Ray Stuedemann

Image courtesy of Benny Sieu-Imagn Images The Milwaukee Brewers saw many different faces take the field throughout the 2026 season, with 24 position players recording at least one plate appearance. From young players beginning to make their mark in the majors to veterans who have been important parts of the organization, each brought something unique to the Brewers’ lineup. As the season unfolded, some players established themselves as key contributors at the top of the order, while others saw their roles change, for better or for worse. With the full season now behind us, it's a good time to look back at what each player brought to the NL Central division champs. Here's a look at all 24 Brewers position players who stepped into the batter’s box this season, with each player receiving a grade based on their 2026 performance. The players are listed here by total plate appearances. Brice Turang (680 PA): A Led Brewers position players in fWAR, RBIs, doubles, hits, and runs. He continues to be one of the best development stories for the Brewers and one heck of a defensive second baseman. Hopefully, his playoff performance backs up the show he put on in the regular season. William Contreras (640 PA): B Played well this season, slashing .270/.341/.417 with 18 home runs. The slugging percentage has fallen off since the 2024 season, and that may never come back, but that doesn’t mean he's a bad offensive player. His long-term future with the Brewers may be in question, but he's been a great player overall and had a solid season. You just wanted a little more out of the two-time Silver Slugger award winner. Jake Bauers (578 PA): A+ Had the highest OPS on the team this year. A free agent at season’s end, Bauers hit 26 homers, which led the Brewers. His on-base prowess set him apart, as well: his .389 OBP was the third highest in baseball. Bauers has performed in the playoffs before. Now, it's time for him to do it again, with the altered setup that triggered this breakout. Jackson Chourio (573 PA): A+ Missed time with injury but didn’t miss a beat. He delivered arguably the biggest swing of the year against the Cubs, hitting a game-tying dinger in the 9th inning when the Brewers were down to their last out. His OPS is the highest it's ever been (.837), even with a horrid month of July wherein he slashed .229/.283/.305. Chourio bounced back thereafter, posting an OPS over .900 in August and September, and those numbers should carry into the NLDS. Garrett Mitchell (531 PA): B+ Finally healthy and performed great, slashing .262/.354/.416 with 30 doubles and 11 bombs. Appearing in 145 games was the biggest win for Mitchell and the Brewers, and that level of health has been part of the success story for the team this year. Christian Yelich (500 PA): D Wasn’t up to the standards the Yelich we all know and love has set. He had his moments, but his OPS+ was below average for the first time in his career. The new captain of the Brewers has embodied everything Milwaukee has wanted throughout his time here, and hopefully, the playoffs erase the bad taste of the former MVP’s regular season. Joey Ortiz (415 PA): B- Outperformed expectations once he slid over to third base. Had a .207/.299/.262 line before Cooper Pratt was called up, but a .310/.348/.491 after. His defense didn’t miss a beat, and it was good to see a season that started so negatively end on a strong note for a player who had struggled offensively since the 2024 season. David Hamilton (387 PA): C- An elite baserunner with 95th-percentile sprint speed, but a below-average offensive and defensive player. Hamilton garnered a lot of hype before the season, but the reality is that he is an ok bench bat, and his speed will be useful in the postseason. Sal Frelick (384 PA): D Regressed heavily this season, posting a 70 OPS+ just a year removed from an above-average season. Suffered a right shoulder strain which revealed an underlying torn labrum, which could have led to the decline in production. Hopefully, a healthy Frelick is a positive offensive force, though his production was worse when he came back. Andrew Vaughn (331 PA): A- Did what he was supposed to do and more against lefties (.938 OPS) and was surprisingly above-average against righties, as well (.764 OPS). Could find himself in an expanded role next season, with Bauers heading for free agency. Only 6 homers from him is slightly disappointing, though the opportunities were too sporadic to judge that harshly. Gary Sánchez (275 PA): B- Was a great offseason signing to be the backup catcher. A three-true-outcome approach, Sánchez demonstrated a level of patience not seen before in his career. Though he struggled with ABS, both offensively and defensively, he was a great player for the limited role he played. Cooper Pratt (266 PA): B Had a better-than-expected offensive season. There weren’t concerns about his stellar defense, and a line of .281/.350/.368 is nothing to scoff at for a rookie. He stole 19 bases, as well, showcasing his 88th-percentile sprint speed. Luis Lara (212 PA): B- Did not show the offensive upside he demonstrated in Nashville when he was called up, but his stellar defensive plays made up for it. Lara is seemingly always crashing into the outfield wall to rob a homer. Here’s to many more of those in the future from the promising rookie. Luis Rengifo (209 PA): F Was extremely disappointing as one of the only offseason acquisitions Milwaukee made to the offense, but the team moved on at the right time. Pratt and Ortiz were significantly better than Rengifo was this season. He slashed .205/.280/.254 without a homer. Good for him for bouncing back with the Padres, though. He suffered a late-August knee injury that ensured no one emerges from the season feeling good. Brandon Lockridge (113 PA): C- Was hyped up before the season as a breakout candidate and performed decently in the time he did spend with the Brewers, slashing .277/.348/.327. A severe right knee injury in May knocked him out until August. Lockridge wasn’t in Milwaukee long before being optioned to Nashville. His speed is his defining trait and could be useful for the Brewers in the future, even though it wasn’t for much of the 2026 season. Blake Perkins (101 PA): D- Posted career-worst numbers for the Brewers and was eventually traded to the Guardians at the deadline. His .701 OPS against lefties was still alright, but the team was running out of room in the outfield. Tyler Black (28 PA): C+ Had a great stint for Milwaukee, slashing .333/.357/.481 with 4 doubles, but there's a reason why that stint didn't last long. He still needs to find a defensive position, and time may be running out on him to contribute to the Brewers on a regular basis. Greg Jones (24 PA): F -0.5 fWAR and a .174 OPS in this small of a sample is not very good. He also signed with the rival Cubs after he was granted free agency—maybe as a double-agent. Luis Matos (21 PA): D- Was not a big contributor this season; just a warm body for the outfield early in the campaign. Still in the organization, though, and is only 24, though it is unlikely that he ever contributes meaningfully for the Brewers given his career major-league line of .230/.279/.363. Maybe the Brewers work some of their magic. Jonathan Ornelas (9 PA): C- Another small sample for a fill-in player, a .444 OPS isn’t good, and that's on par with his career OPS of .483—although that's in only 80 career plate appearances. Bo Naylor (9 PA): C Could be a part of the future for the Brewers. He was acquired from the Guardians at the deadline, tore it up at Nashville to the tune of a .283/.353/.550 line (albeit in a small sample of 68 plate appearances), and eventually was called up in September. Naylor didn’t play much as the Brewers chased home-field advantage, but he has the potential to be the biggest riser from this list come next season. Braden Shewmake (8 PA): C An add off waivers by the Brewers in July, Shewmake didn’t have a lot of time to establish himself, but did slash .286/.250/.429 in this small sample. Jihwan Bae (4 PA): C Made a little bit of an impact by getting a hit, stealing a base, and scoring a run in this small sample. It isn’t enough to give him a higher grade, though. Jeferson Quero (2 PA): C Did not have enough plate appearances to give a higher grade. Hopefully, he forces the issue to earn more playing time at the big-league level next season. There's plenty to be excited about heading into October. Turang, Bauers, and Chourio are leading the way, with players like Mitchell, Contreras, and Yelich (who could take over games over the course of multiple at-bats) in support. The hard part starts now. The journey to the World Series isn’t easy, and the Brewers will need every guy on this list (who will be on the playoff roster) to contribute the best they can in the role they're entrusted with by Pat Murphy. If Milwaukee does that, they should have nothing to worry about with this group and an elite pitching staff to go along with it. View full article

Image courtesy of USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect The Milwaukee Brewers' farm system continued to produce plenty of intriguing offensive talent throughout the 2026 season. Several young hitters took significant steps forward and established themselves as pieces of the organization's future. There were breakout performances throughout the system, anywhere from Triple-A Nashville to Single-A Wilson, and now that the minor-league seasons have wrapped up, it's time to see who had the best season among the Brewers’ future stars. So, which hitters stood out the most in 2026? Here are the top five candidates for the Milwaukee Brewers Minor League Hitter of the Year, along with some honorable mentions. HONORABLE MENTIONS Jesus Made – 122 G, .271./.344/.430 (.774), 24 2B, 6 3B, 14 HR, 103 wRC+, 10.2 BB%, 14.3 K%, 37 SB Brady Ebel – 115 G, .252/.413/.406 (.819), 26 2B, 4 3B, 10 HR, 124 wRC+, 19.5 BB%, 21.1 K%, 40 SB Daniel Dickinson – 120 G, .283/.428/.438 (.866), 26 2B, 2 3B, 11 HR, 131 wRC+, 17.4 BB%, 20.1 K%, 61 SB Eric Bitonti – 117 G, .262/.378/.507 (.885), 27 2B, 1 3B, 25 HR, 122 wRC+, 15.9 BB%, 33.3 K%, 24 SB Pay special attention to Made's line. He had a terrific season, for a teenager taking on Double-A. He's the No. 1 prospect in baseball. It's extremely telling that, in this organization, that doesn't even get you automatic admittance to the top five. 5. OF Luis Lara – Nashville Sounds, Milwaukee Brewers 78 G, .321/.432/.470 (.902), 10 2B, 3 3B, 9 HR, 144 wRC+, 15.6 BB%, 13.9 K%, 24 SB Made was considered for this spot, but Luis Lara deserved to get his flowers. Lara’s unexpected power surge was one of the big stories of the early season, and it eventually led to a long-term extension with the club. The 21-year-old may not have showcased that kind of power at the big-league level so far, but his speed, on-base skills, and defense have been valuable for the Brewers ever since he was called up. Had he played more in the minors this season, he’d be higher on the list, but Lara is one of the primary success stories for the Brewers' farm system this year and a key part of the future of the outfield. 4. 1B Blake Burke – Biloxi Shuckers, Nashville Sounds 127 G, .263/.350/.538 (.889), 28 2B, 3 3B, 34 HR, 127 wRC+, 10.2 BB%, 25.7 K%, 29 SB Burke, a first-round pick by the Brewers in 2024, reached Biloxi in his first full minor-league season in 2025 and built on that success this year, slugging over .600 at Double-A before earning a promotion to Nashville for the end of the season. While Burke struggled to a slash line of .193/.299/.336 in 137 plate appearances with the Sounds, the 23-year-old should be able to build on this season and start knocking on the big-league door in 2027. 3. CF Braylon Payne – Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, Biloxi Shuckers 102 G, .277/.358/.552 (.910), 21 2B, 4 3B, 28 HR, 127 wRC+, 10.5 BB%, 29.1 K%, 25 SB Payne is currently the Brewers’ 6th-ranked prospect according to MLB.com, and he's 4th according to Brewer Fanatic’s rankings. Another first-round pick from 2024, the 20-year-old showcased a great power-speed combination for the Timber Rattlers, hitting 23 homers and stealing 22 bases before earning a promotion to Biloxi. Payne more then held his own as a very young player at Double-A, slashing .277/.321/.525 in 110 plate appearances with the Shuckers. Payne unlocked something this season, upgrading from his 2025 OPS of .736 and his wRC+ of 114, and he’ll look to continue climbing the system in 2027,—probably starting back in Biloxi with the Shuckers. 2. LF Josh Adamczewski – Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, Biloxi Shuckers 116 G, .300/.417/.509 (.926), 27 2B, 2 3B, 18 HR, 142 wRC+, 15.8 BB%, 19.2 K%, 18 SB A 15th-round pick in 2023, Adamczewski has rocketed up to become the 3rd-ranked prospect in the Brewers system. Adamczewski showcased a strong, balanced offensive profile in 2025, finishing with a .320/.420/.490 line while splitting time between rookie ball, Single-A, and High-A. The 21-year-old built on that success in 2026, posting a 1.037 OPS through 211 plate appearances before earning the call-up to Biloxi. His numbers weren’t as amazing there, but they were still very good, slashing .278/.382/.465 in 283 plate appearances with the Shuckers. Adamczewski would’ve been the clear choice for the No. 1 spot on this list in a regular year, but make no mistake: he's an offensive threat moving forward, and hopefully a more permanent defensive home can be found for him in 2027. Brewers Minor League Hitter of the Year: 3B/1B Andrew Fischer – Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, Biloxi Shuckers 126 G, .273/.413/.654 (1.066), 17 2B, 3 3B, 48 HR, 162 wRC+,18.2 BB%, 33.0 K%, 9 SB There truly was no other choice but Fischer. The 22-year-old showcased his elite power throughout the season, starting with a strong performance in the World Baseball Classic with Team Italy, helping them reach the semifinals of the tournament before losing to the eventual champions, Team Venezuela. Since then, Fischer hit 50 total home runs: 48 in the regular season and 2 more in the playoffs with the Shuckers. He now has the most dingers in a single minor-league season this century, surpassing Ryan Howard’s season in 2004. The high strikeout and whiff rates will always be issues, but if he hits this many bombs, it certainly makes up for that. This is a type of player the Brewers usually aren’t accustomed to with their style of play, and if Fischer continues this production to the big-league level, he could be one of the best power bats in the league—and a jolt of electricity for an already high-voltage lineup. View full article

Image courtesy of James A. Pittman-Imagn Images Since his arrival, William Contreras has been a staple in Milwaukee’s lineup, making the possibility of his departure a significant potential problem. The organization has shown a pattern of trading away star players when they reach their final year of team control, particularly when the front office determines that moving a player can provide greater long-term value than keeping him. With Contreras approaching that point in his Brewers tenure, his future in Milwaukee will be one of the organization’s biggest offseason decisions. First, to be clear: the Brewers still have control of the situation. Contreras signed a one-year, $9.4-million deal with the Brewers this past offseason with a club option worth $15.5 million for 2027. However, declining that option would not make Contreras a free agent. Instead, he would remain under team control and go through the arbitration process for the 2027 season. Milwaukee has used this type of contract structure before, including with Contreras last offseason and Devin Williams. Rather than go to arbitration with a player with whom they could not settle immediately, the Brewers can agree to a deal that is worth a little more than they would like to pay in the short term, while securing a team option for the following year. This gives the organization additional flexibility in the next arbitration cycle and puts a ceiling on what the player can earn through arbitration in that follow-on campaign. If Contreras were having an MVP-caliber season right now, the Brewers would likely pick up the $15.5-million option. Since his performance has been up-and-down this season, however, it's an interesting question whether Milwaukee believes he is worth that amount, or whether the team could get him for less by sending him back to arbitration via declining the option. After his 18th home run of the season Sunday night in Baltimore, Contreras enters the final week of the regular season batting .271/.342/.423. He’s pulling the ball in the air more, up to 16.2% of the time in 2026 (11.1% in 2025), and is striking out considerably less than his career average (14.5% this year, 20.3% overall). He’s been a consistent bat (and player, overall) for the Brewers throughout his tenure, worth at least 3.0 fWAR and with a wRC+ of at least 110 in each of his four seasons with the team. The 28-year-old is a three-time All-Star (two with Milwaukee) and has won two Silver Slugger Awards at catcher. It would be hard to move on from Contreras, but fans said the same thing in the past, including with Freddy Peralta and Corbin Burnes. The team has a history of doing this kind of transaction, and if they do it again, they do have some internal options to take the place of Contreras. The current backup catcher, Gary Sánchez, signed a one-year contract late last offseason with a mutual option for 2027. That option is unlikely to be picked up; it's just a way to roll a small part of his salary into next season via a buyout. Still, a reunion is hardly out of the question, given that this is already Sánchez's second stint with the team. He's slashed .209/.352/.419 in 264 plate appearances this year. Moving forward with him as the starter isn’t a viable option, but he’d be welcomed back as a backup catcher and occasional designated hitter. Bo Naylor is the other option currently on the major-league roster. Naylor was acquired from the Guardians on August 1 and called up to be a third catcher when the rosters expanded at the start of September. He hasn’t played much since then, amassing two hits in only eight plate appearances so far. He’s struggled offensively throughout his career, slashing .200/.280/.374 in over 1,000 plate appearances, but there are reasons to hope the Brewers could turn his offensive profile into something productive. He will enter his first year of arbitration in 2027, so he'll probably be around the organization. Jeferson Quero and Marco Dinges are solid prospects in Triple-A and Double-A, respectively, but both have spent more time at designated hitter than behind the plate this year. Neither can start the 2027 season as the full-time starter in the majors. As for options outside of the organization, top free-agent catchers this winter include Ryan Jeffers, Carson Kelly and Tyler Stephenson. It would make little sense to sign any of them in the stead of Contreras, though; they'd cost almost as much and require a multi-year commitment. If the team does trade Contreras, his replacement would probably have to be found in either that deal or a separate one, such as one that sends Trevor Megill elsewhere. Ultimately, the Brewers have several options available. The decision will come down to how Milwaukee evaluates Contreras’s production, his projected arbitration salary, and his importance to the team in ways that go beyond the numbers—as a leader, as a handler of the pitching staff, and as an exemplar of the toughness, work ethic and high standards of the club. This feels more like a Willy Adames situation than a Peralta, Burnes, or Williams case—but if the right offer presents itself, that could change. What are your thoughts? Will William Contreras be on the Brewers roster in 2027? If not, who will take his place as the primary catcher? View full article

Image courtesy of Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Jake Bauers has spent much of his career searching for a consistent home and for consistency at the plate. In 2026, he appears to have finally found it. The Milwaukee Brewers first baseman has emerged as the team’s most dangerous power bat, putting together a career-best season that makes him an important piece—if not the most important piece—of Milwaukee’s postseason hopes. His production is particularly valuable for a Brewers lineup looking for another reliable source of offense. With the postseason approaching, Bauers may be the key to the Brewers finally getting over the hump to reach the World Series and ultimately win it. After a strong finish to 2025, Bauers has statistically been one of the best hitters in baseball this season. The 30-year-old is currently 7th in MLB in OPS and 6th in wRC+, putting him among the league’s most productive offensive players. He's easily the best hitter on the Brewers, ranking first in OPS, wRC+, wOBA and isolated power while ranking second in walk rate. His underlying metrics back up this breakout: he ranks in the 93rd percentile or higher in bat speed, hard-hit percentage, and xwOBA. These numbers suggest that Bauers’s success is not simply the result of favorable outcomes or a hot streak, but rather a reflection of the quality of contact he has consistently produced—and of much-improved control of the strike zone. The question now becomes whether Bauers can carry this production into October. The regular season has given him plenty of opportunities to establish himself as a legitimate offensive threat, but the postseason presents a completely different obstacle. He has been a good playoff bat so far in his career, slashing .316/.350/.684. While that sample size is far too small to draw any definitive conclusions, it does provide an encouraging starting point. Bauers has shown that the moment isn't too big for him, which gives the Brewers reason to believe that he can handle the increased pressure of October baseball. Great bat speed also positions a player well to punish the mistakes that pitchers sometimes make under their own playoff pressure. More importantly, the version of Bauers we have seen this season is a much different hitter than the player who made those previous playoff appearances. He’s smarter, chasing less while punishing pitchers by pulling the ball in the air more frequently than he did last season, increasing his pull-air rate from 16.0% in 2025 to 19.2% in 2026. That change has unlocked more of Bauers’s natural power and allowed him to turn more of his hard contact into extra-base hits and home runs. Of course, expecting Bauers to replicate his amazing regular season in October would be unrealistic. Even the best hitters in baseball can struggle against postseason pitching, and opposing teams will crack down on his output by studying Bauers’s weaknesses and forcing the worst possible matchups. He's never before been the guy teams design pitching plans around; that's about to change. Still, Bauers could take over the game with one swing or over the course of multiple plate appearances, and he doesn’t need to match his regular season numbers to make an impact. His combination of patience and power is extremely strong, which will make the free agent-to-be an intriguing option during the upcoming offseason. Between now and then, though, he and the Brewers could change one another's lives forever, with a deep run in the playoffs powered by the most unlikely superstar slugger in the game. What are your thoughts on Bauers’s season so far? Will he be the Brewers’ best bat in October? View full article

Image courtesy of Jon Endow-Imagn Images The turn of the calendar to September is the last such flip in the major-league regular season. September contains the last chances at pushing to the playoffs for many teams (looking at you, American League Wild Card race), but for everyone, the rosters expanding allows teams to add two new players to their roster for the stretch run. The Brewers, sitting 6.5 games ahead of the Cubs for first place in the N.L. Central, have a few options they could add to the big-league club once September hits. Here’s a quick look at a couple of them. Pitchers Coleman Crow Crow debuted with the Brewers earlier this season, appearing in 5 games to the tune of a 5.30 ERA (4.53 FIP) in 18 2/3 innings. He's appeared in 15 games for Nashville this season (starting 14 of them), earning an ERA of 3.13 with 79 strikeouts in 77 2/3 innings. Crow could provide some length for the Brewers, whether out of the bullpen or by giving the frontline starters an extra day of rest here and there. Colton Gordon Acquired in a trade with the Astros in July, Gordon has struggled in big-league action the past two seasons in Houston, pitching to a career 5.95 ERA (5.86 FIP) through 95 1/3 innings. After joining the Sounds, he's made 7 starts, pitching to a 4.82 ERA in 37 1/3 frames. Gordon is similar to Crow in what his role would be if called up, but he would give the Brewers another left-handed option, Jared Koenig Koenig is the most veteran Brewer on this list, pitching in each of the last three seasons for Milwaukee. He was very solid in 2025, earning a 2.86 ERA (3.35 FIP) in 66 innings. This season, his results have been worse due to a UCL injury in his left arm, pitching to a 9.00 ERA (6.37 FIP) in just 7 innings. While it doesn’t seem likely he would be called up, the Brewers could pick and choose their spots to utilize Koenig in September in hopes of getting him back on track. Other pitching options include Brandon Sproat, Garrett Stallings, and JoJo Romero. Acquired from the Cardinals at the deadline along with Dustin May, Romero has been sidelined since before the trade due to an emergency appendectomy. He began a rehab assignment with the Timber Rattlers on Tuesday, so a return could be imminent, especially when the rosters expand. Hitters Bo Naylor Naylor was acquired by the Brewers on August 1 from the Guardians, in a trade that sent Blake Perkins and Craig Yoho to Cleveland. Since then, Naylor has slashed .289/.365/.511 for Nashville in just 53 plate appearances. Naylor would be an interesting bench option, but realistically, he wouldn’t fit into the lineup often due to the solid play of both William Contreras and Gary Sánchez this season. Brandon Lockridge Lockridge was optioned to Nashville August 19, as the corresponding move for Cooper Pratt coming off the injured list. He’s appeared in 38 games this season, slashing .273/.345/.313 in 111 plate appearances. He wouldn’t provide a ton of power off the bench, with only 4 extra-base hits this year. However, he’s a good baserunner and a solid defender, making him a quality candidate for a bench outfield role in September. Akil Baddoo Baddoo signed a deal with the Brewers in December and has been in Nashville the whole year. He missed time earlier in the year with a left quad strain and has only appeared in 45 games, slashing .234/.337/.461 with 9 homers in 183 plate appearances. He’s another outfield option for Milwaukee, though he's probably behind Lockridge in the pecking order. Other potential options worth noting: prospects Jeferson Quero, Luke Adams and Blake Burke, though with the depth of the current Brewers lineup it would most likely be a veteran position player called up who doesn’t need every day at-bats. With September right around the corner, the Brewers have several intriguing options to add depth for the final month of the regular season. While there are arguments for each player, I’d like to see Lockridge and Romero. Lockridge is a solid contact bat with good speed and defense, while Romero could be a late-inning option in September—though he could be added to the roster before it expands. September should be a time for the Brewers to keep the roster fresh while preparing for the postseason, and all these guys could find a way to contribute to wins down the stretch. What are your thoughts? Who would you like to see when the rosters expand? View full article

Image courtesy of Benny Sieu-Imagn Images The Milwaukee Brewers have spent much of the season making it look easy, but with August nearly in the rearview mirror, the real work is about to begin. Milwaukee hasn’t punched its ticket to October just yet, but it has built enough separation to turn the final weeks of the regular season into a race for position, rather than a fight for survival. With September approaching, the Brewers are looking to make sure the road to the World Series runs through Milwaukee. Here’s a quick look at what’s left for the Brewers, schedule-wise. Remaining Brewers Schedule, at a Glance Games Remaining: 31 Home / Road: 12 / 19 Games vs .500+ Teams: 16 Remaining Strength of Schedule: 11th-hardest Key Storylines in the Final 5 Weeks Lots of NL Central Action The Brewers face all four of their divisional foes in at least one series before the end of the season. They play five straight series against NL Central teams, starting on August 31 against the Cubs and ending September 17 in Pittsburgh, against the Pirates. Chicago is the rival they face twice, with four of those games coming at Wrigley Field. Milwaukee has fared well against the division so far this year, going 22-11. Hopefully, the good times keep rolling en route to yet another NL Central title for the Brew Crew. Two Interleague Series Remaining The American League hasn’t been as great as the National League this year, and the Brewers have shown that, going 27-15 against the junior circuit so far. Two series remain: one against the Rangers in Milwaukee during the last weekend in August, and one in Baltimore. The Rangers are currently atop the AL West and are competing for a playoff spot, so that series should be competitive. As for the Orioles, they sold at the deadline but are only 2.5 games out of the last Wild Card spot. By the time that series rolls around, who knows where the O’s will be in the standings? But they still have some good bats, headlined by Pete Alonso. Those two series should give Milwaukee one last chance to test itself against the American League before the postseason arrives. If the Brewers can continue their success against AL opponents, they could head into October with plenty of confidence. A Race for the 1st Seed The Dodgers, Braves, and Rays all trail the Brewers by fewer than five games in the race for home-field advantage throughout the postseason, keeping the pressure on Milwaukee down the stretch. The Dodgers have the easiest remaining strength of schedule among the four teams, while the Rays and Braves face tougher schedules than the Brewers based on opponents’ winning percentages. That gives Milwaukee a favorable path over the final weeks, but with three teams still within striking distance, there isn’t much room for the Brewers to let up. The Brewers have put themselves in a great position heading into the final five weeks, but there’s still plenty left to play for. Between the NL Central race, a challenging group of remaining opponents, and the fight for the No. 1 seed, every game down the stretch will matter. If Milwaukee can keep doing what it has done all season, the Brewers should have a great chance to enter October as one of the favorites in the National League. What are your thoughts on the rest of the schedule? Do any games/series stick out to you? View full article

Image courtesy of Michael McLoone-Imagn Images October baseball has a way of exposing teams' weaknesses. For the Brewers, one of the biggest questions (as they steam toward the postseason) is what happens if Christian Yelich and William Contreras remain below-average hitters. Both players were expected to be major offensive contributors heading into the season, but if they can’t provide that production when the games matter most, the Brewers will have to find other ways to score enough runs to win. That puts significant pressure on the rest of the lineup to perform, especially the younger guys and the players farther down the batting order. Even in the absence of offensive production from the two highest-paid position players, the lineup looks good at the top. Jackson Chourio, Brice Turang, and Jake Bauers are all having excellent seasons. Andrew Vaughn is, too, but would probably only appear high in the order against a lefty. Still, he could find crucial at-bats coming his way against right-handed pitching in October if Yelich and Contreras continue to struggle. So, the top of the order isn’t the main problem. It's the depth of the lineup that must be questioned, if the postseason started today. Rookies Luis Lara and Cooper Pratt have performed admirably to this point, each having their own highlight moments—while struggling, too, as rookies do. They shouldn’t be heavily relied on in the postseason, because this will be their first taste of the playoffs. Yelich and Contreras, by contrast, have been there before and won games. Obviously, any production from the rookies is welcome and will be needed, but that doesn’t answer the question of whether the team can win without their top bats making noise. If Yelich and Contreras remain poor at the plate, the Crew will need a step up from two hitters, in particular: Joey Ortiz and Sal Frelick. Ortiz struggled mightily last season, finishing with a slash line of .230/.276/.317. Those same struggles showed themselves again this season, as he possessed a .561 OPS through his first 170 plate appearances. June 16 is when things changed. Pratt was called up to play shortstop, and Ortiz shifted over to third base to replace Luis Rengifo, who was jettisoned. Since then, Ortiz boasts the second-highest OPS on the team, among players with at least 100 plate appearances during that stretch. It should be noted that his best stretch of play in the big leagues came in 2024, where he played third base primarily. Ortiz could be a key bat at the end of the order come October. Frelick is a little harder to feel good about, in the short term. After putting up a good 2025 season (finishing with a .756 OPS), Frelick regressed this year. He's slashing .236/.301/.330, with only 4 home runs, and has spent a long stint on the injured list with a shoulder injury. How much Frelick will play down the stretch will be intriguing, with Chourio, Lara, and Garrett Mitchell slated in the outfield most days. However, Frelick has postseason experience under his belt, and (like Ortiz) he has the potential to provide good at-bats at the bottom of the order when current players are struggling. Despite all of this, it doesn’t seem likely that the Brewers will go far in the postseason without Yelich and Contreras performing up to expectations. They’ve performed very well so far this season without those two guys contributing regularly, but the offense has stuttered for stretches this year, and that can’t happen in October. The real question is what they can do about it. Contreras will be in the lineup no matter what, as the starting catcher. He’s still a solid defender, and while Gary Sánchez has had a good year, he won’t be in the starting lineup unless a lefty is pitching for the opponent. Yelich may be a different story. Could they relegate their highest-paid player to the bench in the playoffs? It doesn’t seem like that will happen, but eventually, something has to give. Yelich is a designated hitter at this point of his career, and anyone can fill that spot. If he continues to struggle, Vaughn, Sánchez, or one of the other bench bats may find themselves in that spot come playoff time. When Yelich and Contreras produce, the Brewers are a significantly better team. Will that happen by the end of the year? Who knows? But if it doesn’t, what do you think the Brewers should do about it? View full article

Image courtesy of Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Before the season began, the Brewers appeared to have an elite set of left-handed options out of the bullpen. While some of those players have performed well at times this year (such as Aaron Ashby and DL Hall), others (like Jared Koenig and Ángel Zerpa) have been unable to deliver, betrayed in one form or another by their arms. Pressed into extremely heavy duty, Ashby has started to waver, especially over the last two months. Left-handed relief help is a need as the trade deadline approaches and will be crucial for the Brewers down the stretch. Here are three options that shouldn’t cost too much, but could leave a big impact, leaning on our DiamondCentric Trade Candidates rankings. Steven Okert – Astros It’s Year Two of Okert being a dominant lefty setup man. The southpaw has become an expert at upsetting hitters’ timing, with a fastball-slider combination that makes him death on fellow lefties but also handles righties well enough to be a high-leverage arm. He’s a free agent at the end of the season. Okert has resurrected his career with the Astros after a rough 2024 in Minnesota. He’s pitched to a 2.66 ERA and 2.92 FIP in 125 innings in his two years in Houston. His slider, by far the best of his pitches, has been worth 10 runs, and opposing hitters are slugging .292 off it. Look for that slider to continue to be his most common pitch if he were to put on a Brewers uniform, but the Crew do love to help hurlers find a fastball they can lean on more. José Suarez – Athletics It's true that there are many relievers available this summer who have sexier arsenals. Suarez operates with a mix led by two fastballs that each sit in the low-to-mid-90s. He doesn’t offer a whole lot of funk in his delivery, and he’s never been considered a premium relief weapon. He’s already pitching for his third team this year. However, the A’s gave him a sweeper and told him to mothball his sinker, and the results have been dazzling. He can miss bats with his changeup to righties and with the sweeper and a tighter slider to lefties. He’s under team control for one more year after this. He might even be able to start for you next season. Suarez struggled for the Braves and Mariners earlier this season before picking it up with the Athletics, pitching to a 3.79 ERA (4.18 FIP) in 38 innings. Like Okert, Suarez’s best pitch is his slider with a run value of 3, and with another year of control, Suarez could be a middle-innings reliever the Brewers target not only for the remainder of this year, but for 2027, as well. Brent Suter – Angels Suter won’t miss bats. Yes, he must pitch in front of a good defense, and yes, you need to leave a little margin for error. As second lefties in a playoff bullpen go, though, you really can’t beat Suter. He’s so deceptive and so good at commanding his changeup-and-sinker-forward arsenal that almost no pitcher in the league limits hard contact as well. He fills up the zone; he gets ground balls; he works quickly. He’s a tremendous complementary piece in almost any relief corps, capable of coming into a dirty inning and defusing the bomb before it can go off. He just needs to pitch in medium leverage, rather than high leverage, because you never know when some mishit grounder will trickle through the infield and cause a problem. That shouldn’t be a huge problem for the Brewers, who are consistently one of the better defensive teams in the league. The former Brewer has pitched to a 4.26 ERA (3.56 FIP) in 61 1/3 innings so far for the Angels. Suter wouldn’t cost much, as he’s a rental (and 36 years old), but he could be a solid bullpen arm for the Brewers come October. These arms aren’t exactly needle-movers, but the Brewers need reliable, left-handed options in the postseason, Sure, they could make a bigger swing for a frontline starter or a higher-end reliever like Mason Miller, but arms like the ones listed above can provide immense value the rest of the year as well. Personally, Okert would be the top option out of these three, but any of the group could help. Given the Astros' newfound status as likely buyers, Suter might be the most realistic target. What are your thoughts? Should the Brewers acquire a left-handed relief arm, and if so, whom? View full article