Michael Trzinski

Remember Garrett Mitchell? That question sounds glib, and almost preposterous. Seriously, though: it's not crazy to ask whether even intense Brewers fans think about Mitchell, these days. He was selected as the 20th overall pick by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2020 MLB Draft, out of UCLA. After rocketing through just 132 games at three levels in the minors over two seasons, Mitchell made his big-league debut in August 2022. He started slowly, collecting just four hits in his first 29 at-bats. Then he caught fire, and batted a Hurricane Hazle-like .469/.500/.625 the rest of the way, to finish the year at .311/.373/.459 across 61 at-bats. The Brewers thought they finally had a star center fielder who could anchor the Milwaukee outfield for the next 10 years. Not so fast, sports fans. Mitchell injured his left shoulder sliding into third base in a mid-April 2023 contest against Seattle, resulting in surgery for a torn labrum. His truncated season lasted all of 19 major-league games and eight minor-league rehab contests. Misfortune struck early in 2024, as Mitchell suffered a fractured left index finger in a late-March ramp-up ahead of Opening Day. He sat out 10 weeks before a brief rehab stint, and returned to the Brewers on July 1. Mitchell played 69 games and batted .255/.342/.469 over 196 at-bats. He showed glimpses of power and speed, slamming eight round-trippers while swiping 11 bags in 15 attempts. Mitchell was healthy to start the 2025 season, but suffered a strained left oblique just 25 games into the season. Two months later, he injured his left shoulder again while playing in a rehab game at Nashville. That mishap required another shoulder surgery—his second in three years. Mitchell played in only those 25 contests and batted .206/.286/.294 in 68 at-bats. Mitchell was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in the third grade, but has been dealing with the disease successfully since. He suffered leg injuries in 2019 and 2021, but seems to have gotten past those. The left shoulder issue could continue to be a concern, though. Per MLB.com, Mitchell had perhaps the best set of tools of all the players in the 2020 draft class. Overall, his grade was 55, which is considered above-average, as was his ‘hit’ tool. Defensively, his ‘arm’ and ‘field’ tools were both graded at 60, which is considered a plus tool. His 'running' tool was graded at 70, which is considered plus-plus. In short, Mitchell’s talent is not in question, and never has been. His health will determine whether he realizes his potential. Right now, he's on the bubble to even make the Opening Day roster. If he can stay on the field and flash his superior skills, he would make the decision for Brewers management very interesting. Is there room on the roster for Mitchell, Jackson Chourio, Sal Frelick, Christian Yelich, Isaac Collins, and Blake Perkins? It would take a lot of finagling, but it would be nice to see the Brewers' outfield live up to the potential that was predicted for them a few short years ago. The others are in various stages of having done so, or still have time to do so. For Mitchell, that time is running short. What do you think about Garrett Mitchell? Will he make the Opening Day roster and if so, can he reclaim his starting job? Feel free to start the conversation in the comments section below.

Even though Opening Day is 114 days away, Milwaukee Brewers fans cogitate, brainstorm, contemplate, imagine, envision, ponder, and ruminate over how the team can get better, or what next season is going to look like. Many of them think about the Brewers 24/7/365, and an additional day during Leap Years. So, though we know changes will come between now and then, let's imagine that the season begins tomorrow. In that case, the Opening Day roster would look something like this. PITCHERS Starting Rotation (5) Freddy Peralta Brandon Woodruff Chad Patrick Jacob Misiorowski Quinn Priester Ideally, of course, each member of this group would stay healthy and perform well enough to make 30 starts. Reality is the antidote for such delusions, though, and the Brewers have realities both behind and before them that figure to shake up the rotation at some point. Peralta is high on the pundits' list of Brewers most likely to be traded. Woodruff returned from a year and a half on the shelf in dominant fashion, but landed on the injured list again with a lat strain in September. Presumably, he's back in full health right now, but next season will be a new test of the staying power of his shoulder. Patrick made 23 starts and pitched well enough to earn down-ballot NL Rookie of the Year votes. Misiorowski brought excitement to the mound and the park; fans are ready for Year Two of ‘The Miz.’ Priester won 12 straight decisions, and the Brewers won 19 consecutive games in which he took the mound. If one or more of these five falter, the Brewers have exceptional depth to buttress the rotation. Their five ‘starters-in-waiting’ made a total of 13 starts for Milwaukee last year. Tobias Myers made six starts, and after a midseason addition to his arsenal, he looked ready to make the move to a full-time starting job. Logan Henderson posted an ERA+ of 236 in five starts and is champing at the bit to be part of the rotation. Robert Gasser made two starts, but spent a lot of time on the injured list. In his return from Tommy John surgery, Coleman Crow made 12 starts at two levels, striking out batters at a rate of 32%, though he didn't find his way to the 40-man roster until the end of the season. Carlos Rodriguez had a cup of coffee in Milwaukee in each of the last two seasons, and shows potential—although perhaps as a long reliever, rather than a true starter. All five have minor-league options remaining, so if neither transactions nor injuries blow a hole in the side of the ship, this group can wait at Triple-A Nashville for a while. Only Myers and Rodriguez are candidates to do much work in relief for the team. Bullpen (8) Grant Anderson Aaron Ashby DL Hall Jared Koenig Nick Mears Trevor Megill Abner Uribe Rob Zastryzny The group listed above pitched 67% of the 634 2/3 innings Brewers relievers spent on the mound this year; expect to see more of the same. With four lefties and four righties in the pen, manager Pat Murphy has the flexibility to match up with opposing batters. Only Koenig and Uribe were fortunate enough to stay off the IL, and each of them wore down as the season progressed. As is true with the starters, the organization boasts good depth in the upper levels of the minors. There's another bullpen's worth of credible big-league hurlers beyond the group above, ready to stand the gap if called upon. CATCHERS (2) William Contreras Jeferson Quero If the Brewers elect not to pick up a backup catcher via trade or free agency, Quero will probably get his first shot in the big leagues. Darrien Miller is a long shot—the kind of player likely to hang around a while but not to make much of a dent in the majors. Marco Dinges is probably the next-best backstop in the organization after Contreras and Quero, but is about two years away. INFIELDERS (6) Andrew Vaughn (1B) Brice Turang (2B) Caleb Durbin (3B) Joey Ortiz (SS) Jake Bauers (1B-OF) Andruw Monasterio (INF) Tyler Black and Anthony Seigler are both on the 40-man, but neither will make the Opening Day roster, barring something unforeseen. Vaughn and Bauers figure to rough out something like a platoon arrangement at first base, while Turang, Ortiz and Durbin are entrenched (for now) at the other positions on the dirt. Monasterio's role will be filling in for and backing up all three, unless and until more moves come. OUTFIELDERS (5) Isaac Collins (LF) Sal Frelick (CF) Jackson Chourio (RF) Christian Yelich (DH) Blake Perkins (CF) Garrett Mitchell, Brandon Lockridge, and Steward Berroa are all on the 40-man, but this quintet has the inside track. Lockridge and Berroa might be waived at some point to free up roster spots. Mitchell could be in his make-or-break season; injuries have derailed his last three campaigns. A lot can happen over the next three-plus months, and the Brewers could add or subtract players through free agency or trade. This version of the Opening Day roster will definitely change. Or it may not. Even this version of the roster is a clear favorite to win the NL Central next season. What do you think about this 26-man? Am I missing anybody? Who is on your 26-man? Feel free to start the conversation in the comments section.

Long before the ‘modern’ major league Milwaukee Brewers came into existence, a team from Boston moved to Milwaukee and became the Milwaukee Braves. But to see the origins of Milwaukee County Stadium, one needs to go back even further in time. The original minor league Milwaukee Brewers came into existence in 1902 and were affiliated with the St. Louis Browns (1929-1933) and the Boston Braves, as a Triple-A club from 1947-52. The Brewers played at Athletic Park, which was located a few miles north of downtown Milwaukee. Constructed in 1888 for an estimated $40,000, it was also the home to both the Milwaukee Badgers, an NFL team from 1922-26, and for one game with the Green Bay Packers in 1933. The park was renamed Borchert Field at the start of the 1928 baseball season in honor of previous owner Otto Borchert, who had died of a heart attack a year earlier while speaking at a baseball dinner that was broadcast on the radio. The Brewers were the sole tenants until the last baseball game was played there in 1952. During the late 1940s/early 1950s, Milwaukee civic leaders were seeking a major league franchise, but Borchert Field was seen as too decrepit and too small to host a big-league team. In June 1950, plans for a $3.5 million stadium were presented to the Milwaukee County board highway committee by the park commission. The original seating capacity was 26,000, which could be increased by 10,000 temporary seats (Oshkosh Northwestern, June 16, 1950). Initially, the minor league Brewers were going to play there but that plan would change. Groundbreaking for the project took place on October 19. Two months later, construction foreman Joseph Wicks was killed when a timber slipped from a crane and crushed his head. Wicks was helping lay the stadium foundation (Twin City News-Record, December 14, 1950). In addition to the 36,000 seats, ‘Milwaukee County Municipal Stadium’ would have parking for up to 10,000 automobiles. The stadium ‘will be of modern design, with rose-colored brick and has all the features of stadia built to date’ (Capital Times, June 26, 1951). Bernard Gimbel, ‘sportsman’ and president of Gimbels Department Stores, said the new stadium “would rank with any in the nation when it is finished.” He went on to say that the stadium “will make Milwaukee a better place to live by giving the city top facilities for sports and other mass audience events” (Green Bay Press-Gazette, August 9, 1951). In mid-December, county officials said that the stadium would not be finished in time for the 1952 baseball season due to delays by bad weather and slow delivery of steel (Beaver Dam Daily Citizen, December 17, 1951). To further complicate matters, a 29-day construction workers strike in May 1952 was another setback that meant the stadium would not be ready for any part of the 1952 season. The strike delayed raising of steelwork and pouring of concrete in the stadium. In late July, another construction worker was killed when a hoist plunged 90 feet and killed Fred Maypark. Another worker, Carl Walter, suffered fractures in both legs and a possible broken back (Janesville Weekly Gazette, July 25, 1952). Three weeks before Christmas 1952, Boston Braves’ owner Lou Perini denied the Braves would move to Milwaukee for the 1953 campaign. “The Braves will definitely remain in Boston in 1953,” Perini stated (Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune, December 3, 1952). That plan would change dramatically over the next four months. In January, Brewers general manager Red Smith announced that the Brewers would play five exhibition games against major league teams in 1953, including the New York Yankees, Boston Braves, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Cubs, and Pittsburgh Pirates (Wisconsin State Journal, January 13, 1953). The dance between the St. Louis Browns and the Boston Braves to play in the Brew City started in earnest in early March, as both teams were interested in moving their respective franchises to Milwaukee. Bill Veeck, owner of the Browns, ‘was certainly agreeable’ to moving the franchise to Milwaukee. The Braves blocked the move because they demanded another Triple-A franchise ‘just as good as Milwaukee’ (Beaver Dam Daily Citizen, March 4, 1953). Meanwhile, the Brewers said all box seats and reserved seats had been sold for the Opening Day game with St. Paul on April 15 at the new stadium (Green Bay Press-Gazette, March 12, 1953). That all changed on March 18 when the National League approved the transfer of the Boston Braves to Milwaukee. The Brewers minor league franchise moved to Toledo and became the Toledo Sox. How excited was Wisconsin now that the Badger State had a major league baseball team? The Park Falls, Wisconsin, Chamber of Commerce announced that the first two Braves players to hit home runs at Milwaukee County Stadium would be awarded free musky fishing trips on the Flambeau flowage in northwestern Wisconsin (Capital Times, March 23, 1953). Eight days before the season opener with St. Louis on April 14, the Braves were given special permission by the National League to sell bleacher seat tickets before the day of the game and 2,000 fans lined up to purchase the tickets, which cost 80 cents each (Two Rivers Reporter, April 6, 1953). On an Opening Day where ‘a chilly 20 mph wind whipped the open stands under sullen and occasionally spilled light rain,’ 34,357 fans braved the conditions and were rewarded with a walk-off home run by star rookie Billy Bruton in the 10th inning as the Braves beat the Cardinals 3-2 in their first home game. Lefthander Warren Spahn pitched a complete game for the victory, allowing only six hits and two runs in 10 innings while facing 39 batters. The Braves drew over 30,000 fans 38 times that season, and had a total attendance of 1,826,397, setting a National League record. In the offseason, the Braves spent $1.8 million on new seating, including a double-deck expansion on the third base side and new grandstand seating down the first base line. The new seating capacity would now total 44,000 (Capital Times, December 23, 1953). Milwaukee finished either second or third in their first four seasons before putting it all together in 1957 as they won the National League title and beat the New York Yankees in an exciting seven-game World Series. In 1958, the Yankees got their revenge, beating the Braves in another seven-game World Series. The turnstiles clicked to the tune of 2,215,404 fans in 1957, setting a National League mark that would last until it was bested by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1960. In November 1962, Perini sold the team for $5.5 million to a group of Chicago-area executives, led by Bill Bartolomay. Perini ‘found it more and more difficult’ to participate in team affairs and said he was disappointed with the slumping attendance and poor standing in the league. The Braves drew only 766,921 in the 1962 season, prompting Perini to sell the club. Bartholomay, who briefly was a part of a minority ownership of the Chicago White Sox, had to quash rumors in early 1964 that the team would be moving to Atlanta. “We are positively not moving,” Bartholomay said. “We’re playing in Milwaukee, whether you’re talking 1964, 1965, or 1975. We’ll play in Milwaukee as long as we’re welcome” (Merrill Daily Herald, April 11, 1964). That lasted for the next two seasons as the Braves moved to Atlanta after the 1965 campaign. Attendance in that final season was 555,584, which ranked as the worst in the National League. The stadium stayed mostly empty except for Green Bay Packer ‘home games,’ usually three or four per year in addition to those at Lambeau Field. In 1968 the White Sox played nine games at County Stadium and drew over 264,000 fans, an average of 29,300 per game. In comparison, they drew just 539,000 in Chicago over 72 games, an average of just 7,400 per game. The following season saw the White Sox play 11 games at County Stadium, but they only drew an average of 18,000 fans per game. It probably didn’t help matters that White Sox owner Arthur Allyn said, “I wish they’d get off that kick that we’re going to move anywhere. I’ve said it before: we’re not moving to Milwaukee today, next year, or ever” (Wausau Daily Herald, April 24, 1969). The Seattle Pilots, a 1969 expansion team, was having financial difficulties after the season and into 1970. In January, Pilots’ chief stockholder, William Daley, said “[I’m] very impressed with Milwaukee. I can honestly say that it is an excellent facility for major league baseball” (Oshkosh Northwestern, January 24, 1970). In late March, federal bankruptcy referee Sidney Volinn approved the sale of the Pilots to a Milwaukee group led by Allen H. (Bud) Selig for $10.8 million. The team that entered spring training as the Seattle Pilots emerged as the Milwaukee Brewers. Their home opener had the second-largest crowd of the year at 36,107, but they saw the Brewers get crushed by the California Angels, 12-0. Milwaukee entertained their biggest crowd on August 16 to a 4-3 walk-off win over Cleveland. The immortal Gus Gil singled home the winning run in the bottom of the ninth in front of 44,387 happy fans. The Brewers only drew 933,690 the first year, but the next two years were worse as the gate dropped to 600,440 in 1972. They drew 955,741 in 1974 but never drew less than one million fans per season over the next 26 seasons, excluding the strike year of 1981. For the record, Billy Bruton and Eddie Mathews hit the first two home runs in Milwaukee Braves history at County Stadium.

Turkey Day is here, and many of us will gather with our families and friends to partake in turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and pumpkin pie. It is a tradition that has been ongoing for many years, but this year, let’s add why Brewers fans should be thankful. 6. Tailgating For as long as the Milwaukee Brewers have been in existence, fans have been partying in the parking lots before, during, and after games at the ballyard. Large quantities of alcohol are consumed. Hamburgers, brats, and hot dogs are cooked up on the most basic ‘Lil Smokey’ charcoal grill, all the way up to the four-burner gas grill with side burners for veggies. The beer, burgers, and potato chips go along with games of catch and cornhole. People wander around, cadging cans of Bud Light while making new friends with other fans. Let’s all be thankful for the fellowship, friendship, and time to cheer on our Brewers. 5. Miller Park/American Family Field/Uecker Field For 31 years, fans flocked to Milwaukee County Stadium, often wondering whether the weather would postpone games and/or make things miserable. A small group of friends and I went to Opening Day nearly every year in the 1980s. We never knew what to expect: it could be snowing, and 30 degrees, or it could be sunny and 60. And the weather forecast could change by the time we drove three hours from central Wisconsin. We might have long johns and winter jackets, or we could have t-shirts and shorts. You just never knew. When Miller Park opened in 2001, it took away the uncertainty of ‘will there be a ballgame today?’ For that, we should be thankful. 4. An Abundance of Talented Prospects Jackson Chourio, Brice Turang, Sal Frelick, Jacob Misiorowski. Hopefully, that foursome will be competing at a high level in Milwaukee for the next 10 years. And then check out the prospects in the minors. Although they are at various levels, they should arrive at Uecker Field over the next few years and shine like the stars we hope they can be. Jesús Made, Luis Peña, Cooper Pratt, Jeferson Quero, Braylon Payne, Luke Adams, Brock Wilken, and Bishop Letson are all exciting players who should make their presence felt in Milwaukee soon. Let’s be thankful that the Brewers ‘cupboard is full and that the future looks bright. 3. Matt Arnold and Staff Arnold has been a member of the Brewers front office since October 2015 and has been the general manager since November 2020. Last month, Arnold was promoted to president of baseball operations. Along with the new title, Arnold will presumably earn a larger salary, and the job of president could prevent other teams from trying to pry Arnold away from Milwaukee with the promise of a president's position. Although the previous regime of David Stearns had success in the amateur draft, Arnold has seen seven players reach the major leagues from the 2021-2023 draft classes, including Sal Frelick and Jacob Misiorowski. Add to that the fact that the Brewers had four players in MLB.com’s Top 100 Prospect list for 2025: Made (4), Peña (18), Pratt (56), and Quero (84). Arnold isn’t perfect, but he is doing a darn good job for the Brewers, and we are thankful to have him and his staff. 2. Pat Murphy The Brewers' current manager has had a long and storied career both in college and in the pros. He coached Notre Dame and Arizona State from 1988 to 2009, compiling a 947-400-2 record and being named Baseball America’s Coach of the Year in 1998 at Arizona State. He held several positions in the San Diego Padres organization, including minor league manager and interim manager for the Padres in the second half of 2015. Milwaukee hired him after the 2015 season and became a bench coach on Craig Counsell’s staff. After Counsell left to manage the Chicago Cubs, Murphy became the Brewers' manager, and the rest is history. Milwaukee won two NL Central titles under ‘Murph,’ and he was named NL Manager of the Year in both 2024 and 2025. Whether it is the Brewers' success under Murphy, his humor, or his culinary specialties, we should be thankful for Patrick Thomas Murphy. 1. Bob Uecker Even though ‘Ueck’ passed away last January, he is top of mind for anybody who is involved with the Brewers, whether cheering in the stands or playing on the field. Bob Uecker wasn’t a great player, but he did play six years in the big leagues. He was a dear friend and guest on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, a key player on the TV show Mr. Belvedere, and a hilarious character in the zany Miller Lite commercials. Uecker’s Harry Doyle lines from the movie Major League are uttered all around the world. ‘Juuuust a bit outside!’ More importantly, Bob Uecker was the beloved voice of the Milwaukee Brewers for over five decades. And he was a close friend to Brewers players, including Robin Yount and Christian Yelich. Brewers fans hoped that the ‘spirit’ of Bob Uecker would send the Brewers to the World Series in 2025, but it just didn’t happen. But how many times did you think, ‘Ueck was looking over the Brewers?’ I know I did, many times. This Thanksgiving, let’s be thankful for all that Mr. Baseball offered the fans and players of the Milwaukee Brewers. Be Thankful EVERY Day Sometimes we fall short of giving thanks on a daily basis. We get together with family and loved ones on the fourth Thursday in November to eat, drink, and make merry. It is a special day, but we should be thankful every day. Going forward, we should all make that effort. And we are thankful for our Milwaukee Brewers. The Crew hasn’t made it to the pinnacle of baseball supremacy, but there is always next year! Have a Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!

Five of the Milwaukee Brewers' top draft picks in 2024 are performing well and moving up in the organization, and two of them are already ranked in the Top 10 on Brewer Fanatic’s Top Prospect list. Let’s check out the progress of this draft class and see if they are trending up or down after the 2025 season. Braylon Payne, CF (1st Round, 17th Overall) Payne was signed to an under-slot deal and was initially seen as something of a reach, but he performed well in an extremely small sample in 2024, collecting seven hits in 16 at-bats at Low-A Carolina, The left-handed-hitting Payne was injured at three different points during the 2025 campaign at Carolina, and was limited to 77 games. He didn’t hit for great power, but showed a good eye at the plate, drawing walks at an excellent rate of 15.2%. Unfortunately, he struck out at a less-than-stellar rate of 30.1%. Payne did show a great knack for stealing bases, swiping 31 in 41 attempts. Defensively, he has decent range and shows an average arm. The youngster gets bonus points for performing well at age 19. On the other hand, Brewer Fanatic’s eighth-ranked prospect’s truncated, injury-wrecked season doesn’t show an upward trend. For his initial assignment next year, flip a coin: Wilson or Wisconsin? TRENDING: Even Blake Burke, 1B (1st Round, 34th Overall) Burke’s pick was acquired from Baltimore in the Corbin Burnes trade. Milwaukee plucked him out of the University of Tennessee. He smacked 50 home runs in three collegiate seasons, so it was a surprise when he hit only five homers in his first 366 at-bats. The lefty slugger found his power stroke at Double-A Biloxi, where he hit 11 round-trippers in just 140 at-bats. Even though he posted a sublime wRC+ of 177 at Biloxi, he will probably play at least another half-season there before being considered ready for Triple-A Nashville. The 6-foot-3, 235-pound Burke isn’t a bad defender at first base, but he did commit nine errors last season. His arm is average at best, so he will stay at first or become a DH. Burke, Brewer Fanatic's No. 15 prospect, is a below-average runner, so don’t expect many stolen bases. TRENDING: Up Bryce Meccage, RHP (2nd Round, 57th Overall) Meccage earned above-slot money in the second round, based on his mid-90s fastball and a pair of high-spin breaking balls that he displayed at his high school in Pennington, New Jersey. In his first pro season, Meccage struck out batters at an above-average rate of 23.6% for Carolina, while allowing walks at a rate of 8.9%. The walk rate isn't terrible, but control is something Meccage needs to work on. If he can refine his craft, he can be a quality middle-of-the-rotation starter for Milwaukee. After having success in 19 starts at Carolina, he is a candidate for promotion to High-A Wisconsin in 2026. TRENDING: Up Jaron DeBerry, RHP (3rd Round, 93rd Overall) DeBerry, selected out of Dallas Baptist University for $25,000, pitched so well in his first professional season that he moved from Low A to High A to Double A, all in a span of three months. In those three stops, DeBerry made 19 starts (among 22 total appearances) and struck out batters at a rate of 23.9%, while walking only 7.3% of batters faced. His best pitch is a low- to mid-80s sweeper that spins at 2,800 rpm or more. DeBerry’s fastball is pedestrian and sits in the low 90s, but he has a full suite of pitches and uses them well to keep hitters off balance. At Biloxi, DeBerry made seven starts and performed well, but expect to see a reprise of that role to start the 2026 season. A good start as a Shucker could see him move north to the Music City sometime during the year. TRENDING: Up Marco Dinges, C (4th Round, 123rd Overall) Dinges was picked out of Florida State, after a monster season wherein he batted .323/.415/.583 with 15 home runs in 64 games. Small for a catcher at 5-foot-11, he showed plus power and needed only 85 at-bats at Carolina before moving to the Timber Rattlers in High A. In 172 at-bats in Appleton, Dinges posted a wRC+ of 137 and batted .273/.371/.483 with 10 home runs. His arm grades out at 55 on the 20-80 scouting scale, but some think he might eventually move to a corner outfield spot. Dinges might start 2026 at Wisconsin, but it would not be a huge surprise to see him begin the campaign at Biloxi. TRENDING: Up Others of Note: RHP Chris Levonas (2nd Round, 67th Overall): Did not sign and elected to honor his commitment to Wake Forest. RHP John Holobetz (5th Round, 156th Overall): He was the PTBNL in the Quinn Priester trade. RHP Tyson Hardin (12th Round, 365th Overall): Pitched well at two levels in 2025 and is currently BF’s No. 17 prospect. The 2024 Draft class has had tons of success over the last two seasons, and we look forward to seeing these guys (and others) in Milwaukee in the near future. What stands out about this group? How would you grade their stock so far? Leave a comment and start the discussion.

In a recent piece by Jack Stern, he mentioned eight relievers who played substantial roles in the Brewers bullpen last year. Six of them—Grant Anderson, Aaron Ashby, DL Hall, Jared Koenig, Trevor Megill, and Abner Uribe—have minor-league options left. Nick Mears and Rob Zastryzny do not. This octet will do much of the heavy lifting out of the pen in 2026, but Milwaukee faces a practical constraint: the guys they would most want to swap out to bring up fresh arms at times are the ones who can't be sent down. As with last year’s starting rotation, though, there's helpful depth that could alleviate those problems. Let’s check out some of the guys in the minors who haven't been celebrated or praised, but should get called up to Milwaukee sometime in 2026—and a few prospects who look like they will move up to the higher levels. Second-Chance Relievers Craig Yoho (BF #20 prospect) Yoho appeared in eight games for Milwaukee last year in three separate stints, and other than one bad outing, he allowed five hits and two runs in 7 2/3 innings, good for an ERA of 2.35. Of course, one can't just eliminate the worst outing in a small sample, but his handful of strong appearances loosely confirmed the upside scouts saw (and his stats reflected) before he matriculated to the majors. Yoho throws the Triple-A equivalent of the Devin Williams Airbender, but command of it is still a work in progress. His fastball sits in the 92-94 range, and he rounds out the mix with a curve and a change. He's also working on a cutter. His 31% strikeout rate at Triple A is a portent of good things to come in Milwaukee. Expect to see him at Uecker Field for a good portion of the 2026 season. Easton McGee The lanky (6-foot-7) righthander split time between Nashville and Milwaukee last season. Although he didn’t have the success in the majors that Yoho did, he pitched four outings of at least two innings, serving as a key bridge from the middle of the game to the team's higher-leverage guys. He threw a sinker and a curve about 30% of the time each, with his fastball topping out at 94-95. In his previous eight seasons in the minors, McGee made 100 starts, so in a pinch, he could be a spot starter for the Brewers, but it's more likely he will be a middle reliever. Sammy Peralta Selected off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels in late October, Peralta is a decent-sized (6-foot-2, 215 pounds) soft-tossing southpaw whose fastball sits at just over 89 mph. He throws a slider in the 78 range, along with a change that hits 82. Peralta was an 18th-round pick in the 2019 MLB Draft out of the University of Tampa, and bounced around in the White Sox and Mariners chains before pitching in the Mexican League to start the 2025 campaign. After a few subpar outings with the Angels in September, he caught on with Milwaukee. He is another candidate for a long relief job in Brew City. Triple-A and Double-A Relievers Blake Holub A 15th-round pick of the Detroit Tigers in the 2021 MLB Draft, the 6-foot-6, 230-pound Holub is another in the long line of towering Brewers pitchers. He has raw talent, but struggles to find the plate on a consistent basis, as his 11.8% walk rate shows. On the other hand, a ‘violent’ delivery helped him strike out batters at a rate of 28.5%. At 27, he is a tad old to be a prospect, so this might be his make-or-break year. Will Childers Matthew Wilkie Childers was a 30th-round pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2019 MLB Draft, but didn’t sign. He attended the University of Georgia and was an All-American his freshman year. But then disaster struck, in the form of two elbow surgeries, which led to his being picked up by Milwaukee after the 2022 MLB Draft as an undrafted free agent. Childers has had an up-and-down career, but his 2025 season (with a 25.5% strikeout rate) shows promise for the future. Justin Yeager Yeager was a 33rd-round draft pick in the 2019 MLB Draft out of Southern Illinois University. After three years in the Atlanta Braves organization, Yeager was a part of the trade in which the Brewers acquired William Contreras in 2022. Yeager has spent the better part of the last three years at Double-A Biloxi, but in 18 appearances and 21 innings at Nashville last year, Yeager allowed only 3.8 hits per nine innings. At age 28 at the start of the 2026 campaign, he is in the same ‘long-in-the-tooth’ prospect boat that Holub is in. Mark Manfredi Manfredi is one of the best left-handed options at the middle levels of the minors for the Crew, having pitched at Biloxi all season in 2025. The 6-foot-4, 210-pounder was drafted in the 9th round of the 2023 draft. During his first season at High-A Wisconsin, he made 12 starts among his 28 appearances. In 2025 at Double A, he was strictly a reliever, making 44 trips to the mound while striking out batters at a 29.8% rate. He needs to work on his control, as he posted a 14.9% walk rate. With a good season, the 25-year-old could possibly see some late-season action in Milwaukee this year. Tyler Bryant Bryant joined Yoho, Childers, and Holub on the 2025 Brewers Spring Breakout roster. The 6-foot-4, 205-pound Texan was signed as a free agent by the Brewers in June 2024. After five seasons of small college ball and one year in the independent Frontier League, Bryant got his chance with Milwaukee. He showed enough last year in nine games with Carolina and 11 games with Wisconsin to move up to Biloxi in 2025. Bryant struck out batters at a rate of 31.2%, but also walked them at a rate of 12.7%. He was injured in July and missed the last couple months of the season. Bryant will turn 27 in January, so his clock is also rapidly ticking. Others of Note Anthony Flores, LH, Wisconsin J.D. Thompson, RH, DNP professional ball Ethan Dorchies, RH, ACL, Carolina Frank Cairone, LH, DNP professional ball What’s Next? The Brewers used 25 pitchers in relief last season, including position players Jake Bauers and Anthony Seigler. The 634 2/3 relief innings accounted for 44% of the team's innings pitched. Due to the heavy workload that relievers take on these days, a team will need to shuttle pitchers back and forth in the organization on a constant basis. It is also imperative that the relievers who are called up perform well, and the Brewers are hoping for that same result.

Much was expected of Joey Ortiz coming into the 2025 campaign. After spending most of the previous season at third base, Ortiz moved to shortstop to make up for the departure of Willy Adames to the San Francisco Giants. Ortiz played nearly 84% of all shortstop innings for Milwaukee, but was removed for a pinch-hitter 34 times during the season, spotlighting his less-than-stellar bat. Andruw Monasterio made 21 starts at the ‘6,’ while Brice Turang and Caleb Durbin moved over to short three times each to finish games. (Stats are from 2025, while age is as of the start of the 2026 season.) PRIMARY STARTER Joey Ortiz AB: 470, H: 108, 2B: 18, 3B: 1, HR: 7, RBI: 45, .230/.276/.317; K: 74, BB: 27, SB: 14 DRS: -2, OAA: +12 Age: 27 Ortiz saw most of his offensive numbers decline from the previous season. His home-run total dropped from 11 to 7, and his walk rate was cut in half. The only thing that showed improvement was his strikeout rate, which dropped from 20.2% to 14.6%. Ortiz’s average exit velocity dropped from 87.8 mph to 84.9; his barrel percentage dropped from 4.6% to 3.0%; and his hard-hit percentage dropped from 38.4% to 32.8%. No wonder he only had 26 extra-base hits in 2025, compared to 42 the previous year. Ortiz missed 10 games at the end of August due to a left hamstring injury, and after he returned, he collected only two extra-base hits among 15 base hits during September. Defensively, Ortiz is still an above-average defender, with plus hands and instincts and more than enough arm for shortstop. On the bases, Ortiz is a good runner, and after 25 steals in his first two years, he could become a 20-steal guy for the running Brewers. Is the third time (season) the charm for Ortiz? A fast start to the season is a must for him, because he has at least two top prospects nipping at his heels. True, Brewer Fanatic top prospect Jesús Made and No. 3 Cooper Pratt are probably at least a year away, but the Brewers might consider calling Pratt up earlier—especially if Ortiz continues to fall short of his potential. BACK-UPS Andruw Monasterio AB: 126, H: 34, 2B: 9, 3B: 0, HR: 4, RBI: 16, .270/.319/.437; K: 32, BB: 7, SB: 6 DRS: -1, OAA: 0 Age: 28 Monasterio had perhaps his best year in 2025, his third campaign in the big leagues. His batting average, slugging average, and OPS+ (109) were career bests. His walk rate (5.2%) and strikeout rate (23.7%) are both worse than average, but he showed some pop and speed and played decent defense, which is all you really need from a backup player. On defense, his numbers weren’t great, but they weren’t terrible. He has good speed on the bases and would probably steal at least 20 bags if he got 400 at-bats. Monasterio started 21 games at short, eight at second base, and five at the hot corner, the latter being his main home in 2023 and 2024. He can also play first base or left field in a pinch. In other words, he is a valuable, versatile player. Others Brice Turang, Caleb Durbin MINOR LEAGUE PROSPECTS/DEPTH Cooper Pratt AB: 437, H: 104, 2B: 22, 3B: 1, HR: 8, RBI: 62, .238/.343/.348; K: 80, BB: 67, SB: 31 (Stats from Double-A Biloxi) Age: 21 Pratt was a sixth-round pick in 2023 and has moved up the ladder nicely in his first three years as a pro. Although his slash numbers all dropped off last season, he set career highs with 22 doubles, 62 RBIs, and 67 bases on balls. Both his walk rate (12.7%) and his strikeout rate (15.2%) are solidly above-average. His 6-foot-4 frame should fill out, and he should show 15-20-homer power. He won a minor league Gold Glove in 2024 and has good instincts and a good arm. Although given only a 50 grade for running, he has stolen 62 of 70 bases in his pro career, an impressive 88% success rate. Depending on what the Brewers choose to do with him and Jesús Made, it appears that Pratt will start at Triple-A Nashville while Made gets more experience at Biloxi. Jesús Made AB: 453, H: 129, 2B: 28, 3B: 6, HR: 6, RBI: 61, .285/.379/.413; K: 108, BB: 67, SB: 47 (Stats combined from Low-A Carolina, High-A Wisconsin, and Double-A Biloxi) Age: 18 Made has done everything the Brewers had hoped for when they signed him as an international free agent in 2024. He hits for average, shows some in-game power, plays solid defense, and steals bases at an 81% success rate, with 75 stolen bases in just 166 games as a professional. His 2025 strikeout rate was about average, at 20.6%, while his walk rate was a robust 12.8%. He had 40 extra-base hits and 47 steals over three levels during the season. Again, he and Pratt are two top prospects fighting for one spot, but it is possible that one of them will move to third base while the other stays at shortstop. Next season will tell us a lot. Other Minor League Depth Freddy Zamora, Nashville Raynel Delgado, Nashville Ethan Murray, Biloxi/Nashville These three guys are organizational depth, rather than prospects, but any of the three could fill in for a short period in an emergency for the Brewers. Conclusion Shortstop is in good hands for the foreseeable future, with Ortiz, Made, and Pratt. The best-case scenario would be if Ortiz steps up his game and allows the other two to ripen at Nashville and Biloxi. The worst case will be if Ortiz falls apart offensively and either Made or Pratt need to make an earlier-than-expected trip to Uecker Field. But even that wouldn’t be so bad.

The Milwaukee Brewers began play in 1970, but the team originated in 1969, when the Seattle Pilots became an American League expansion team. After one year, the Pilots' owners declared bankruptcy and, in the spring of 1970, the Pilots became the Milwaukee Brewers. Including Pilots manager Joe Schultz, the Pilots/Brewers have employed 20 managers. Let’s meet them! Joe Schultz (1969 Seattle Pilots) Managerial Record: 64-98 Schultz was a coach for the St. Louis Cardinals before being named manager of the newly formed Seattle team. The Pilots won their first game and three out of the first four and were tied for first with fellow expansion team Kansas City and the California Angels at that early juncture. Things went downhill after that, and the Pilots finished sixth (last) in the AL West with a record of 64-98. Fun Fact: Schultz was notorious for his cussing and saying, “Let’s go pound some Budweiser.” Schultz, with his German heritage and love for beer, would have been a perfect fit in the Brew City. Dave Bristol (1970-72) Managerial Record: 144-209 Bristol was named the Pilots' manager after the 1969 season and managed the team during spring training in 1970. After Major League Baseball, lawyers, and owners straightened out the Pilots' bankruptcy in late March/early April, the team became the Milwaukee Brewers. The Brewers won 65 games in their inaugural season and 69 times in the second year. Bristol only lasted 30 games in his third season before being dismissed. Fun Fact: In 1957, the 23-year-old Bristol began his managing career with the Class D Hornell (NY) Redlegs in the New York-Pennsylvania League. After nine years in the minors, he became the Cincinnati Reds skipper in 1966. Roy McMillan (1972) Managerial Record: 1-1 McMillan was one of Bristol’s coaches in 1972, and when Bristol got fired, McMillan took over as the interim manager for two games. The Brewers split the pair of contests before Del Crandall took over in late May. Fun Fact: McMillan attended the same high school (Bonham, TX) as ex-Brewer pitcher Danny Darwin (1985-86). McMillan was a two-time All-Star and Gold Glove shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds in the late 1950s. He also played for the Milwaukee Braves from 1961-64. Del Crandall (1972-75) Managerial Record: 271-338 Crandall was another ex-Brave who also played for or managed the Brewers. The old catcher won 150 games in his first two full seasons as a manager for the Brewers, including Robin Yount’s rookie campaign in 1974. In his final season, he was fired before the final game of the year. Management kept quiet, but players suspected either injuries or lack of discipline and motivation were determining factors. Fun Fact: In 1949, he became the youngest starting catcher in baseball history at age 19 for the Boston Braves. Crandall was also named to 11 National League All-Star teams and won four NL Gold Gloves. Crandall also worked as a color commentator for the Brewers from 1992-94, and he filled in for Bob Uecker on the radio broadcasts in 1991. Harvey Kuenn (1975, 1982-83) Managerial Record: 160-118-1 Postseason Record: 6-6 Kuenn took over the last game of the season in 1975 after Crandall was dismissed. In 1982, he took over for Buck Rodgers, who was fired in early June. Kuenn was initially expected to be the interim manager until a replacement could be found. At some point, the ‘interim’ tag was removed as the Brewers went 72-43-1 the rest of the way. They beat the California Angels in the ALCS and went on to face the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series, their only Fall Classic appearance to date. The Brewers won 87 games in 1983 but finished only fifth in the AL East. He was fired after the season. Fun Fact: Kuenn and his wife, Audrey, owned Cesar’s Inn, a tavern in West Allis that was a gathering place for Brewer players in the early 80s. Kuenn was initially married to 1954 Miss Wisconsin, Dixie Ann Sarchet, but they divorced in 1971. The nickname for the 1982 team was ‘Harvey’s Wallbangers’ because of its home run prowess. Here is a photo taken in Cesar's Inn, moments after the Brewers' Game 7 loss. Alex Grammas (1976-77) Managerial Record: 133-190 Grammas, a longtime Cincinnati Reds coach, was tabbed as the Milwaukee manager in November 1975, replacing Del Crandall. Grammas was signed to a three-year contract by owner Bud Selig, who said, “We got the top man available.” Unfortunately, the Brewers won 66 and 67 games respectively in the two seasons under Grammas. Two years after he signed on as the manager, he was fired by the Brewers. Fun Fact: Grammas returned to Cincinnati as a coach in 1978, and after Reds manager Sparky Anderson became the Detroit Tigers manager in 1980, Grammas joined his coaching staff. After being released by the Tigers after the 1991 season, Grammas retired from baseball. George Bamberger (1978-80, 1985-86) Managerial Record: 377-351 ‘Bambi’ was the pitching coach for the Baltimore Orioles from 1968-77 and became the Brewers manager in January 1978. “Bambi’s Bombers’ won 93 games in 1978 and finished third in a tough AL East. The following year, the Brewers won 95 games and finished second. Bamberger suffered a heart attack in spring training before the 1980 season and underwent multiple bypasses. Buck Rodgers began the season as the interim Brewers manager, but Bamberger returned in early June and piloted the team to a mark of 47-45 before stepping down in early September. Bamberger returned to the Brewers' helm in 1985 and lasted through most of the 1986 season, resigning in late September. “I got tired of the travel and being away from my family,” said the 61-year-old Bamberger. Fun Fact: In 10 years as an Orioles pitching coach, Bamberger had 18 pitchers reach the 20-win mark, an important milestone back in the 60s and 70s. Buck Rodgers (1980-82) Managerial Record: 124-102 Postseason Record: 2-3 Bob ‘Buck’ Rogers had a unique stint as a Brewers manager. In 1980, he filled in for George Bamberger when ‘Bambi’ was on the shelf after multiple heart bypasses and finished the season after Bamberger resigned in September. In 1981, a baseball strike shortened the Brewers season to 109 games and ended with a loss to the New York Yankees in a five-game ALDS. The following season, the Brewers stumbled to a 23-24 record before Rodgers was dismissed in favor of Harvey Kuenn. Rodgers’ win percentage of .549 is the third-best in Brewers history for managers. Fun Fact: Rodgers spent four years as the California Angels manager and seven seasons with the Montreal Expos. Rodgers was a good pitcher at Prospect (OH) HS, throwing six no-hitters. Rene Lachemann (1984) Managerial Record: 67-94 Lachemann became the Brewers' skipper in October 1983 when Harvey Kuenn was let go by the Brewers. Lachemann had lost his job in Seattle four months earlier after the M’s had lost eight straight contests and 15 of their last 18. The following season wasn’t much better for ‘Latch,’ as the Brewers won only 67 and lost 94, finishing in seventh place in the AL East. Lachemann was fired at the end of the season and would be replaced by George Bamberger beginning in 1985. Fun Fact: Lachemann, whose career record showed 428 wins and 560 losses, was ejected only six times in that 988-game span. Tom Trebelhorn (1986-91) Managerial Record: 422-397 Trebelhorn had been a coach for Rene Lachemann in 1984 but was let go after the season, along with four other coaches. ‘Treb’ had managed Triple-A Vancouver in 1985 but was reassigned after the season. After third-base coach Tony Muser was burned badly in a clubhouse explosion in spring training, Trebelhorn filled in for him. When Muser returned, Trebelhorn stayed with the team as a third-base coach and took over for George Bamberger in late September when ‘Bambi’ resigned. Trebelhorn led the Brewers to a 6-3 mark and was named manager on October 1. The following season, the Brewers went 91-71 but finished third in the AL East, seven games back of Toronto. In the four seasons that followed, the Brewers never won more than 87 games, and Trebelhorn was dismissed in early October 1991 by new general manager Sal Bando. Fun Fact: Trebelhorn was the youngest manager in Brewer history in 1986 at just 38 years old. In 1987, he finished second in the AL Manager of the Year voting. Phil Garner (1992-99) Managerial Record: 563-617 Garner was hired after the 1991 season, following Tom Trebelhorn’s firing. GM Sal Bando and Garner played together in Oakland in the early 1970s. The Brewers won 92 games in ‘Scrap Iron’s’ first season, falling four games shy of Toronto in the AL East. Garner finished second in the AL Manager of the Year race. Unfortunately, his teams never won more than 80 games over the next eight seasons, and he was fired in mid-August by Bando, who then resigned and was reassigned as a special assistant to then-Brewer president Wendy Selig-Prieb. Fun Fact: Garner’s tenure of eight campaigns is second behind Craig Counsell’s nine seasons, and his win total of 563 is also second to Counsell’s 707 victories. Jim Lefebvre (1999) Managerial Record: 22-27 Lefebvre was the Brewers' hitting coach in 1999 and took over as manager on an interim basis after Phil Garner was let go. Although his record was dismal, the Brewers did win 13 of their last 20 games to end the season on an ‘up’ note. ‘Frenchy’ was replaced by former fellow Dodger Davey Lopes in November. Fun Fact: Lefebvre conducted hitting clinics in Europe in the early 2000s and served as manager of the China National baseball team in the 2006 World Baseball Classic and the 2008 Olympics. Davey Lopes (2000-02) Managerial Record: 144-195 Lopes managed the Brewers in their final season at Milwaukee County Stadium and the first year in Miller Park. Unfortunately, neither team was very good as they won 73 and 68 games respectively. After a 3-12 start in 2002, Lopes was relieved of his spot on the bench and was replaced by Jerry Royster. Fun Fact: Arguably the best second baseman in Los Angeles Dodgers history, Lopes was a four-time NL All-Star, won a Gold Glove award, and had two stolen base titles. He had a total of 557 steals in his 16-year career. Jerry Royster (2002) Managerial Record: 53-94 The 2002 Brewers, under Davey Lopes and Royster, were the worst team in franchise history, losing 106 games. An 8-19 record in September all but sealed Royster’s fate, and he was dismissed on October 2, one day after meeting with Brewers GM Doug Melvin. Royster had been criticized for his perceived ‘kid-glove’ treatment of outfielder Alex Sanchez. The manager stated that the rookie’s ego was too fragile to handle criticism. Fun Fact: Following Jim Lefebvre and Davey Lopes, Royster was the third straight former Los Angeles Dodgers infielder to be handed the reins of the Milwaukee manager’s job. Ned Yost (2003-08) Managerial Record: 457-502 Yost was named manager just before Halloween 2002 despite having no managerial experience. Yost, a former Brewers catcher, had been an Atlanta Braves coach for 11 seasons. The first two years under Yost were subpar, with 68 and 67 wins respectively, before the team won 81 games in 2005. In 2007, the Brewers won 83 games, finishing two games behind the Chicago Cubs in the NL Central. The Brewers were battling for a playoff spot in September 2008, but amazingly, Yost was fired with 12 games left to play, despite a team record of 83-67. The Brewers had lost 11 of their last 14 games, and as GM Doug Melvin said, “We just felt a managerial change at least gives us a chance to see if we can turn it around.” Dale Sveum took over as interim manager, and the Brewers won seven of their final 12 games, squeaking into the postseason for the first time since 1982. Fun Fact: Yost was a backup catcher for Milwaukee from 1980 to 83. In Game 158 of the 1982 regular season with the AL East crown on the line, Yost hit a three-run homer in the top of the ninth at Fenway Park to send the Brewers past the Boston Red Sox, 6-3. It was his only HR of the season. Dale Sveum (2008) Managerial Record: 7-5 Postseason Record: 1-3 One day, he was a third-base coach. The next day, he was the interim manager. Sveum became manager when Ned Yost was surprisingly fired in mid-September. The team needed a win on the final day to earn a playoff spot and got it behind C.C. Sabathia’s 3-1 masterpiece over the Chicago Cubs. The Brewers fell to the Phillies, three games to one in a best-of-five NLDS. Ken Macha was named to manage the Brewers beginning in 2009, but Sveum stayed on as a hitting coach. Fun Fact: Sveum, who is a cousin of former All-Star first baseman John Olerud, hit one of the most memorable home runs in Brewers history. On Easter Sunday, 1987, Rob Deer hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to tie Texas 4-4 before Sveum hit the ultimate walk-off, a two-run homer to give Milwaukee their 12th straight win to begin the season. The Brewers won their 13th game the next day, and ‘Team Streak’ was born. Ken Macha (2009-10) Managerial Record: 157-167 After a successful four-year (2003-06) managing stint with the Oakland A’s in which they won a pair of AL West titles, Macha became Brewers manager before the 2009 season. The Brewers held the top spot in the NL Central for most of May and June, but after a sub-.500 last three months of the season, they ended in third, 11 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals. The Brewers finished with just 77 wins in 2010, and Macha was let go the day after the disappointing season. Fun Fact: Macha played for four years (1982-85) for Chunichi in the Japan Central League, hitting 82 home runs during that time span after hitting only one HR in 380 major-league at-bats. Ron Roenicke (2011-15) Managerial Record: 342-331 Postseason Record: 5-6 The Brewers set a then-franchise record of 96 victories in Roenicke’s first year in 2011 as the Brewers advanced to the league championship series for the first time since 1982. After defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks in the five-game NLDS, they lost in six games to St. Louis in the NLCS. The next three years were a different story as the Brewers never finished higher than third in the NL Central. The Brewers got off to a bad start in 2015, and after a 7-18 start, Roenicke was dismissed as manager in early May in favor of Craig Counsell. Fun Fact: Roenicke’s brother, Gary, was a long-time big leaguer, mostly with Baltimore, while Ron’s nephew, Josh Roenicke, was a big league pitcher from 2008-13 for four clubs. Craig Counsell (2015-23) Managerial Record: 707-625 Postseason Record: 7-12 Counsell took over for Ron Roenicke in early 2015, and his team went 61-76 in the last five months. After 73 and 86 wins the next two years, the Brewers won 96 games and won the NL Central in 2018. They made it as far as the NLCS, losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in seven games after sweeping the Colorado Rockies in three games. From 2019-21, the Brewers made the playoffs each year but never made it past the NLDS. Milwaukee won the NL Central crown in 2021 for the third time. The Brewers won 86 games in 2022 and improved to 92 wins in 2023, winning the NL Central crown for the fourth time. The Brewers lost in two games to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NLWC series. In November 2023, the Chicago Cubs lured Counsell away from Milwaukee with a five-year, $40 million contract. Since then, Counsell has been booed incessantly whenever he returns to Uecker Field. Fun Fact: Counsell is the franchise leader for Brewers managers in wins (707), years managed (9), games managed (1,332), postseason wins (7), postseason games (19), and ejections (28). Pat Murphy (2024-Present) Managerial Record: 190-134 Postseason Record: 4-8 The legendary Murphy took over the helm when Craig Counsell defected to Chicago. The Brewers won the NL Central both years that Murphy has been the bench boss. In 2024, the Brewers lost to the New York Mets in three games in the NLWC. In 2025, Milwaukee beat the Chicago Cubs in an exciting five-game NLDS series. The NLCS didn’t end as well as the Los Angeles Dodgers swept Milwaukee in four straight games. Murphy was named the NL Manager of the Year in 2024 and is a finalist for the 2025 award, expected to be announced on November 11. Fun Fact: Murphy guided the University of Notre Dame to a record of 318-116-1 across seven seasons from 1988-94. He began at Arizona State the next season and coached for 15 years (629-284-1) before resigning in November 2009.