Brewers 2026 Preview: They Consistently Get No Love and Consistently Overperform, They will Again This Year
The Brewers of Milwaukee are disrespected every season. They lose a big free agent or trade a player every year. Yet they consistently overperform expectations. They will again this year. Expect several players to do better than expected, and expect the Brewers to win the National League Central again.
Let’s review some statistics. Last year, the Brewers had the best record in the National League with 97 wins. From July 6 to August 16, they were 29-4, which included a 14-game win streak. They had a winning percentage of .531 in 2022. Yet, the talk is that the Chicago Cubs, who acquired a star in Alex Bregman, will win the Central. They need to prove it. Who do you think will win the National League Central?
Milwaukee Brewers 2026 Preview
Pitching
The big loss for the Brewers is here with Freddy Peralta being traded to the Mets. Brandon Wodruff is the ace of this rotation now. After missing all of 2024, he fared well in 12 starts. Quinn Priester is the second starter. He is hurt right now, but was a development success story last season. Youngster Jacob Misiorowski is the third starter. He might be the most electrifying pitcher in baseball. Chad Patrick and former Boston Red Sox prospect Kyle Henderson round out the starting rotation.
The closer for Milwaukee is Trevor Megill. He had 30 saves last season. Abner Uribe is there as well; he is one of the best relief pitchers in baseball. Angel Zerpa, Jared Keonig, and Grant Anderson are a very effective setup crew. DL Hall rounds out the bullpen.
Hitting
At catcher, William Contreras is looking to bounce back from a poor season, but remains a dangerous hitter. He could get some at-bats at designated hitter. Former Yankee Gary Sanchez backs him up.
The infield is strong. Brice Turang is the second baseman. If you saw him thrive for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, you saw he was a star. Shotstop Joey Ortiz is a great fielder who rarely strikes out. The third baseman now will be Luis Rengifo, with Chad Durbin on the Red Sox. The first baseman is Andrew Vaughn, who came into his own as a hitter last year, after failing with the Chicago White Sox.
In the outfield, Jackson Churio is a star in the making. He will man left field. Sal Frelick will be in the other corner outfield spot. He is a leadoff option. The centerfielder is Garrett Mitchell. Centerfield is a bit of a black hole for the Brewers.
The designated hitter for Milwaukee is likey going to be Christian Yellich. Can he still produce? He appeared in only 19 games in the outfield last season, but played in 150. He had 29 home runs and 103 runs batted in, both of which led the club.
Organization and Management
Matt Arnold is the Chief of Baseball Operations. He was named Executive of the Year in Major League Baseball in 2024 and 2025. He has made several good trades. Pat Murphy is the back-to-back National League manager of the year. He is popular with both players and fans alike.
Parting Shots
Why argue with success? Milwaukee has routinely made good trades, so expect that they sold high on Freddy Peralta. They have a lot of quality pitchers, many of them young. They also have several great hitters. The Chicago Cubs will have to unseat them.
