Despite a 24th-ranked OPS this season, the Milwaukee Brewers have managed to score 4.5 runs per game, boosted by their MLB-best 51 steals coming into Monday’s games. At one key position, however, they have gotten zero production. Zilch, nada, not one iota.
That would be at shortstop. The latter position was left uninhabited after Willy Adames joined the Giants in free agency. Instead of addressing this hole, even through a frugal, stopgap signing this winter, the team elected to stand pat. 41 games in, they rank dead last in Wins Above Average at the position, accruing a mark of a -1.6 so far, per Baseball Reference.
Indirectly related has been the team’s struggle at third base, where Milwaukee ranks 29th (-1.1) a few decimal points ahead of the Phillies. Forcing Joey Ortiz to shift from the hot corner to short has put the Brewers in handcuffs.
Joey Ortiz Is Stuck in Twilight Zone for Milwaukee Brewers
On Sunday against the Rays, Ortiz hit his first homerun of the season. He is now batting .176 with a .461 OPS (last among qualified shortstops) and -1.1 Wins Above Replacement. According to The Fielding Bible, he has cost Milwaukee 4 four runs in the field. His abysmal start to the year is all the more flummoxing after he provided solid production at third base in 2024 (11 homeruns, .726 OPS, 8 defensive runs saved and 2.6 WAR).
To say the least, the position change has not gone well. It is well worth wondering whether his fielding struggles have impacted his offense. Even if there is no correlation, however, and he would be hitting this poorly while playing third, the Brewers’ offseason inactivity has come back to bite them. The roster’s lack of infield depth leaves them no choice but to keep trotting out what has been MLB’s worst starting shortstop, with little opportunity for a platoon or even time off.
Inexperience at Third Base Hurting Team as Well
This problem impacts production at the hot corner as well. Forced to rely on youngsters Caleb Durbin and Oliver Dunn, the Brewers do not have the luxury of sliding Ortiz over to give them a break – then they would have no shortstop. Here, too, it has been a rough go. Dunn is back in the minors after 56 big league at bats. Durbin has a .590 OPS and has been subpar defensively.
To some degree, the Brewers were going to rely on Dunn and Durbin whether they signed a veteran safety net or not. Whoever they did bring in, aside from a longshot fantasy like Alex Bregman, would not be anything close to an All-Star. But even replacement level production would exceed Milwaukee’s output so far. And it would obviate the need to play Durbin every day, allowing him a breather. After a decent April, he has gone just 4 for 31 in May. Streakiness is an inherent part of hitting, but the front office has left the roster extremely thin, and it’s showing.
It hasn’t been all bad, though. Freddy Peralta, Jose Quintana and Chad Patrick have pitched very well. Overall the Brewers have manufactured a +3 run differential. They have stayed afloat in the standings, currently three games back of first in the NL Central at 20-21. If the Brewers continue to compete and do not get more out of the left side of the infield, it will be interesting to see if they make a move at the trade deadline.
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