Notable Additions: Rhys Hoskins, DL Hall, Gary Sanchez
Notable Losses: Corbin Burnes, Adrian Houser, Mark Canha
The Brewers won 92 games last year, clinched the NL Central, and then lost to the eventual NL Champion Arizona Diamondbacks. This felt like the Brewers last true shot at an NL title before they enter a retooling stage. It seems like that is the case. The Brewers pitching was number 1 in team ERA, and they traded away Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff is now out for the year. Can the Brewers make noise with what remains?
Projected Starters
C: William Contreras
1B: Rhys Hoskins
2B: Brice Turang
3B: Joey Ortiz
SS: Willy Adames
LF: Christian Yelich
CF: Jackson Chourio
RF: Sal Frelick
DH: Gary Sanchez
The hitting of the Brewers is not their calling card. They ranked 23rd in OPS and 24th in home runs as a team. Hitting is not what got them to the playoffs. Only three players had an OPS above .700, and only two returning qualified players had a WRC+ of 100 or better. That being said, I like some of the hitting additions they made. Rhys Hoskins and Gary Sanchez should provide some good pop. With the arrival of Jackson Chourio, the Brewers should have good hitting this year. I give their hitting a 5/10.
Projected Starting Rotation
Freddy Peralta
Wade Miley
Jakob Junis
Colin Rea
Robert Gasser
This rotation took a big hit with the loss of Corbin Burnes. Brandon Woodruff also missed most of the 2023 season and will miss the 2024 season. That leaves Freddy Peralta and many starters looking to find their way again. Wade Miley had a 3.14 ERA last year but had a dreadful 4.69 FIP. I expect little from this rotation, given that their starting pitcher’s average FIP from the previous season was over 4. I give the Brewers starters a 2/10.
The Brewers bullpen is where the money is made. Hoby Milner, Joel Payamps, Bryse Wilson, Elvis Peguero, and Devin Williams all had ERAs below 3.40. Even though they lost Corbin Burnes, the addition of DL Hall will be bigger than people realize. This bullpen is elite, and I give it a 10/10.
Sock’s 2 X-Factors
Devin Williams: I just gave out my first 10/10, and a big reason is because of Devin Williams. Last year, Williams had a 1.53 ERA with 36 saves and a 0.92 WHIP. His fastball only touches around 94 MPH, but when your career K/9 is 14.2, you don’t need to throw 100 MPH. His changeup is one of the best in the game. He is a top-five closer in baseball and will be a huge reason the Brewers have any success.
Christian Yelich: While Yelich is not the same as he used to be, he showed signs last year that he still has a bit left in the tank. Last year he hit .278/.370/.447 with a 122 WRC+. Last season was the first time his OPS was above .800 since his 2019 MVP season. He may be 32 now, but he still has enough baseball in him to help make the Brewers a playoff contender.
Sleeper: William Contreras: Maybe I am not in the William Contreras loop, but I think he is underrated. The Brewers picked him up from the Braves last year, and he had a fantastic year. He hit .289/.367/.457 with 17 home runs and a team-leading 124 WRC+. He is also a good defender behind the dish, ranking in the 93rd percentile in framing. At 26 years old, he will be a big part of this Brewers lineup.
Prospects to Look Forward to
Jackson Chourio: The future of the Brewers is here. Signing an 8-year/82 million dollar contract this offseason before even stepping on the field, Chourio is the real deal at only 19 years. Chourio hit .282/.338/.467 in the minor leagues last year with 22 home runs. He also has great defensive instincts and should slide in nicely at center field for the Brewers this season.
Jacob Misiorowski: Selected in the 2nd round of the 2022 MLB draft, Misiorowski can throw gas. His fastball touches 102 MPH, and his strikeout rate, 35%, ranked 5th in the minors last season. He has a crazy mid-80s slider that helps with his strikeout rate. He had to get shut down after 71 innings due to arm fatigue, but once the 6’7″, soon-to-be 22-year-old gets going in the minors this year, he’ll get back to striking guys out.
GM For a Day
The starting pitching has the potential to be really bad. At this moment, Jordan Montgomery, Blake Snell, and even Michael Lorenzen are worth looking at, even if it is for 1 year. This team has a great bullpen and promising hitting. Don’t let starting pitching be why you don’t win a wide-open NL Central.
Projected Finish: 75-87, 4th in the NL Central, 11 in the NL.
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