Since the Milwaukee Brewers traded arguably their best player in the offseason, the team remained relatively tranquil but still actively tried to improve the roster. They traded Devin Williams to the New York Yankees in exchange for a pitcher Nestor Cortes and forward prospect Caleb Durbin. The Brewers also saw world-class player Willy Adames leave and sign a huge contract with the San Francisco Giants. Will their current squad be enough to make the playoffs? Or maybe more moves are coming? Let’s take a closer look.
Infield
Caleb Durbin is coming into action and will likely be slotted somewhere in goal. Durbin posted an .867 OPS in 375 at-bats for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, while also adding 29 stolen bases. He has great defense and the versatility to be combined with an already athletic Brewers team. Brice Turang will likely take a miniature stint at third base right away, although others could be in line to steal a few starts here and there.
Now comes the question of first base. They still have the disappointing Rhys Hoskins, whose numbers are nothing to brag about. He batted .214 on an on-base basis of .303 and slugged .419. The worst part is that the Brewers paid him $12 million last year when they signed him as a free agent.
After exercising his $18 million player option for the 2025 season, the Brewers had hoped to include him in the deal, but his stock was at an all-time low and a high price that no one wanted to bite. They could also put him at DH and find a more suitable replacement, but the money and potential capital wouldn’t be good for their team, so they might have to stick it out for one more year with Hoskins at first base.
External field
The most depth on this team are the outfielders. Christian Yelich and Garrett Mitchell are good when vigorous, throw in Blake Perkins, Sal Frelick and the phenomenal Jackson Chourio, you have a surplus of good talent. It will be captivating to see if this much depth sparks a trade in the future for the Brewers.
Catcher/DH
Another radiant spot for the Brewers is their catcher and DH spot. All-star William Contreras will be the primary catcher and will get most of his starts there. Eric Hasse is splitting time with Gary Sanchez, who left the Brewers in the offseason for the Baltimore Orioles. Hasse will now get a few more starts as a backup catcher, especially if he wants to DH Contreras.
Rotation
Brewer fans seem very excited about the potential of this year’s rotation, especially with Brandon Woodruff and Robert Gasser returning from injury. Nestor Cortes will be added after bringing him from New York. Cortes is an experienced left-hander who relies on a lot of fly outs. The Brewers have a speedy frontcourt that could lend a hand Nestor get to the ball through the air. The Brewers hope DL Hall, Aaron Ashby, Logan Henderson and Aaron Civale will be enough, with Freddy Peralta joining the Brew’s starting five.
Bullpen
The next-man-up approach is Brewer’s motto. New closer Trevor Megill will take over on a full-time basis. he has been great the last two seasons for the Brewers, racking up 21 saves, and those came when Devin Williams was injured with a stress fracture. Joel Payamps, Jared Koenig, Bryan Hudson and Nick Mears will return to lend a hand Megill. With Williams currently in New York, brewers are hoping this bull stays the same as last year. They may also be willing to add a veteran arm if the price is good enough.
Will everything work out for the Brewers?
With their rival Chicago Cubs adding some substantial names this offseason, mainly trading away Kyle Tucker and catcher Carson Kelly and pitcher Mathew Boyd, the division is becoming increasingly challenging for the Brewers. There were conversations within the organization that brewers were very interested in the Japanese jug Roki Sasaki.
The Brewers also talked to fellow pitchers Jesus Luzardo and Luis Castillo. It will largely be a two-team race for the National League Central Division between the Brewers and Cubs. The Cubs want to dethrone the 2024 division champions in 2025.
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