Jason Wang

It has already been a busy offseason for the Brewers. After they recently declined options on William Contreras, Rhys Hoskins, and Jose Quintana, Brandon Woodruff declined his half of a $20 million mutual option, opting for a $10 million buyout and free agency. Not yet ready to let go (or at least not for free), though, Milwaukee decided to make a $22.025-million qualifying offer. Their desire to retain him is understandable. He has been on the team since 2017, longer than anyone else currently on the roster, and has been incredible over that span, pitching to a 3.10 ERA over his eight seasons. Recurring injuries threatened to derail his career, but despite a long layoff and seeing a meaningful decrease in fastball velocity upon his return this year, he still managed to make 12 starts and post a 3.20 ERA. His tangible pitching abilities aside, without him, Milwaukee has a severe shortage of veteran arms. Assuming no other additions to the rotation are made, Freddy Peralta is the only starter with more than 50 career games under his belt. The Brewers’ young pitching core undoubtedly has a bright future, with budding stars like Jacob Misiorowski and Quinn Priester, but Woodruff's experience and savvy are ingredients otherwise missing from the stew. This particular qualifying offer case is more nuanced than most. There’s a reason that, since this system was created in 2012, only 14 players have accepted qualifying offers. Because they represent opposite ends of the bargaining table, it’s rare that both players and organizations can agree upon a fixed value so easily. It’s the same reason mutual options are often declined, and why arbitration requires a neutral third party to be effective. Most of the time, a team won't extend a qualifying offer unless a player is worth markedly more than its value. Most of the time, a player won't accept such a deal once it's offered, because it's only for one year and their earning power is likely higher than that. In Woodruff’s case, if he had remained fully healthy for the past few years, he’d absolutely be in the running for a robust free-agent contract that would comfortably exceed the value of the one-year qualifying offer. But because his ability to stay on the field is so uncertain, taking the qualifying offer adds a guaranteed outcome to his future. For the Brewers, the risk behind the move is similar. They already accounted for injury risk when they signed him to a back-loaded two-year deal in 2024, acknowledging he would be recovering until some time in 2025 but betting on a strong return in the second half of the contract. In hindsight, 12 regular-season and zero postseason starts is hardly worth $17.5 million, but nonetheless, Milwaukee is ready to roll the dice again. After all, while his right lat strain sidelined him for the first two rounds of the playoffs, he’s projected to be fully healthy by Opening Day in 2026. If Woodruff declines the qualifying offer, the Brewers would receive a compensatory draft pick if he finds a way to maximize his earnings elsewhere. Should Woodruff get more than $50 million in guarantees from a new team, Milwaukee would collect a pick after the first round. If he signs with another team but for less than $50 million, they'll get a pick just before the start of the third round. Either way, for a team always looking to accumulate as much draft capital as possible, that would be a boost. If he accepts, Woodruff will be paid handsomely for at least the next year and has a chance to positively impact his stock heading into 2027. The Brewers, remember, are already due to pay him $10 million in 2026 (half in January and half in July), as the buyout on the mutual option Woodruff turned down. Another $22 million would hit their budget pretty hard, so even if he accepts the offer, he might become a trade candidate. Woodruff would have to approve any deal, in that circumstance, but he might be able to make more money by accepting the deal and signing an extension with a new team of his choosing than by heading into the market with the QO around his neck. Certainly, if he does accept the offer, the Brewers will look to move whichever of he and Peralta yields more value in return—be that in the form of young talent or added financial flexibility. Either way, this circumstance should give the front office some value to work with. Like many free agents who inevitably leave for bigger contracts and new horizons, Woodruff is by no means a must-have piece for next year’s roster—but he sure would make a dandy asset.

Signing Rhys Hoskins was a big deal for the Brewers back in 2024. Milwaukee is typically very conservative in the free-agent market, but several circumstances made it possible. First, they had a desperate need for a first baseman after another unproductive season from Rowdy Tellez. Second, Hoskins had missed all of 2023 due to an ACL tear he suffered in spring training, so while he may have ordinarily been seeking a longer-term deal, the rest of the league needed to see what he could do after such a long layoff and serious injury. This paved the way for an affordable two-year deal worth $34 million, with an $18 million mutual option afterward. Mutual options are rarely ever exercised, but, unsurprisingly, the Brewers were quick to decline their end of the bargain. Hoskins was lukewarm at best, posting a 102 OPS+ over 845 plate appearances and accumulating just 0.7 total rWAR with the team. It was a considerable step back from his production in Philadelphia and, when combined with recurring stints on the injured list, necessitated other options at first base, such as Jake Bauers. One of the players brought in this year to fill a gap left by Hoskins was the prodigious Andrew Vaughn, who the Brewers have under team control for a few more years. He played exceptionally well and is likely slated to be a significant part of the team's future at the position. Still, Milwaukee could be in the market for more depth at first base, especially since we've yet to see a full season of work from Andrew Vaughn, and whether his resurgence was the result of actual mechanical adjustments or just smoke and mirrors. Nonetheless, history suggests that Hoskins won't be worth the money he's owed, and it's probably better to use the roster spot and extra money elsewhere. Hoskins is one of three Brewers with mutual options that have been declined, and it seems like Milwaukee will have a very different roster heading into next year.

It can’t be easy playing second fiddle to the Dodgers every year, especially if you’re as good a team as the Padres are. This year, they won just three fewer games than the eventual World Series champions—enough for a Wild Card spot, but not enough to beat a surging Cubs team in October. To their credit, it’s not for lack of trying. San Diego has earned a reputation for being one of the more proactive teams in the offseason, spending big on extending their own talent (Fernando Tatis Jr., Jackson Merrill) and on marquee free agents (Manny Machado, Xander Bogaerts). This strategy is often coupled with aggressive moves at the deadline. This year, they notably acquired Mason Miller, J.P. Sears, and Freddy Fermin. They also did a deal with the Brewers, sending over Brandon Lockridge in exchange for Nestor Cortes, Jorge Quintana, and cash considerations. So, as they begin what will inevitably be yet another busy winter on their end, are there pieces that, if acquired, could bring value to the Brewers in 2026? SP Randy Vásquez Vásquez couldn’t have picked a better season to start figuring things out on the mound. After posting a 4.87 ERA over 20 starts in 2024, he helped bolster an injury-plagued rotation by pitching to a 3.84 ERA over 133 ⅔ innings this year. After being optioned in early August to make room in the rotation for deadline acquisition Nestor Cortes, he found himself back on the roster in September. Despite his strong year, though, the Padres may not have him in their plans. Aside from the fact that he didn’t make a postseason appearance, San Diego should be getting Joe Musgrove back from the injured list next year, and there has even been talk about returning Mason Miller to a starting role. The future of Yu Darvish is less certain, but if he does decide to return in 2026, he’d definitely occupy a spot, as well. Furthermore, Vásquez has some concerning statistical indicators. First, he had a FIP of 4.85 and a WHIP of 1.32, neither of which are particularly encouraging. These were largely dimmed by his strikeout rate of just 13.7% and a walk rate of 9.1%, both worse than average. Second, while his strikeout ability is poor, the rest of his peripherals aren’t much better. If you take a cursory glance at his Statcast page, you might’ve been surprised to learn that he did much of anything this year. But one thing he did do well was use his sinker to hold opposing hitters to a .040 ISO. As someone with an average fastball velocity of just 93.3 mph and poor movement profiles on his breaking balls, his reliance on soft contact is a critical weakness that other teams may not be able to utilize. The Brewers, on the other hand, have thrived in recent years when it comes to turning guys who throw in the low 90s into groundball machines. With limited current upside, he could be an afterthought for the Padres—but a great development project for the Brewers. RP Adrián Morejón One of the most intriguing storylines of this year’s trade deadline was the assembly of a “super bullpen” in San Diego. In any given series, opponents could expect to face a gauntlet of elite relievers like Robert Suarez (2.97 ERA, 40 saves), Jason Adam (1.93 ERA), and Miller (0.77 ERA). With additional backup by a high-performing medium-leverage support staff like David Morgan (2.66 ERA) and Wandy Peralta (3.14 ERA), it’s easy to see that there might be an overflow of talent in the Padres’ bullpen. Morejón is one of these top-tier relievers and is set to hit free agency in 2027. A talented lefty, he posted a 2.08 ERA over 73 ⅔ innings this year, primarily leveraging a sinker in the high 90s with a sharp slider and a rare but effective changeup. He had excellent results outside the zone, boasting a chase rate of 32.2% while still limiting walks (5.9%) and hard contact. His hard-hit rate of 30.7% placed him in the 99th percentile of qualified pitchers. The value proposition with Morejón is obvious, which actually hurts his case as a Brewers trade target. If Milwaukee is interested, they’ll hardly be the only candidate, and a burgeoning market could push up his asking price. The Brewers don’t necessarily need him, but having a power-pitching lefty would give the team another option outside of Aaron Ashby (who might want one more shot to start) and Jared Koenig. He may end up being too expensive to be actively pursued, but he’d be an outstanding reliever to have. The (unsurprising) opt-out by Suarez on Monday might make San Diego less likely to move him, though. 1B/DH Ryan O’Hearn (Free Agent) Whether you believe the Brewers should pursue a first baseman this winter is largely dependent on how much faith you have in Andrew Vaughn. He had 64 games to regress to the production he had in Chicago, but managed to keep it up. He had a disappointing .651 OPS in the postseason, but still had some big moments and will be around for another year before hitting free agency. Can he be great for a whole year in Milwaukee? Who knows? Because of the uncertainty, it may be prudent to have a backup option similar to Rhys Hoskins, who will be departing the team for free agency after an underwhelming two-year stint. In many ways, Ryan O’Hearn fits the bill. This was his third consecutive season posting a 119 OPS+ or better; he has become one of the more consistent bats at first base. He may not be as much of a power threat as some fans would prefer, but his high batting average and good plate discipline would fit in well with Milwaukee’s offensive strategy of working patient, high-quality at-bats. Furthermore, at 32 years old, he probably won’t be in line for a very long deal, which could place him in the perfect price range. Hoskins was paid $34 million over two years; O’Hearn would almost certainly come cheaper than that. In this day and age, power comes at a price that the Brewers can’t (or won’t) pay, which makes a more well-rounded hitter like O’Hearn one of their best bets.

Over the past few years, Milwaukee has built a reputation for being a scrappy squad of underdogs powered by hustle and love for the game. In addition to being a euphemism for finding a lot of success with a shoestring budget and no superstars, it also means playing great defense. Chasing down tough fly balls, smothering choppers in the field, and being fundamentally sound are all traits that come to mind when thinking of the Brewers. And for the past few years, there was considerable evidence to back that up. The team has consistently been among the best when it comes to accumulating Defensive Runs Saved and haven't placed below sixth in that category since 2020. They've also regularly brought home hardware for their efforts, winning the past two Team Gold Glove awards as well as several individual accolades. Unfortunately, that streak has come to an end. Despite having two Gold Glove finalists, Brice Turang and Sal Frelick, neither was ultimately crowned the best defender at their position in the National League, losing out to Nico Hoerner and Fernando Tatis Jr. respectively. Neither of these results are surprising as Nico Hoerner comfortably led all second basemen in baseball in DRS (17), while Tatis had the most DRS of any National League right fielder (15). Turang and Frelick had strong defensive showings themselves, but they didn't do enough to bring home the proverbial bacon. In fact, the Brewers as a whole seemed to take a step back this year when it came to fielding production. They combined for just 31 DRS, placing them 11th in MLB. Jackson Chourio, Isaac Collins, and Joey Ortiz accumulated negative DRS while other key starters like William Contreras and Andrew Vaughn accumulated zero. At the end of the day, it's difficult to place too much stock in this given the somewhat convoluted logic behind how defensive metrics are calculated as well as the mercurial nature of a player's fielding abilities. Brandon Lockridge seems like a promising outfield glove, Joey Ortiz can and should bounce back on all fronts next year, and the rest of the team will likely continue to be solid. Expect some Gold Glove love to come Milwaukee's way in 2026.

Despite a disappointing postseason run, the Phillies were (at least on paper) one of the best teams in MLB this year. Aside from winning 96 games, they also posted a combined OPS of .759 (4th in MLB) and an ERA of 3.79 (8th in MLB). With a colossal payroll (a CBT number of $307.8 million for 2025) and a roster more than capable of contending, it’s doubtful they’ll be willing to trade any core pieces. Likewise, their premium free agents—namely Kyle Schwarber, J.T. Realmuto and Ranger Suárez—probably don’t fit within Milwaukee’s budget. But which members of one of their top NL rivals could the Brewers pursue this offseason? SP Walker Buehler (Free Agent) Buehler hasn’t been able to recapture the magic of his 2021 season, when he posted a 2.47 ERA with a 3.16 FIP over 207 ⅔ innings. Derailed by a second Tommy John surgery, this was the first season he had pitched more than 80 innings since his peak, and the results were lousy. Despite signing a one-year, $21.05-million contract with the Red Sox, he was released in August after pitching to a 5.45 ERA over his 22 starts. He rebounded well after being picked up by the Phillies, posting a 0.66 ERA in 13 ⅔ innings for the team. The difference in velocity isn’t life-changing by any means, but it is still significant. Buehler’s average fastball was 95.3 mph in 2021 and 93.9 mph in 2025. What used to be his dominant pitch has become his downfall. He has tried to move away from relying on his heater by dramatically upping his sinker usage, but he’s still throwing the four-seam fastball more frequently than any other pitch—and opposing hitters are taking advantage, slugging .553 against it. With major issues against lefties and command, Buehler is more of a project now than he has been since he was a prospect. For a closer look at what’s been bothering him, take a look at this article by Jay Jaffe of FanGraphs. If there’s any team that can potentially make something work, it’s the Brewers. They’ve built a reputation out of redesigning pitchers who are seemingly at the end of their careers, and although he’s just 31 years old, Buehler’s rapid decline likely leaves him with few teams clamoring for his services. This may also play in Milwaukee’s favor; this would be a potential buy-low, sell-high situation. If he signs an affordable short-term contract with opt-outs and options, he could salvage his value as a starting pitcher while helping the Brewers replenish their own rotation in the interim. RP Tanner Banks As an 18th-round pick in the 2014 draft by the White Sox, Banks didn’t make his big-league debut until 2022, at the ripe age of 30. Since then, he has been a serviceable bullpen arm and had the best year of his career in 2025, posting a 3.07 ERA with a 1.01 WHIP over 67 ⅓ innings. Although he came out of the bullpen, he boasted an impressive five-pitch arsenal and was reasonably effective with all of them, other than his changeup. Because his velocity is limited to the low 90s, he relied on soft contact and precision command to get his outs, walking just 4.5% of opposing hitters and having a hard contact rate in the top quartile of qualified arms. The Brewers need more left-handed relievers. Had there been more good options, there’s a chance that Pat Murphy wouldn’t have had to rely on Aaron Ashby to appear in all but two of Milwaukee’s postseason games. This need is supported by the team’s recent move to acquire Sammy Peralta on waivers. Banks seems like a reliable arm that could fill a role similar to Hoby Milner of years past. Although he comes with several years of control, he’ll be 38 by the time he hits free agency, which should theoretically bring down the asking price in a trade. A solid bullpen southpaw may be a small but important addition to an already well-rounded team like the Brewers. IF Edmundo Sosa One of the most valuable depth pieces in Philadelphia, Sosa’s utility has come in handy more than once. He spent considerable time at every infield position except first base, and in addition to being a plus defender at three positions, he also posted a 109 OPS+ and slugged .469 with 12 doubles and 11 home runs in 261 plate appearances. This would have placed him second on the Brewers in slugging percentage, behind Andrew Vaughn. It’s difficult to ascertain whether Sosa is truly a capable hitter, because of the relatively small sample of games that he has played every season since debuting. In fact, he has not qualified for the batting title in any of the seven big-league seasons he has played in. But despite getting fewer chances than your typical starter, he has found ways to be valuable and could slot in well to the Brewers’ infield. Milwaukee won’t be losing any major infielders this year, as Caleb Durbin, Joey Ortiz, Brice Turang, and Andrew Vaughn will all be sticking around unless traded. This means that there isn’t a clear gap to fill, but having someone like Sosa who can play multiple positions may serve as an upgrade over Andruw Monasterio. He has also shown flashes of big power, which is something Milwaukee was lacking last year, even if they managed to score 806 runs (3rd in MLB). With a projected arbitration salary of just $3.9 million in 2026, he could fit right into the Brewers’ broader infield picture. Big-market teams like the Phillies run on star power. The Brewers can't afford to do the same, but that's ok. The different ways the two teams build rosters create opportunities for the Crew to swoop in on free agents who are no longer of interest to the mighty Phils, or for the two sides to get together on unexpected (if smallish) trades. These three guys are good examples of the kinds of players the Brewers might find appealing, as they peel away at the rosters of richer but dumber teams.

Well folks, they finally did it. For the first time since 2018, the Brewers won a playoff series. It was far from easy, and they won by a narrow margin of just two runs in the final game, but it was a victory—and a massively cathartic one. Unfortunately, the postseason waits for no man. The team’s journey to their first-ever World Series title is just getting started. Now that the Cubs are out of the way, what should the Brewers keep an eye out for when playing against the defending World Series champions? The Dodgers Dig The Long Ball, And Hard Contact Over the course of the regular season, the Dodgers hit 244 home runs (2nd in MLB). This makes sense, given that five of their players hit 20 or more homers and one of them hit 55 (while also somehow pitching to a 2.87 ERA). Their lineup is full of power threats, and they seem to have brought that strength with them to their six postseason games so far. Three of their players (Teoscar Hernández, Mookie Betts, and Tommy Edman) are slugging over .500 this October. The Brewers’ pitching staff struggled with giving up hard contact throughout the Division Series, notably giving up nine home runs in total, four of which came in the first inning. This was often the result of throwing too many waste pitches and getting into bad counts, giving Cubs hitters an (arguably unearned) advantage. To their credit, the Brewers did manage to get past a star-studded Chicago lineup, but the Dodgers have an even more imposing group of bats. Although they’ve been cold so far, making similar mistakes to Shohei Ohtani, Will Smith, and Freddie Freeman will be punished even more severely. The Dodgers’ Rotation Has Been Dominant The Brewers did a fantastic job of attacking Chicago’s starting pitchers, with the exception of Jameson Taillon. They took an aggressive approach against both Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga, and even punished Colin Rea just enough in Game 5. However, Los Angeles has posted the best postseason starting pitching numbers. Over 35 ⅔ innings, they’ve combined for a 2.02 ERA and a 0.90 WHIP. This is thanks to Blake Snell, who struck out 18 hitters over his two starts; and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who has given up just three earned runs in his 10 ⅔ innings. As a second line of defense, the Dodgers’ defense has been just as elite, accumulating 67 Defensive Runs Saved this season (3rd in MLB). The Brewers have taken advantage of their lineup’s ability to make contact, put the ball in play, and embrace the chaos. They only struck out 1,266 times in the regular season (5th in MLB), and getting runners on base has been their offensive bread and butter. Despite the fielding capabilities of Los Angeles, Milwaukee has already proven they can outplay a strong defensive squad in the Cubs, who actually had more DRS (84) than the Dodgers by a comfortable margin. In a classic test of unstoppable force vs. immovable object, Milwaukee will have to be at their best if they want to play their brand of baseball against the best run prevention Magic Johnson’s money can buy. The Bullpen Gap Is Trevor Megill-Sized While Los Angeles has a fearsome rotation, the same can’t be said about their relief unit. In a season full of late-inning meltdowns, Dodgers relievers combined for a 4.27 ERA (20th in MLB) and 27 blown saves. Ten of these were credited to Tanner Scott, who was swapped out of the NLDS roster due to injury and will not return for the NLCS, but even with this weak link removed, there are still plenty of vulnerable arms for Milwaukee to take advantage of. With the exception of Roki Sasaki, many of the Dodgers’ other options have had their own struggles this October. Player IP ERA Emmet Sheehan 3.1 10.80 Alex Vesia 3.0 6.00 Blake Treinen 2.1 7.71 Clayton Kershaw 2.0 18.00 On the other hand, only three Brewers (Robert Gasser, Jared Koenig, Jacob Misiorowski) have given up any earned runs while pitching in relief this postseason, a result that matches up with the bullpen's combined ERA of 3.63 (6th in MLB) this season. The Cubs bullpen did an excellent job of shutting down the Brewers' offense when they were deployed, but their arms are far more consistent than what the Dodgers have been able to muster all year. There may be a few roster changes heading into the first game of the Championship Series, but without a lot of great options to begin with, Milwaukee could and should end up doing most of their damage after the starter has been taken out. This is all the more reason to take longer at-bats and drive up the pitch count as quickly as possible. Managing The Pitching Workload Could Make Or Break This Postseason Run Pat Murphy got pretty creative with the way he managed his arms in the Division Series. He tried to spread the wealth as best he could, with only Freddy Peralta pitching more than seven innings total across the five games. He relied heavily on the endurance of Aaron Ashby and Chad Patrick, who each appeared in four games, and ultimately, the Brewers won the war of pitching attrition against the Cubs. However, seven-game series are a little different. If Milwaukee had to play even one more game, they may have been up the creek without a paddle, even with these extra rest days conveniently inserted after what seemed like every game. For the Dodgers, asking players like Snell, Yamamoto, and Glasnow to throw six or seven quality innings is more plausible than trying to get the same out of the Brewers’ rotation. Will Jose Quintana and Gasser be forced to take on more responsibility? How will Quinn Priester bounce back from his tough postseason debut? Ideally, the Brewers earn an easy-breezy four-game sweep, but more realistically, it’ll be a competitive contest that could go the distance. Their pitching alignment isn’t nearly as straightforward as it is for their well-financed opponent, but this team of Above-Average Joes has the right tools to get it done if they play their cards right.

In case you missed it, one of the only unfortunate outcomes of the first game of the Division Series was Jackson Courio re-aggravating a nagging hamstring injury while beating out an infield hit, ending a three-hit performance on a sour note. Chourio's right hamstring is quickly becoming the biggest bugaboo for a young player who otherwise seems destined for stardom, and soon. After he departed, an in-game interview with Pat Murphy cast real doubt over the availability of Chourio for the balance of this series—and, therefore, for the next one. Since Chourio was playing left field, he was replaced by Isaac Collins and later Brandon Lockridge. That wasn’t a big deal in a game that ended in a 9-3 victory for Milwaukee, but the biggest concern is how available Chourio will be moving forward and at what percentage. He worked out Sunday in an effort to demonstrate readiness for Monday, but if he does have to sit out for a few games, it will be a big loss for the team. Luckily, the blow is softened by having a reliable second option in Blake Perkins. Perkins has been around long enough for people to know what he’s about. He’s an outstanding defensive center fielder with one of the fastest pairs of legs in baseball, and a plus arm to boot. He doesn’t hit the ball very hard, but he’ll draw a few walks and do his best to compensate for a lack of other offensive production. Because of his weaknesses as a hitter, he has spent much of his time serving as an understudy to the likes of Joey Wiemer, Garrett Mitchell, and (more recently) Chourio. However, his services have always been invaluable, and although he may not get much playing time, he typically has a positive impact on the team when he does get the chance to take the field. His great attitude and flexibility are exactly why this postseason could be a turning point for the 29-year-old, and why he could be vital for the team, too. Due to the smaller sample of games and the elevated importance of each plate appearance in the playoffs, the strengths and weaknesses of each player are thrown into sharper relief. For Perkins, that means that the few additional outs he gets with his excellent fielding range make him an integral piece of the Brewers’ run prevention unit. He made some excellent plays with his glove this season, and absolutely has the ability to make big catches in crucial moments. Even if he isn’t able to get to the ball to make the initial out, he’s often able to get to batted balls quickly and when coupled with his top-quartile arm strength, that can result in some exhilarating plays at the plate. One would assume that his lackluster career OPS+ of just 81 would carry over into his playoff results as well, but that’s where the nuance of his approach comes in. For one reason or another, Perkins has always been the most successful at the beginning of the season, before cooling off later. He has a career .716 OPS in the first month of the season and a .569 OPS in the final month. Yet, he’s actually been very successful in the 12 postseason plate appearances he has had so far, slashing a respectable .500/.500/.600 with two RBI, a walk, and a stolen base. And boy does he know how to work a grueling at-bat. That particular trait was on full display in Game 1 against the Cubs, when after 11 pitches from Matthew Boyd, Perkins finally got a changeup he liked and came up with a huge RBI single. He had to work back from a 1-2 count, and fouled off multiple pitches before getting the one he could handle. The fact that he doesn’t hit for power doesn’t seem like it will be a problem for this Milwaukee lineup, which didn’t hit a ball out of the park but still managed to plate nine runners against Chicago. History hasn’t been kind to teams with limited power in the playoffs, but if there were ever a team that could make it work, it’s this one. Perkins may not be a household name. He doesn’t sell as many jerseys as faces of the franchise like Christian Yelich, Robin Yount, and Chi Chi González. However, on a team of Average Joes, anyone can be a superhero on any given night. The loss of Chourio may seem like the beginning of the end for the Brewers, but with Perkins to fill the gap, Milwaukee is still as formidable as they come.

Even the most critical of fans would likely agree that Caleb Durbin had a solid rookie season. The 25-year-old doesn’t quite have the same compelling Rookie of the Year case as Cade Horton or Drake Baldwin, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a productive start to what should be a healthy big-league career. After a brutal offensive start that saw him finish May with a 78 wRC+, he turned things around and posted a 116 wRC+ from June 1 on. He played good defense at third base, accumulating 5 Defensive Runs Saved, and was Milwaukee’s fifth-most valuable position player by fWAR (2.6). Without him, the Brewers would not have set a new franchise win record this year. But that was the regular season. In comparison, the postseason is the same sport, but a completely different game, and this will be Durbin’s first time getting a taste of the high-octane action. It can be daunting being a rookie in the postseason, but there are a lot of reasons to believe that he has what it takes to show up on baseball’s biggest stage. Statistically, there are quite a few encouraging signs. First, Durbin had an .805 OPS across 109 high-leverage plate appearances (according to Baseball Reference’s definition), a slight improvement over his numbers in medium-leverage situations (.783 OPS) and a big improvement over his performance in low-leverage plate appearances (.635 OPS). If we want to take a more granular look at his splits, he also had an .883 OPS in late and close situations and an .810 OPS when the score was within one run. In other words, he knows when to lock in. Pat Murphy clocked this aspect of his personality all the way back in spring training when he talked about Durbin’s transition from being a middle infielder to manning the hot corner for the Brewers. Outside of his clutch splits, his holistic offensive profile is similarly encouraging. To compensate for a lack of natural power and bat speed, he has become one of the best contact hitters in the league, whiffing just 13.0% of the time and striking out at a measly 9.9% clip. He may be a slap hitter compared to other sluggers, but he’s squaring up a third of his pitches, meaning he’s getting as much exit velocity as he can with his current bat speed. This is a great recipe for the postseason, as just putting the ball in play can often be enough to get on base and put runs on the board, especially with his speed and hustle. But his most important character trait could be his resilience and adaptability. Durbin’s whole story screams unlikely. He was drafted by the Braves in the 14th round out of Washington University in St. Louis, a Division III program. After an okay first full season in the minor leagues, he was traded to New York in 2023 and started to find his groove, posting an .801 OPS over 194 Double-A plate appearances. Following another good minor-league season and two torrid campaigns in the Arizona Fall League, he was traded to the Brewers, where he was asked to start playing more third base while being 5-foot-7 and 183 pound—hardly the typical build for the position. Through all of the changes and obstacles, he persevered. Being promoted to a major-league starter came with its own set of challenges, and the competition had never been stiffer. Still, he continued to push on, leaned into his own strengths rather than trying to be someone else, and finished strong. It goes without saying that during the playoffs, the pressure from opposing fans (and your own) reaches new heights, and for many, it’s too much to bear. Even some of the game’s greatest receive criticisms for failing to show up when it matters most. Somehow, I get the feeling that it won’t be much of a problem for Durbin. Maybe it’s my personal bias toward him as a player, but the numbers back it up. He comes ready to play, doesn’t crumble under the spotlight, and will fight tooth-and-nail for every opportunity to help his team avoid another underwhelming first-round exit. With the Division Series kicking off this weekend, we won’t have to wait much longer.

It has been an especially juicy year for these two titans of the National League Central. Despite the Cubs pulling out to an early lead, the Brewers went on two torrid win streaks and never looked back. Even though Milwaukee finished the season on top, Chicago will get another chance at revenge with the upcoming Division Series. Here are the things to keep an eye out for in the next episode of this historic rivalry. 1. Who will win the plate discipline battle? During the regular season, Cubs pitchers gave up a combined 405 walks, the fewest of any team in the big leagues by a comfortable margin. No pitcher on staff with more than 40 innings of work had a walk rate above 10% and no starter with more than 100 innings pitched had a walk rate above 7%. Shota Imanaga led the pack with a walk rate of just 4.6% over 144 ⅔ innings. On the other hand, the Brewers' lineup drew a combined 564 walks this year, fourth in MLB. In total, there were seven hitters with more than 200 plate appearances and a walk rate above 9%: PA BB% Jake Bauers 218 14.7% Isaac Collins 441 12.9% William Contreras 659 12.7% Rhys Hoskins 328 11.6% Brice Turang 659 10.0% Christian Yelich 644 9.9% Andrew Vaughn 254 9.4% So, in a classic example of unstoppable force meets immovable object, we’ll have to see which side gives first. Each additional baserunner has amplified impact in a postseason series, and a few extra walks could be the difference between victory and defeat for Milwaukee. 2. Is extra rest a blessing or a curse? In 2023, there was considerable discussion about whether it was an acceptable result that three of the four teams that had received a first-round bye (Orioles, Dodgers, Braves) had been eliminated after the Division Series. Of course, that postseason was full of surprises that ended up in a World Series involving a #5 seed and a #6 seed, but a similar thing had happened in 2022 when the Braves and Dodgers failed to make the most out of their first-round byes. Most blamed teams not being fully warmed up and ready to play by the time the Division Series rolled around due to the extended break. However, most involved in the team's direct operations would agree that extra rest is much needed, especially after the grind of the regular season. In addition to receiving full-body mud wraps and aromatherapy, teams with a first-round bye get to set their rotation exactly as they would like. While Brewers starters were drinking chocolate milk out of sippy cups, the Cubs just endured a challenging 27-inning series against the Padres that removed the possibility of Matthew Boyd, Shota Imanaga, or Jameson Taillon getting the start in the first game. If there’s ever an opportunity for the Brewers to strike hard and fast, it’s while they’re fresh and the Cubs are more spent. Yes, there may be a downside to excessive rest, and despite the Brewers holding scrimmages, nothing can truly replicate the atmosphere of the postseason. However, while the adverse effects of this are still unclear, everyone knows that more fatigue leads to more weaknesses, a major tailwind for Milwaukee. 3. Can Milwaukee’s infield defense compete with the Cubs in a small sample? Across the entire season, Chicago’s defense was leagues better than the Brewers, at least on paper. The Cubs accumulated a total of +84 Defensive Runs Saved, more than twice as many as the Brewers’ +31. Furthermore, the Cubs only had one position with negative Defensive Runs Saved: right field. Meanwhile, the Brewers were below average at shortstop, left field, center field, and catcher while being average at first base. It’s a deviation from the norm for the Brewers who have had elite defensive results over the past years and there are several reasons for it, aside from the inherent volatility of playing defense in baseball. However, while the numbers may paint the picture of a chasm between the two teams and their fielding abilities, Milwaukee has the pieces to make it work. Caleb Durbin has proven himself to be a solid fielder in his first full season primarily playing third base and Brice Turang is the defending Platinum Glove winner. While Joey Ortiz is a below-average fielder by DRS, he has elite range, posting +12 Outs Above Average (97th percentile). This trio may not have had the same regular season results as Chicago’s infield triumvirate of Matt Shaw, Dansby Swanson, and Nico Hoerner but they’ve shown that they’re more than capable of being elevated to the same level. 4. How aggressively will the Brewers attack the Cubs’ biggest hitters? The Brewers have a pretty well-rounded lineup. There aren’t any players that are significantly better or worse than the rest of the pack and there could be a new offensive hero on the team on any given night. The same can’t really be said about the Cubs. The highest wRC+ of any qualified Brewer this season belonged to Brice Turang (124). The Cubs have three players at or above that mark: Michael Busch (140), Kyle Tucker (136), and Seiya Suzuki (123). Okay, Seiya is technically lower but not considering him a serious threat in this lineup would be a big mistake, especially after what he did against the Padres. It would be difficult to pitch around all of them, there’s simply too much protection in the lineup and all three of them have good walk rates, especially Kyle Tucker (14.6%). Going right down the middle may not be a good idea either as these sluggers have been known to hit quite a few homers between them. Milwaukee’s pitchers are no pushovers and each at-bat will likely be highly competitive. However, since the rotation lacks an arm with the gas of a Tarik Skubal or the stuff Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the Brewers will likely have to get a little crafty if they want to a chance at survival against such a potent lineup.

Now that the regular season has concluded, the postseason bracket is finalized. For the first time since 2021, Milwaukee will get to sit out the first round—a hard-earned reward for winning 97 games, more than any other team. Instead of being thrown right back into the fold, their first game won’t be until October 4, when they kick off the Division Series against either the Cubs or the Padres. Both teams are formidable potential opponents. Chicago won 92 games and San Diego won 90 this year, placing them comfortably above the 83-win Reds team that snuck into the postseason at the 11th hour. Both teams have exorbitant payrolls that dwarf Milwaukee’s own meager budget, and both have superstar players who could make or break a best-of-five series. The Padres were one of the most active teams at the trade deadline, even striking a deal with the Brewers to exchange Nestor Cortes for Brandon Lockridge. While that acquisition ultimately failed to have much of an impact on the team, other major acquisitions like Ramón Laureano, Ryan O’Hearn, Freddy Fermin, and (most of all) Mason Miller helped reshape their team in the second half. The addition of Miller, in particular, elevated San Diego’s bullpen to a league of its own. Already stacked with strong arms like Robert Suarez (2.97 ERA), Adrián Morejón (2.08 ERA), and Jeremiah Estrada (35.5% strikeout rate), the Padres had an MLB-leading 3.06 reliever ERA. Unfortunately, Jason Adam, one of their most effective bullpen arms, recently sustained a season-ending rupture of a quadriceps tendon, so they’ll have one fewer weapon to deploy—but it’s still quite a talented array of pitchers. The Padres may have the advantage in the bullpen, but the Brewers undoubtedly have a more intimidating rotation. Even without Brandon Woodruff in the mix, Freddy Peralta and Quinn Priester should be a strong 1-2 punch, followed by a melange of high-variance but very talented secondary bulk guys. Outside of Nick Pivetta (2.87 ERA), no other Padres starters have been great this year. Randy Vásquez has put up solid numbers, but Dylan Cease, Michael King, and the other arms in the rotation still have things to iron out—and Pivetta will only be available starting in Game 2, should they make it, since he's slated to start Game 1 of the Wild Card Series. When it comes to the lineup, the Padres seem like they have more threats than the Brewers at first glance, but a closer look reveals that there’s far more parity than meets the eye. Milwaukee has a better team OPS of .735, but that’s the result of everyone chipping in here and there. Other than Andrew Vaughn (who has just 251 total plate appearances for the team), the best hitter on the team by OPS+ is Christian Yelich (121). Despite the Padres having major household names like Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, and Latin pop sensation Jose Iglesias, the individual numbers are actually pretty even. Here is how the OPS+ figures match up for each team’s top five qualified hitters: Fernando Tatis Jr. 125 121 Christian Yelich Manny Machado 116 120 Brice Turang Jackson Merrill 109 117 Isaac Collins Jake Cronenworth 108 113 Sal Frelick Gavin Sheets 106 111 Jackson Chourio Of course, this leaves out important players who have only been with the team for part of the season, like the aforementioned Vaughn and Laureano, but one can easily see that (beyond name recognition) the Brewers may even have a slightly better lineup. Head-to-head, the Brewers went just 2-4 against the Padres this year, notably losing both series against the team. On the bright side, all but two of the losses were close affairs, which means that they’re likely pretty evenly matched. Besides, the Brewers had little to play for in their matchup during the final week. When it comes to the Cubs, one might be tempted to say that the Brewers have already proved themselves to be a superior team, after easily claiming their third straight division title. Sure, Milwaukee’s double-digit win streaks and second-half surge are accomplishments worth acknowledging, but that doesn’t mean the Cubs should be underestimated. Offensively, Chicago has a slightly better team OPS of .750, but it has more potent individual threat, as well—namely, Michael Busch (148 OPS+) and big offseason pickup Kyle Tucker (144 OPS+). The middle infield duo of Nico Hoerner and Dansby Swanson continues to be one of the best in the business, and despite hitting an offensive wall in August, Pete Crow-Armstrong has begun to turn it around at the plate, while still being one of the best defensive outfielders in the sport. Rotation-wise, it’ll be difficult to compete with the Brewers, especially since Cade Horton’s rib fracture will definitely keep him sidelined until at least the NLCS (should the Cubs get there). Matthew Boyd has been a great starter, while Shota Imanaga and Jameson Taillon have been satisfactory, but these three are looking like a clear step down from what the Brewers will be able to muster. The bullpens are quite close when looking at reliever ERA, but Abner Uribe’s top-notch ERA (1.70) and monstrous workload (74 ⅓ IP) skew the numbers. In reality, guys like Brad Keller (2.07 ERA), Caleb Thielbar (2.64 ERA), Drew Pomeranz (2.17 ERA), and Daniel Palencia (2.91 ERA) have a slight edge over the relievers that Milwaukee will likely deploy, given that Trevor Megill is a bit diminished by injury and Nick Mears appears to be petering out at the end of the year. Although the Brewers ended up with a sizable five-game lead in the division, they were actually 6-7 against their I-94 rivals. Just because Milwaukee got the last laugh in the NL Central doesn’t mean the Cubs couldn’t get retribution in a hypothetical Division Series matchup. Given how these squads match up against the Brewers, I think facing the Padres in the Division Series would give Milwaukee the biggest advantage. The Brewers have a better rotation and lineup, and the Padres have fewer wins and a much lower run differential (+81) than the Cubs (+144). As a fan of baseball, I’d personally love to see a Cubs-Brewers matchup in the playoffs, for the sake of the sport. However, as a fan of the Brewers, watching the Cubs successfully emerge from the Wild Card round could also mean another quick first-round exit for the Crew.