The Milwaukee Brewers are exciting, much to the astonishment of MLB fans. But do not tell that to general manager Matt Arnold and first-year manager Pat Murphy, who aren’t surprised at all. Currently, their team is in first place in the NL Central and seems to be set to keep that spot for the rest of the season.
Early Concerns
There were some early concerns after a transitional winter for the team. They began the offseason with longtime manager Craig Counsell taking an offer to guide the Chicago Cubs. Then, the starting pitching rotation, considered the strength of the team, saw them trade ace Corbin Burnes to the Baltimore Orioles. That was followed up with the news that Brandon Woodruff would miss the entire season following shoulder surgery.
Pat Murphy confirms that it will indeed be Carlos Rodriguez making his MLB debut tomorrow night against the Blue Jays.
He’ll be the 12th different pitcher to make a start for Milwaukee already this season.
— Todd Rosiak (@Todd_Rosiak) June 11, 2024
Quick Start for Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers got off to a quick start, going 18-11 in March and April. William Contreras looks to be an early MVP candidate. He is hitting .309, the highest of his career, and leads the NL in runs scored with 49. He has also taken command of the pitching staff with his leadership on the field. Meanwhile, Christian Yelich has become re-energized. He leads the team with a .329 average and is playing solid defense in the outfield.
Young Players Surprise
Some young players have surprised with their play and stats so far. Joey Ortiz, whom Milwaukee obtained in the Orioles’ trade for Corbin Burnes, has taken over at third base. His defense has been a nice surprise. He has started seven double plays and has 86 assists with 32 putouts.
Brice Turang, who struggled last season as a rookie, has really found himself. Working with hitting coaches Connor Dawson and Ozzie Timmons, he has adjusted his swing and is hitting .307. On top of that, he has 23 stolen bases, ranking second in all of baseball.
what other team would stay up all night to make this for u??? https://t.co/AyUZVo84OC pic.twitter.com/u5CFUUmsZL
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) June 11, 2024
Bullpen
The bullpen has kept this team in first place. They are currently second overall in saves and third in bullpen ERA. Trevor Megill, who never had a save in his career, has nine so far this season. He has become a shut-down closer with a 2.12 ERA. He did have an elbow injury, but hopefully, that will not hinder him.
Joel Payamps has found a home with the Brewers. The journeyman, now with his fifth team, has demonstrated that he can handle both left- and right-handed batters. He is becoming more important as a middle reliever with his pitch mix. Against right-handed hitters, he throws exclusively sinkers and sliders. He twirls a changeup and four-seam fastball against lefties.
Runners on Base
The Brewers are performing well with runners on base and rank fourth in MLB for OBP (on-base percentage). With runners on, they currently have the best batting average and slugging percentage. This team also has the most home runs with runners on base. Overall, the offense has been fun to watch, especially with their speed on the bases; they are third in MLB in that category.
Milwaukee Brewers’ Final 97 Games
The Milwaukee Brewers are exciting to watch and follow. While it seems they’re set to hold the NL Central’s top spot into the depths of the season, they need to continue performing. They will have to continue to get both timely hitting and consistent pitching—from the rotation and the bullpen—if they want to win the NL Central. When the trade deadline comes, look for them to acquire a starting pitcher who can help them into the postseason. They also need to avoid costly injuries and a late-in-the-season slump.
Right now, they look like they won’t have a problem doing that. If the team continues to play quality baseball throughout the second half of the season, Milwaukee Brewers fans could see this team in the playoffs again.
No Brewers so im gonna hate watch the cubs game instead
— Ryan (@BrewPack8) June 7, 2024
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