his control led to just one walk. It seemed like the raw talent of the stacked San Diego Padres lineup simply allowed them to make contact when needed. Winker And Caratini Show Up, Others Not So Much Milwaukee started off strong with a two-run first inning, the result of a Jesse Winker double to score Christian Yelich and a Brian Anderson single to score Winker. Winker would put his body on the line for the time in the fourth inning, drawing a hit-by-pitch to earn a run after the bases were loaded by Victor Caratini, Brice Turang, and Joey Wiemer. And then the bats fell asleep. The Brewers would log just four hits in the remaining four innings of play, none of which were able to close the deficit that had ballooned to seven runs by the top of the 9th inning. Despite having 0 RBI, Caratini actually went 4-for-4 at the plate today, bringing his season batting average to a remarkable .438. He also made this flashy defensive play in the bottom of the second inning to prevent a bunt attempt from getting out of hand. Bullpen Has Unfortunate Outing After Peralta’s five-inning start and a one-inning relief appearance from Joel Payamps, Hoby Milner arrived in the seventh inning to keep the game close at 5-3. He promptly walked Juan Soto, gave a single to Xander Bogaerts, a sacrifice fly to Nelson Cruz, and then a two-run RBI to Cronenworth, his second of the game. In the eighth inning, Gus Varland was pitching well until a frightening Manny Machado line drive hit him squarely in the head, causing him to immediately be replaced by Javy Guerra. He was able to leave the field without assistance and Craig Counsell later reported that x-rays of Varland's jaw came up negative and that his hand ended up absorbing most of the ball. Guerra’s control issues began to resurface as he intentionally walked Juan Soto, hit Xander Bogaerts, almost hit Cruz before walking him, and then walked Cronenworth, allowing two runs to score as a result of his struggles to throw strikes. By the time Ha-Seong Kim popped out to end the inning, the Padres had brought the score to a calamitous 10-3. What’s Next? The Brewers will look to prevent the Padres from tying the four-game series tomorrow, sending Wade Miley to duel fellow pitching veteran Yu Darvish on the mound. They are still tied with the Atlanta Braves for the most wins in the National League so far at ten, but the Pittsburgh Pirates have been looking quite competitive and are just one win away at nine. Here’s hoping the Brewers maintain their current divisional lead all the way to the postseason. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet TUE WED THU FRI SAT TOT B Wilson 0 0 0 50 0 50 Payamps 23 0 15 0 12 50 Varland 0 31 0 0 15 46 Milner 0 15 0 0 27 42 Guerra 0 10 0 0 19 29 Bush 0 0 27 0 0 27 Strzelecki 0 0 22 0 0 22 Williams 0 0 16 0 0 16 Tweet Highlight View full article

The Milwaukee Brewers once again demonstrated that they are not to be trifled with Friday night, beating down the Padres in convincing fashion. Image courtesy of © Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports Box Score SP: Eric Lauer - 6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 94 pitches, 59 strikes (62.8%) Home Runs: Christian Yelich (2), Rowdy Tellez 2 (5) Top 3 WPA: Eric Lauer (.112), Brian Anderson (.097), Luke Voit (.094) Bottom 3 WPA: William Contreras (-.034), Joey Wiemer (-.018), Rowdy Tellez (-.002) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) The Eric Lauer Redemption Arc Is Here Like many pitchers, Eric Lauer has not had a great start to the season. We finally got a glimpse of the old Eric Lauer, straight from the get-go, against the San Diego Padres. He has never been a pitcher who overwhelms you with blazing velocity or wicked movement, but he’s generally a consistent pitcher with good control, who knows how to get outs when needed. Other than a hanging curveball that conceded a home run to Luis Campusano in the fifth inning, Lauer was successful at preventing any Friars from crossing home plate. He gave up five hits, but was able to strand runners on base when needed, allowing his offense to win the game for him. Lauer credited his ability to maintain his composure and poise for his strong performance tonight, a stark contrast to his last start when he discussed struggling with execution and finishing at-bats. Like many pitchers, it seems that he’s finally starting to adjust to a new season, as well as the increased pace of play. Big Cheese, Bigger Hits Things got a little awkward for Padres fans, as by the time the first San Diego hitter arrived at the plate, the team was already down by four runs. How did that happen, exactly? Well, Christian Yelich hit a lead-off double. And then Willy Adames hit a double to score Yelich. And then Brian Anderson hit a double to score Adames. And then (lest the team be accused of a lack of variety) Luke Voit hit a single to score Anderson. And then, because classics are classics for a reason, Mike Brosseau hit a double to score Voit. If that wasn’t bad enough, the Brew Crew continued to pile on the punishment, with Yelich hitting a solo home run in the second inning, and Tellez hitting two home runs, one in the fifth inning and another in the sixth. By the time Tellez rounded the bases on his second home run, the score was 10-1, and things got real quiet in Petco Park. Don’t Forget About Wilson! Sure, the Brewers scoring eleven runs is great, but what was even greater was the fact that the Padres scored just two. After Lauer’s impressive six-inning performance, Bryse Wilson stepped in to relieve the final three innings of the game. It was a step-up in workload for any bullpen arm, requiring 50 pitches, but the longtime starter did exactly what he needed to in extended relief. Similar to Lauer, he gave up four hits but just one earned run, the result of an RBI single by Rougned Odor. The crucial importance of this longer relief appearance is that his fellow relievers will now have an extra day of rest before their services are required, likely to close out games that are slightly more competitive. What’s Next? The Brewers seek to keep the momentum going against the Padres, after winning the first two games of the series. Freddy Peralta will look to continue the strong Brewers pitching performances of the series thus far, while right-handed Seth Lugo will look to avoid the same fate that befell Michael Wacha. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet MON TUE WED THU FRI TOT B Wilson 34 0 0 0 50 84 Payamps 0 23 0 15 0 38 Varland 0 0 31 0 0 31 Guerra 20 0 10 0 0 30 Bush 0 0 0 27 0 27 Strzelecki 0 0 0 22 0 22 Williams 0 0 0 16 0 16 Milner 0 0 15 0 0 15 Tweet Highlight I actually wanted to see if this was plausible, and I think that at the very least, it would be close. Sprint Speed (ft/s) Home Plate to First Base (seconds) League Rank Percentile Luke Voit 24.1 4.96 (2022) 325th 6th Rowdy Tellez 23.6 4.83 (2022) 335th 3rd Luke Voit has slightly better speed across the board but Rowdy Tellez was slightly faster from home plate to first base, Either way, I don't think the race would be a very fast one. What are your thoughts? View full article

In the first game of what looks to be an exciting series, the Brewers escaped a late scare to win against the Padres in the tenth inning. Here's how it all went down. Image courtesy of © Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports Box Score SP: Colin Rea - 5.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K (83 pitches, 49 strikes (59.0%) Home Runs: Rowdy Tellez (1), Mike Brosseau (2) Top 3 WPA: Rowdy Tellez (.266), Colin Rea (.237), Willy Adames (.183) Bottom 3 WPA: Matt Bush (-.354), Garrett Mitchell (-.120), William Contreras (-.073) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Rea Gets His Revenge Right-handed pitcher Colin Rea was called up to start this one for the Brewers, with Janson Junk being optioned back to the Nashville Sounds. The reason for this sudden addition to the rotation was the team wanting to give their frontline starters an extra day of rest. Having been a part of the Padres system from 2011-2018, Rea went to the Cubs and then the Brewers in 2021 before playing in Nippon Professional Baseball. Given that he pitched just 20 major-league innings in the past three years, Rea performed well against his old team, giving up just one earned run in 5 2/3 innings of work. It should also be mentioned that the one earned run he gave up was a home run to Manny Machado, a pretty decent player according to everyone but Dodgers fans. Brewers Get Rowdy The lineup wasted no time getting points on the board, with Christian Yelich drawing a leadoff walk to set up Rowdy Tellez for a two-run home run as just the third hitter of the game. Mike Brosseau also hit his own long ball later in the night, a 413-foot rocket to dead center field. That gave the Brewers a 3-1 lead over the Padres, and was his second home run of the season. Tellez stepped up to the plate (both literally and figuratively) again in the tenth inning, hitting a crucial sacrifice fly to score Yelich and give Milwaukee a one-run lead that eventually led to victory. Other than the two home runs, the Brewers lineup wasn’t really able to get significant offense going. They struggled to get consecutive players on base, and in ten innings of work, they put up just six hits. Before the free baserunner in extra innings was added in 2020, there’s a good chance that sacrifice fly would have never happened. Bullpen Saves Bush The eighth inning started off great for Matt Bush, getting Ha-Seong Kim to ground out and striking out Rougned Odor. It seemed like Milwaukee was going to cruise to a 3-1 victory, until pinch-hitter Matt Carpenter walked and Trent Grisham hit a game-tying home run to right field. Bush was able to escape the inning, but just like that, the Padres were back in the game and well-positioned for a comeback victory. Luckily, a two-inning combined effort from Devin Williams (who still has an ERA of 0.00, by the way) and Joel Payamps held the Padres scoreless. Williams, in particular, struck out the heart of the Padres order in Juan Soto, Xander Bogaerts, and Nelson Cruz back-to-back, allowing Payamps to earn his first career save against slightly less intimidating opposition. What’s Next? The series against the Padres continues and the Brewers return to their usual lineup, calling on lefty Eric Lauer to pitch against righty Michael Wacha. Lauer hasn’t had the most stellar season thus far, posting an ERA of 7.71, but he’s pitched just 9 1/3 innings thus far, so let’s not break out the mean tweets just yet. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet SUN MON TUE WED THU TOT Bush 29 0 0 0 27 56 Strzelecki 20 0 0 0 22 42 Payamps 0 0 23 0 15 38 B Wilson 0 34 0 0 0 34 Varland 0 0 0 31 0 31 Guerra 0 20 0 10 0 30 Williams 14 0 0 0 16 30 Milner 5 0 0 15 0 20 View full article

What looked like a possible comeback in the seventh inning ended in heartbreak, and the Brewers dropped the final game of the series to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Image courtesy of © Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports Box Score SP: Janson Junk - 4.2 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 K (79 pitches, 52 strikes (65.8%) Home Runs: None Top 3 WPA: Christian Yelich (.120), Mike Brosseau (.062), William Contreras (.021) Bottom 3 WPA: Janson Junk (-.241), Willy Adames (-.236), Gus Varland (-.074) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) We’re Not In Triple-A Anymore, Janson When Janson Junk was recalled to take the place of Brandon Woodruff, he had big shoes to fill. Having pitched just eight major league innings with the Los Angeles Angels (of Anaheim 😁) last year, Junk started the season with the Triple-A Nashville Sounds, making just one start and one relief appearance for 10 total innings of work. Junk escaped the first two innings relatively unscathed, with Josh Rojas reaching first on a catcher’s interference call on William Contreras and eventually scoring after a Lourdes Gurriel Jr. double and a groundout from Christian Walker. Things started falling apart in the third inning, though, as Junk gave up a single to Rojas, a walk to Ketel Marte, and then a home run to Gurriel, bringing the Diamondbacks' lead to 4-0. It didn't help that the defense also made three errors, two of them by Contreras. He had a throwing error in addition to the interference call. Mike Brosseau also made his second error of the season, a botched throw in the fifth inning. Brewers Bats Get Active, Just Not At The Right Time Just looking at the score, it seems as if the Milwaukee lineup was outclassed by the Diamondbacks, but the Brewers actually had a total of 11 hits over the game, just one fewer than the 12 recorded by Arizona. Much of their offense was in the seventh inning, where five consecutive hitters reached base with four singles and a walk, giving them three runs and cutting the deficit to two by the middle of the frame. A smaller rally broke out in the top of the eighth, when Contreras and Garrett Mitchell hit back-to-back singles, but three consecutive outs stamped out any comeback hopes. Overall, the batted-ball data shows that they just couldn’t get the ball up and out. Of the 20 balls with the highest xBA, just six of them were hit by Brewers. The Game Giveth and The Game Taketh Away We all know that baseball is a chaotic sport and players have good days and bad days. Contreras made a few defensive misplays but also went 3-for-4, recording two singles and a double. Contreras has been known to be a great hitter but somewhat of a defensive liability, having a Weighted Runs Created+ (wRC+) of 138 against a Defense Runs Saved (DRS) of -4 in his 2022 season with the Atlanta Braves. His framing and other defensive aspects have shown improvement this year, but we’ll see if those upgrades will persist through the remainder of the season. Adames also had a tough performance, going 0-for-4 after seeming unstoppable at the plate over the past week. His OPS for the last seven games still stands at 1.080, so we’ll see if his regression to the norm begins now or if he’ll be able to keep riding his hot streak. What’s Next? The Brewers will head to Petco Park to face off against the San Diego Padres. The probable pitcher for Milwaukee hasn’t yet been announced, but he will be pitching against right-hander Nick Martinez. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet SAT SUN MON TUE WED TOT Varland 32 0 0 0 31 63 Guerra 28 0 20 0 10 58 Payamps 17 0 0 23 0 40 B Wilson 0 0 34 0 0 34 Bush 0 29 0 0 0 29 Strzelecki 0 20 0 0 0 20 Milner 0 5 0 0 15 20 Williams 0 14 0 0 0 14 Tweet Spotlight View full article

It was a slow start for both lineups as Corbin Burnes and Merrill Kelly brought their best stuff to the mound. Kelly ended up blinking first, giving way to a hitting onslaught by the Brewers in the seventh inning. Image courtesy of © Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports Box Score SP: Corbin Burnes - 8.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K (89 pitches, 65 strikes (73.0%) Home Runs: Willy Adames (3), Rowdy Tellez (2), Mike Brosseau (1) Top 3 WPA: Corbin Burnes (.384), Willy Adames (.189), Victor Caratini (.079) Bottom 3 WPA: Brice Turang (-.119), Christian Yelich (-.056), Joey Wiemer (-.040) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Corbin Shuts Down the Diamondbacks To say that Corbin Burnes was back in Cy Young form would be an understatement. His first two season starts painted a dim picture for the ace, but his assassin-like efficiency in this game was no fun for the Arizona lineup. Notably, he struck out eight batters while walking zero, achieving a strike percentage of 73%, and retiring 16 consecutive batters. Everything seemed to be clicking, including his famous back-door cutter. He was able to go eight innings, giving his bullpen some much-needed rest and requiring only the services of Joel Payamps to finish a dominant victory against a formidable NL opponent. Milwaukee Offense Starts Up Late Corbin Burnes wasn’t the only pitcher that had a good night. Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly sailed through the first six innings, giving up naught but a few walks and a hit by pitch. Things started to come apart in the seventh, as Willy Adames hit a home run to start things off before Rowdy Tellez and Brian Anderson were both walked. Miguel Castro replaced Merrill Kelly, but the Brewers' offensive momentum was simply too much to handle. A Garrett Mitchell single would load the bases before a Victor Caratini walk allowed Rowdy Tellez to score, followed by a two-run double by Mike Brosseau. Castro would fail to get the final out of the inning before being relieved by Kyle Nelson, who got Christian Yelich to ground out, capping off a five-run scoring outburst for the Brew Crew. Homers For Everyone! Rowdy Tellez also managed to hit his second home run of the season against José Ruiz, while Brosseau added insult to injury, hitting his first homer of the season against Carlos Vargas to put the Brewers up 7-0 at the top of the ninth inning. Of the three home runs hit by Milwaukee, Rowdy’s had the most interesting batted ball data. Batter Exit Velocity (mph) Launch Angle (degrees) Distance (feet) xBA Willy Adames 108.7 29 416 .990 Rowdy Tellez 94.9 28 365 .180 Mike Brosseau 104.0 27 399 .870 Expected Batting Average (xBA) is a Statcast metric that measures how often balls with similar characteristics (speed, trajectory, and direction) end up as hits. Adames’s long shot had an xBA of .990, which essentially means that it was a no-doubter, whereas Tellez’s home run had an xBA of just .180. In fact, it was very similar to a ball he hit in the fourth inning which had an exit velocity of 104.5 mph and a distance of 385 feet, despite ending up as a lineout. What’s Next? The Brewers will play the last game of the series at Chase Field to settle the best-of-three with the Diamondbacks, before meeting the San Diego Padres in their backyard. Due to Brandon Woodruff recently being placed on the 15-day IL due to shoulder inflammation, right-hander Janson Junk has been recalled from the Nashville Sounds to take his place. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet FRI SAT SUN MON TUE TOT Payamps 22 17 0 0 23 62 Guerra 0 28 0 20 0 48 Bush 18 0 29 0 0 47 B Wilson 12 0 0 34 0 46 Varland 12 32 0 0 0 44 Strzelecki 0 0 20 0 0 20 Williams 0 0 14 0 0 14 Milner 7 0 5 0 0 12 Tweet Highlight View full article

The Brewers took a series victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in dominant fashion, establishing themselves as the team to beat in the NL Central at this early juncture. Image courtesy of © MARK HOFFMAN/MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL / USA TODAY NETWORK Box Score SP: Freddy Peralta - 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 7 K (102 pitches, 65 strikes (63.7%) Home Runs: Willy Adames (2), Christian Yelich (1) Top 3 WPA: Willy Adames (.277), Freddy Peralta (.240), Christian Yelich (.111) Bottom 3 WPA: Rowdy Tellez (-.093), Brian Anderson (-.073), Garrett Mitchell (-.053) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Peralta And Pals Stifle Cardinals Offense In his second start of the season, Freddy Peralta looked excellent in his six innings of work, giving up just four hits and striking out seven Cardinal batters. His one earned run came from an RBI single by Jordan Walker, who scored Nolan Arenado. Nonetheless, he was able to escape the inning without giving up additional baserunners. His slider continued to be a deadly tool with inhuman movement. His velocity also looked excellent, with his four-seam approaching 98 mph and even his changeup surpassing 90 mph. Of all of his fastballs, 32 were 95 mph or faster, the most pitches of that speed he’s thrown in his career. Peter Strzelecki, Matt Bush, Hoby Milner, and Devin Williams finished off the remaining three innings with zero earned runs and two hits allowed. Adames Comes Up Big With 3 RBI Willy Adames had a great game, going 3-for-4 and batting in three runs for Milwaukee. He hit a double in the third inning, a home run in the fifth inning, and a single in the seventh inning. After a rough start in the team’s first series against the Cubs, Adames seems to have revitalized his offense in the past two series at home. His OPS for the first three games of the season was .508, compared to his OPS of 1.207 for the past six games at home. Yelich of Yesteryear Christian Yelich also had his best game of the season thus far, going 3-for-5 with and scoring two runs. Included was his first home run of the season in the seventh inning off of Cardinals reliever Andre Pallante. The batted-ball data on his home run had stats that resembled his MVP season, with an exit velocity of 112 mph and a distance of 413 feet. He hit another pitch in the eighth inning with an exit velocity of 106 mph, although the steep launch angle of 44 degrees resulted in a flyout. What’s Next The Brewers will ship off to Arizona to face the Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Lefty veteran Wade Miley will go up against Diamondbacks ace Zac Gallen, as the team hopes to maintain their current position of having the most wins in the National League. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet WED THU FRI SAT SUN TOT B Wilson 0 0 12 0 0 12 Strzelecki 12 0 0 0 20 32 Milner 14 0 7 0 5 26 Guerra 0 0 0 28 0 0 Bush 15 0 18 0 29 62 Williams 9 0 0 0 14 23 Payamps 0 0 22 17 0 39 Varland 0 0 12 32 0 44 View full article

In the first game of this hotly contested division rivalry, Milwaukee came away victorious despite a few hiccups. The team looked great from top to bottom as both gloves and bats worked together to secure the win. Image courtesy of © Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports Box Score SP: Brandon Woodruff - 5.1 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K (84 pitches, 52 strikes (61.9%) Home Runs: Willy Adames (1) Top 3 WPA: Brandon Woodruff (.263), Joel Payamps (.069), Garrett Mitchell (.049) Bottom 3 WPA: Christian Yelich (-.013), Brice Turang (-.010), Brian Anderson (-.002) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Woodruff Continues to Shine Despite the recent struggles of his teammate Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff has gotten off to an amazing start this season, currently maintaining an ERA of 0.79 and a WHIP of 0.882. In his first start against the division rival St. Louis Cardinals, he struck out four batters through a little over five innings, using five different pitches and showing excellent stuff. His four-seam fastball had a little extra juice behind it, topping out at 98.5 mph, slightly faster than his average velocity of 96 mph. Combined with his breaking ball arsenal that included a slider and a curveball, Woodruff was almost untouched for the majority of his start. In the fourth inning, Woodruff gave up three singles to Brendan Donovan, Alec Burleson, and Nolan Arenado. With just one out recorded, he was able to get Willson Contreras to ground into a double play, escaping the inning unscathed on the scoreboard. Despite giving up zero earned runs in his start, Craig Counsell pulled Woodruff from the mound in the fifth inning to prevent excess fatigue and a potential Cardinals offensive rally. Adames Gets His First Jack Of The Season Against Jack The Brewers offense continued to perform well, although their bats seem to have cooled down significantly since their series against the New York Mets. Although opposing pitcher Jack Flaherty gave up quite a few walks (six, to be exact), the scoring didn’t start until the third inning, when a Rowdy Tellez sacrifice fly scored Christian Yelich and an infield single by Garrett Mitchell scored Willy Adames. Adames also managed to hit his first home run off the season, punishing a middle-middle fastball from hard-throwing Cardinals reliever Jordan Hicks in the seventh inning and sending the ball 400 feet to right center field. Payamps Gets Out Of Trouble After walking Alec Burleson, Brandon Woodruff was replaced by Joel Payamps who found himself in quite the pickle after giving up a single to Nolan Arenado and walking Willson Contreras to load the bases. It was a tense moment that almost exactly mirrored the same bases-loaded situation the Brewers had in the fourth inning. Following a mound visit, Payamps intelligently jammed Tyler O’Neill with a pitch on the inside, forcing a weak grounder up the middle that was promptly fielded by Brice Turang to end the inning and escape the jam. What’s Next? The homestand against the St. Louis Cardinals will continue with a lefty pitching matchup between Jordan Montgomery and Eric Lauer. The Brewers look to continue their momentous six-game win streak and break away with the division lead. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet MON TUE WED THU FRI TOT B Wilson 49 0 0 0 12 61 Strzelecki 0 16 12 0 0 28 Milner 0 14 14 0 7 35 Guerra 0 19 0 0 0 19 Bush 0 0 15 0 18 33 Williams 0 0 9 0 0 9 Payamps 0 0 0 0 22 22 Varland 0 0 0 0 12 12 View full article

The Brewers continue their red-hot start to the season with another victory over the New York Mets. A decisive at-bat helped put the Brew Crew on top and keep fans' hopes high. Image courtesy of © Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports Box Score SP: Corbin Burnes - 4.1 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 3 K (93 pitches, 57 strikes (61.3%) Home Runs: Joey Wiemer (1), Garrett Mitchell (3) Top 3 WPA: Garrett Mitchell (.340), Jesse Winker (.250), Devin Williams (.135) Bottom 3 WPA: Corbin Burnes (-.458), Brian Anderson (-.153), Brice Turang (-.080) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Burnes’s Difficulties Continue Corbin Burnes’s season continued its uncharacteristic deviation from the norm as he gave up six earned runs in just over four innings of work. He recorded just three strikeouts on his way to giving up two home runs to Pete Alonso. After Alonso’s second home run and a subsequent Daniel Vogelbach walk, Burnes was finally pulled off of the mound. Despite coming in earlier than usual, the Brewers' bullpen saved the day. A combined effort from Hoby Milner, Peter Strzelecki, Matt Bush, and Devin Williams stopped the bleeding and kept the Mets scoreless for the rest of the game. Mitchell Walks ‘Em Off It’s been a big week for rookie home runs in Milwaukee. After an RBI single by Owen Miller, Joey Wiemer hit his first major league home run, batting in three runs total and giving the Brewers a strong 4-0 lead. Mets and Brewers hitters would go blow for blow, tying the game at six runs apiece after the fifth inning. Finally, in a pinch-hit appearance, Garrett Mitchell hit his third home run of the season, a walk-off solo shot to complete the 3-0 sweep of the Mets. Over the course of the past three games, the Brewers outscored their opponents 26-6. The bullpen staff and young lineup have played remarkably well and paint a rosy outlook for the remainder of the season. Devin Williams Is That Dude We’ve talked about Devin Williams and his "Airbender" pitch quite a bit on this site, but I don’t think its quality can be overstated. With 40 inches of downward break and 20 inches of horizontal run today, it seemed to warp space and time just a bit. Williams needed just nine pitches to close out the game and secure the win for his team, notching two outs coming from weak contact with this changeup. Like many of his coworkers in the bullpen, his four-seam fastball isn’t particularly speedy, topping out at 93 mph. Still, there’s enough difference between it and his off-speed arsenal to make timing his pitches extremely difficult. What’s Next The Brewers will get the day off on Thursday before hosting the division rival St. Louis Cardinals in a three-game series starting Friday. While the Brewers have gotten off to a hot start at 5-1, the Cardinals have been a little more lukewarm, most recently getting swept in a three-game series by the Atlanta Braves. The pitching duel between Brandon Woodruff and Jack Flaherty will set the stage for an important set of, but we’re also games that may decide crucial momentum for the NL Central division moving forward. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet SAT SUN MON TUE WED TOT B Wilson 0 0 49 0 0 49 Payamps 0 23 0 0 0 23 Strzelecki 17 0 0 16 12 33 Williams 16 0 0 0 9 16 Guerra 0 15 0 19 0 34 Bush 13 0 0 0 15 13 Varland 0 12 0 0 0 12 Milner 0 10 0 14 14 24 View full article

The Brewers seemed unstoppable in their Tuesday beatdown of the New York Mets, hitting a total of five home runs. The pitching staff did their job as well, shutting the Mets out for the second game in a row. Image courtesy of © Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports Box Score SP: Wade Miley - 6.0 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K (79 pitches, 51 strikes 64.6%) Home Runs: Rowdy Tellez (1), Brian Anderson 2 (3), Garrett Mitchell 2 (2) Top 3 WPA: Wade Miley (.327), Brian Anderson (.208), Willy Adames (.062) Bottom 3 WPA: Jesse Winker (-.055), Christian Yelich (-.033), Brice Turang (-.030) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Miley Makes Quick Work of the Mets Ruthlessly efficient in his six-inning start, Wade Miley needed just three strikeouts to keep the Mets scoreless. While he did give up five hits, they were spread out between innings to prevent any damage, and he gave up no walks, crucially limiting baserunners. His changeup was looking particularly difficult to hit and had over 30 inches of vertical break, causing some comical swings and misses. His velocity never surpassed 90 mph but his craftsmanship with off-speed pitches and his carefully controlled cutter were enough to induce soft contact and earn him his 100th career win. Home Run Derby If you’ve been following the Brewers this season, you’ll know that their bats have been roaring to life right around the sixth inning, and this game was no different. Rowdy Tellez finally got his first extra-base hit of the season, in the form of a solo home run to right-center field. Immediately after, Brian Anderson and Garrett Mitchell also hit home runs, putting an end to Max Scherzer’s night. To make sure Scherzer didn’t feel particularly singled out, Anderson and Mitchell also hit back-to-back home runs off of reliever Brooks Raley in the seventh inning, batting in four runs total. Who Needs Strikeouts? Wade Miley’s three strikeouts would be the only ones recorded by the Brewers pitching staff as relievers Peter Strzelecki, Hoby Milner, and Javy Guerra each recorded zero in their respective innings. Each reliever had a slightly different style. Strzelecki depended on his wicked slider with more than 40 inches of drop, Guerra on his 98-mile-an-hour four-seam fastball, and Milner his 79 mph changeup, each different means to the same end - soft grounders and shallow fly-outs. The diversity of the bullpen may prove immensely tricky for opposing batters, who will have to adapt to wildly different pitch arsenals, shapes, and velocities after already facing the robust starting rotation. What’s Next? The Brewers look to complete the series sweep against the Mets before hosting the division rival St. Louis Cardinals on Friday, April 7th. Ace Corbin Burnes will try to rebound from a rough Opening Day that saw him concede four earned runs in five innings of work against the Chicago Cubs. The Brewers lineup will try to continue their hitting momentum against left-handed starter David Peterson and extend the existing win streak to six games. Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet FRI SAT SUN MON TUE TOT B Wilson 0 0 0 49 0 49 Payamps 0 0 23 0 0 23 Strzelecki 0 17 0 0 16 33 Williams 0 16 0 0 0 16 Guerra 0 0 15 0 19 34 Bush 0 13 0 0 0 13 Varland 0 0 12 0 0 12 Milner 0 0 10 0 14 24 Fan Highlight View full article

A home run and a rookie's grand slam made for an exhilarating watch today as the Brewers played their first home game of the season against the New York Mets, then cruised to a blowout win. Image courtesy of © Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports Box Score SP: Freddy Peralta - 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 7 K (85 pitches, 51 strikes (70.0%) Home Runs: Brian Anderson (1), Brice Turang (1) Top 3 WPA: Freddy Peralta (.261), Brian Anderson (.184), Jesse Winker (.144) Bottom 3 WPA: Joey Wiemer (-.058), Christian Yelich (-.036), William Contreras (-.033) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Peralta Dazzles in First Start After a shaky first inning where he gave up two walks to Brandon Nimmo and Francisco Lindor, Peralta pitched a total of six shutout innings while striking out seven batters. He mixed it up, utilizing a 96-MPH fastball and a slider with 30+ inches of vertical movement. The fastball ramped up to that velocity as the start progressed, after he sat in the low 90s over the first two frames, and the slider's nastiness seemed to be heightened by the contrast in speeds. Peralta looked like the All-Star we all know and love. If he’s able to remain healthy, he’ll bolster an already very strong pitching rotation in Milwaukee. It’s Turang Time Immediately following yesterday’s game where scoring was driven by walks and shallow singles, today’s game was powered by the long ball. After a fourth inning, two-run homer by Brian Anderson, rookie Brice Turang hit the first home run of his major-league career--a grand slam. A spectacle for the fans at American Family Field, it was also an emotional moment for Turang himself, and a perfect cap to a seven-run rally. Jesse Winker, Willy Adames, and William Contreras also contributed an RBI each to the scoring fun in the fifth, which doomed the Mets for the day. Yelich and Rowdy Struggle Christian Yelich had some difficulties at the plate, striking out four times with no hits and a lone walk. Furthermore, several of those strikeouts were whiffs on pitches outside of the strike zone. Other than his hitting, though, Yelich did have a stolen base and a nice sliding catch in the eighth inning against former teammate Omar Narvaez. Rowdy Tellez has also had an exceptionally slow start thus far, going 1-4 today and getting a total of just two hits in his first 15 at-bats of the season. On the bright side, he didn’t strike out at all today. What’s Next? This game demonstrated what the Brewers are capable of when everything is clicking. The offense was operating as a well-oiled machine, but Peralta’s pitching performance was an important and encouraging indicator, too. Bryse Wilson was also able to keep the Mets scoreless over the last three innings, giving up just one hit and three walks. The home series against the Mets continues tomorrow as Wade Miley goes head to head with Max Scherzer. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet THU FRI SAT SUN MON TOT B Wilson 0 0 0 0 49 49 Varland 19 0 0 12 0 31 Strzelecki 10 0 17 0 0 27 Payamps 0 0 0 23 0 23 Guerra 8 0 0 15 0 23 Williams 0 0 16 0 0 16 Bush 0 0 13 0 0 13 Milner 0 0 0 10 0 10 View full article