Milwaukee Brewers: 3 Studs and Duds from Team’s First 20 Games of 2024 Season

The Milwaukee Brewers are 14-6 and currently have a 2.0 game lead in the National League Central Division following their 2-0 shutout victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday afternoon. The win, Milwaukee’s fourth in a row, marked their first sweep of the Cardinals in St. Louis since 2018.

The win also made Milwaukee one of MLB’s only teams with a .700 winning percentage through 20 games this season. The others are the Atlanta Braves and Cleveland Guardians. To say that the Pat Murphy Era of Brewers baseball is off to a successful start would be an understatement.

The Milwaukee Brewers Have Had to Overcome Injuries

One of the most impressive things about the Brewers’ hot start is the fact that they have been playing well despite suffering a number of injuries to key players. Christian Yelich, who has started the season hitting .333/.422/.744 with five home runs and 11 RBI, is currently on the IL with a back injury.

While other position players have been able to carry the load offensively, the starting rotation has suffered numerous injuries. Wade Miley already missed time with a shoulder injury and was hit in the knee by a line drive in his last outing. Even though he will not miss any additional time due to the knee, the incident was a stark reminder of just how shallow the Brewers’ starting rotation depth is.

In addition to Miley, DL Hall, who is off to a slow start, is going to miss time with a knee sprain he suffered on Saturday against the Cardinals. Jakob Junis, who started the year in the rotation, only made one start before landing on IL himself.

All of these injuries do not even account for the IL stints, both past and current, of relievers JB Bukauskas, Taylor Clarke, Devin Williams, and Trevor Megill.

Despite the injuries and apparent lack of depth, the Brewers currently rank ninth in ERA among all MLB teams (3.52). They also hold top-10 MLB rankings in WHIP (ninth- 1.23) and saves (tied for second with eight).

3 Studs on the Milwaukee Brewers Through First 20 Games

Due to the 14-6 start and considering all of the injuries they have had thus far, it is difficult to narrow the number of standout players to just three. To that end, here are some players that could be listed, but I left out of my top three:

• Willy Adames- .313/.389/.500 with three home runs, 11 RBI, and a much improved walk rate
• Brice Turang- .333/.384/.500 with two home runs, nine RBI, and a Major League-leading 10 stolen bases
• Colin Rea- 2-0, 2.08 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 21.2 innings pitched (four starts)
• Bryan Hudson- 1-0, 0.77 ERA, 0.60 WHIP, eight appearances (11.2 innings)

1. Freddy Peralta

With the trade of Corbin Burnes this offseason and the injury to Brandon Woodruff that will keep him out until 2025, Freddy Peralta had to step up to be the Brewers’ ace. Not only has he done that, he has done so with a swagger and confidence that fans have not seen from him in the past. In other words, he is acting like an ace.

Through his first four starts, Peralta has three quality starts, a 2-0 record, 1.90 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, and 33 strikeouts in 23.2 innings pitched.

While there may be questions about depth in the starting rotation, there is no concern about the ace at the top of the staff.

2. William Contreras

There may not be a hotter hitter on the team right now than catcher William Contreras. Prior to Sunday’s 2-0 win over St. Louis, he was leading all of baseball with a batting average over .370. After going hitless in the win, Contreras is still batting .354/.426/.561 with four home runs and 20 RBI.

For months, Contreras has said that it is his goal to play all 162 games this year. While he would prefer to catch all of those games, that just is not a realistic goal in today’s game. However, the National League having the designated hitter allows him to DH in games that he does not catch.

As a result, Contreras has played all 20 games thus far this season, and has done so as an offensive force. A Silver Slugger last season, his current pace could set him up for an All-Star nod, another Silver Slugger, and perhaps even MVP.

3. Blake Perkins

When Garrett Mitchell injured his finger in Spring Training, it opened the door for Blake Perkins to make the Opening Day roster in an otherwise crowded outfield. Based on the way Perkins is playing, especially defensively in center field, it may be tough for Mitchell to find regular playing time when he comes back (targeting June 1).

Perkins saved the Brewers’ victory over the Cardinals on Sunday by making a leaping catch at the wall to prevent a three-run home run that would have given St. Louis the lead. In addition to his stellar defense, he is also hitting a shiny .354/.426/.542 with two home runs and six RBI.

Perkins is not the most flashy player and he does not make a big deal about his accomplishments, but right now he is easily one of the best all-around players on the Brewers roster.

3 Duds on the Milwaukee Brewers Through First 20 Games

This list is not as fun to think about, but is rather necessary when talking about the overall performance of the team. To that end, here are some players that could be on the list, but are not included due to injuries and small sample size:

• Aaron Ashby: 0-1, 9.82 ERA (one start)
• Joe Ross: 1-1, 4.91 ERA (three starts; pitching for first time since 2021)
• Wade Miley: 0-1, seven innings pitched in two starts; 5.14 ERA (coming back from injury)

1. Gary Sanchez

When the Brewers first agreed to a contract with Gary Sanchez, it took a while for it to be finalized due to concerns over a wrist injury he suffered last season. By the time everything was worked out, Spring Training was in full swing.

As a result, Sanchez did not get the same amount of preparation time as the rest of the team, but due to his Major League contract, he was added to the Opening Day roster. Unfortunately, he has not overcome the short Spring Training and has struggled when he is in lineup.

So far this season, Sanchez is hitting .152/.176/.273 with one home run and two RBI. Perhaps the lack of consistent at-bats are hurting him, but Milwaukee has too many hot hitters that need to stay in the lineup. It would not be terribly surprising if Sanchez does not end the year in Milwaukee.

2. DL Hall

As mentioned previously, DL Hall will be out for a while with a sprained knee. However, his first four starts of the season have left a lot to be desired. He has only been able to pitch 16.1 innings while accumulating an ERA of 7.71 and WHIP of 2.27.

One of the biggest worries surrounding Hall is his dip in velocity. He should be sitting in the mid-to-upper 90’s with his fastball, but has not been able to do so. He is rookie and is still learning the mental side of the game and how to physically prepare for Major League starts.

Remember, Corbin Burnes was 1-5 with a 8.82 ERA his rookie year, a season so bad he was demoted all the way down to Double-A.

Sometimes it takes time, but the Brewers’ lack of starting pitching depth has magnified Hall’s struggles. They simply cannot wait too long for him to come around.

3. Andruw Monasterio

Perhaps another victim of playing the same position as some of the hottest hitters in baseball, Andruw Monestario saw himself demoted to Triple-A Nashville after failing to record a single hit in seven games. While he proved to be a reliable defensive third baseman last season, Joey Ortiz is now on the roster and, like Monasterio, is a right-handed hitter.

Ortiz is off to a nice start to his rookie season, hitting .306/.432/.389. He is sharing third base duties with another rookie, Oliver Dunn, who is a left-handed hitter.

There simply is no room for Monasterio on the roster unless he is going to hit, and he did not.

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