Earlier today, it was reported that the Milwaukee Brewers signed first baseman/designated hitter Luke Voit to a minor league contract. Last season, Voit split time between the Washington Nationals and San Diego Padres. He his .226/.308/.402 with 22 home runs and 69 RBI. With the addition of Voit to Spring Training, more questions now exist regarding the future of Keston Hiura with the Brewers.
Will the Milwaukee Brewers Move On from Keston Hiura?
Since his astounding 2019 season in which he .303/.368/.570 with 19 home runs and 49 RBI, Keston Hiura has struggled. He has been sent back and forth between Milwaukee and Triple-A Nashville so much that he is now out of minor league options. In the past three seasons, Hiura has hit just .205/.293/.394 with 31 home runs and 83 RBI. Defensively, Hiura was moved from second base to first base, and then to left field.
Voit, on the other hand, has been better offensively than Hiura. Voit, who has played on three teams in the past two seasons, has not been what one might call outstanding, but has proven to be a more valuable hitter. Voit’s numbers listed at the beginning of this article were reflective of a down year for the first baseman. In the COVID-shortened 2020 season, Voit led the American league with 22 home runs and finished ninth in MVP voting. The year, previously, 2019, Voit played in just 118 games but hit .263/.378/.464 with 21 home runs and 62 RBI.
Obviously, from these numbers, Voit is clearly the better option offensively. The two are both right-handed hitters, and if a platoon/backup role for left-handed hitting Rowdy Tellez is up for grabs, Voit is certainly the better option. The only aspect of the game in which Hiura has an advantage over Voit is positional versatility. Even then, however, Hiura is not what one would consider a top defensive option at first, second, or left field, even as a backup.
There is, of course, a chance that the Brewers just run with Hiura as he was drafted by the organization. Perhaps Voit was signed to fill the hole Tellez will leave when he leaves to go play in the World Baseball Classic during Spring Training. In any case, if Voit is clearly the better hitter during Spring Training, Hiura’s days as a Brewer might be numbered.
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FAQs
How to Watch the Milwaukee Brewers Without Cable?
DirectTV Stream will give local viewers access to watch the Brewers, regardless of the channel they are playing on, Bally Sports Wisconsin, ESPN, Fox, Fox Sports 1, and TBS. fuboTV will also give viewers access to all Brewers games, except those on TBS.
Out-of-market fans can use MLB.TV to enjoy Brewers baseball from afar.
When Did the Brewers Come to Milwaukee?
The Brewers were founded in 1969 as the Seattle Pilots as part of the American League (AL). After one season, the team relocated to Milwaukee. The Brewers joined the National League (NL) in 1998.
How Did the Brewers Get Their Name?
The Brewers’ name dates back to the early 1900s, originally held by a professional franchise that relocated to become the St.Louis Browns. It honors the beer-brewing industry in and around Milwaukee.
Will the Brewers Win the 2023 World Series?
Sportsbooks have the Brewers at 4000-1 to win the World Series. This is the 14th-best odds among MLB teams. It’s not impossible with players like Christian Yelich, but the odds aren’t in their favor.
