During the offseason, the Milwaukee Brewers elected not to fill the infield void left by Willy Adames‘ free agency departure to the Giants, and they appear content to try some combination of Oliver Dunn, Caleb Durbin, and Tyler Black at third base, with Joey Ortiz and Brice Turang slated for short and second.
Back when the free agent market was more robust, before GM Pat Murphy’s stand-pat approach to the team’s position player needs was assumed, various voices speculated on how the Brewers might address their Adames-sized hole. Bleacher Report, for one, suggested a cheap, veteran option in Royals free agent infielder Paul DeJong.
ESPN reports that he is now off the table as well, on a one-year, $1 million deal with the Nationals that includes an extra $600,000 in potential bonuses.
Given just how cheap the Nats got him, the signing should leave Brewers fans a bit uneasy about how thin Murphy has left the infield depth chart if Dunn or Durbin don’t pan out.
Milwaukee Brewers Third Base Options
Dunn made the Opening Day roster and registered his first major league at bats last season in Milwaukee, but injuries ruined his 2024 campaign. He slashed .221/.282/.316 with one homerun across 104 plate appearances.
Durbin, who came over in December in the Nestor Cortes trade that sent Devin Williams to the Yankees, has yet to see MLB pitching.
Black, who is more suited to first base, appeared in 16 games last season for the Brewers, posting a .561 OPS with no homeruns.
While all three success in 2024, none is a proven player and the roster does not have much of a backup plan outside of them. Ortiz can play third but will likely be the Opening Day shortstop; Turang’s services are needed at second.
Not just to provide a backup plan but also to offer mentorship and spring training competition, a veteran infielder would have made a nice addition.
DeJong Would Have Been a Useful Pickup in Brewtown
DeJong is not an A-plus third baseman by any stretch. In 2024 with the White Sox and Royals, he sent 24 balls over the wall, drove in 56, and posted a slash line of .227/.276/.403. He accounted for 0.9 WAR (Baseball Reference).
For a playoff team, though, at a low price, he would have provided good pop in a platoon role, and a solid insurance policy against injury or underperformance. FanGraphs projects that Dunn, the best of the Brewers’ options, will put up a .656 OPS in 2025. Durbin is projected slightly higher, at .684; Black, who played 9 minor league games at third last season, tops the group at .702.
Take projections for what you will, but it is not as though the Milwaukee has a clearcut MLB-caliber third baseman on the roster. Fans will have to hope that either Dunn or Durbin exceeds expectations, hedging that one of the young players will work if the other doesn’t.
Given that he already made the cut once, Dunn seems like the team’s best bet, and if he can stay healthy, he could have himself a solid season at the backend of the lineup.
- RF Jackson Chourio R
- DH Christian Yelich L
- C William Contreras R
- CF Garrett Mitchell L
- 1B Rhys Hoskins R
- 2B Brice Turang L
- SS Joey Ortiz R
- CF Sam Frelick L
- 3B Oliver Dunn L
For More Great Wisconsin Sports Content
Follow me on X at @ezsniper14 and follow us @WiSportsHeroics for more great content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in Wisconsin sports, click here!
