MILWAUKEE, WI (WSAU) – Every year, there is a sense of urgency, but this year is especially so for manager Craig Counsell and the Milwaukee Brewers.
The Brewers missed the playoffs last season for the first time since 2017, but the majority of their key players are still there, helping the team continue on its most successful five-year run since the days of Bambi’s Bombers and Harvey’s Wallbangers. Only the Dodgers and Braves have won more games in the National League during the past five years than the Brewers.
But the Brewers are now at a fork in the road. With two seasons of club control, Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, Willy Adames, Eric Lauer, and Rowdy Tellez are in a similar contract position as Josh Hader was heading into last season. The time is not necessarily running out, nor is the end in sight. This bunch would like to go the World Series together, and this season offers their best chance to do so, as Counsell, who is entering his seventh season, will enter a contract year in 2023.
One of the biggest unanswered questions heading into this season is which Yelich will we get? Yelich was useful as a leadoff hitter last season because he created opportunities on the basepaths. Even though it would be unrealistic to expect Yelich to repeat his heroics from 2018 and 2019, the Brewers would much rather have him return to run production. After laying low for much of the off-season, he arrived at Spring Training feeling rejuvenated. In mid-March, he spoke extensively about dealing with high expectations. In comparison to the strong starting pitching, if he succeeds, it will be a tremendous boost to the Brewers’ offense, which is still somewhat of an unknown.
This season, the team’s MVP will need to come from the starting lineup. Despite Burnes pitching a career-high 202 innings and becoming the first pitcher in organization history to lead his league in strikeouts, the Brewers starters completed the season in 12th place with a 3.75 ERA. He was the only pitcher who made each of his starts, which was a concern. Losing Woodruff to blood flow issues and Freddy Peralta to a shoulder injury were particularly difficult. This spring, Woodruff and Peralta have both been outstanding. The Brewers appear to have a deeper rotation going into this season. And they anticipate a boost when Aaron Ashby returns from injury in June.
On Thursday, March 30th, the Brewers will open the season in Chicago against the rival Cubs on WSAU. Pregame begins at 12:45 p.m., with first pitch at 1:30 p.m.
Comments