The Brewers can lean on their defense and pitching all they want, but October still comes down to runs. And if Milwaukee wants to squeeze every bit of offense out of its roster, the lineup gets a little more creative than the one fans might expect.
Behind the plate, William Contreras is the easy anchor. He slumped for a stretch after the All-Star break, but he’s picked it back up and done important damage for Milwaukee.
Even with that rough patch, his batting average this season still tops the number he had while playing through a finger injury. He’s the club’s best option offensively and defensively at catcher, and the résumé backs it up: two Silver Slugger awards, two top-20 MVP finishes and two All-Star Game appearances.
At first base, the pick shifts to Gary Sánchez. That choice comes down to pure punch.
Jake Bauers and Andrew Vaughn don’t provide the same relative offensive edge at the position, and Sánchez brings the kind of home-run threat that can change a game in a hurry. He filled in there earlier this season when Vaughn and Jackson Chourio were both sidelined by hand injuries, and the Brewers may need that kind of jolt against the Dodgers in the playoffs.
Brice Turang stays at second base, where he gives Milwaukee both offense and defense. He’s evolved from a player known mostly for speed and glove work into a far more complete threat. Since the start of the 2025 season, he’s become arguably the Brewers’ most well-rounded offensive player.
Shortstop is where the lineup gets a little more aggressive. Cooper Pratt takes the job, and the case for him is built on a higher offensive floor than Turang had when he first arrived.
Pratt’s rookie season has produced an 88 OPS+, while Turang posted a 61 OPS+ in his rookie year in 2023. Add in the defense, the speed and some real power upside, and he fits the idea of maximizing offense without giving away too much elsewhere.
Andrew Vaughn slides over to third base, even though that’s not his natural home every day. He has seen time there this season and also worked the hot corner in his early years with the Chicago White Sox. The glove won’t win awards, but in 13 games and six starts, he’s been competent, and the payoff is getting a 134 OPS+ bat into the lineup.
The outfield brings more of Milwaukee’s thump. Jake Bauers goes to left field after what has arguably been an MVP-level season by Brewers standards. He leads the team in home runs, RBIs and extra-base hits, and with him stationed in left, the defense is at least enough to let the offense shine.
Garrett Mitchell handles center field. When he’s healthy, he’s shown it all, posting career highs in a number of offensive categories. He’s also solid defensively and gives Milwaukee power, speed and the kind of presence that can turn a steady inning into a big one.
In right field, Jackson Chourio remains one of the club’s most important bats. He’s viewed as the Brewers’ franchise player for the 2020s, and even with his counting stats down because of the fractured hand that sent him to the injured list for the first part of the 2026 season, he has improved in some key areas, especially on-base percentage. Lately, he’s been as indispensable as anyone in the lineup outside of Bauers.
The designated hitter spot goes to Christian Yelich. It’s been what might be the worst year of his career, but he still looks like Milwaukee’s best choice there.
He’s put up an .806 OPS with runners on base, and he’s started to heat up again in recent games with an .800 OPS from August 16-22. Even now, he remains the heart and soul of the Brewers.
There are other ways to arrange this roster, and the exact alignment would change depending on the opponent. Against left-handers, Vaughn and Sánchez need to be in the mix to call it the best possible lineup.
Against right-handers, it’s easier to make the case for Joey Ortiz over Vaughn. If Milwaukee wants to tighten the defense, it has options in Joey Ortiz, David Hamilton, Sal Frelick and Luis Lara.
However it’s arranged, the bigger point is clear: Pat Murphy has real depth, real impact and real flexibility to work with.
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Mets Game Turned Into A Brewers Message To Cooper Pratt
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Pratt owned his mistakes afterward and said he needed to be better about effort and following team expectations, while Murphy framed the move as a lesson rather than a label. For a young player trying to settle in, the message was clear: the Brewers will live with rookie growing pains, but not with avoidable lapses in energy or execution. [Read more 🡒]
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For Brewers fans, it is the latest reminder that Treys first step into pro ball came with some built-in baseball pedigree. His father, Dino Ebel, is the third base coach for the Dodgers, so this was already a family steeped in the game before the rain delay handed it an extra twist. What began as a paused game ended with the sort of debut story that is hard to script and even harder to forget. [Read more 🡒]
Brewers Bullpen Reinforcements Are Coming With A Roster Squeeze Next
Abner Uribe and JoJo Romero took a step toward rejoining the Brewers on Sunday, beginning minor league rehab assignments with High-A Wisconsin. Romero opened the day with a scoreless inning, and Uribe followed with a clean frame of his own as both pitchers continued their push back toward Milwaukees bullpen.
For a Brewers relief corps that has had to manage its workload carefully, getting two late-inning arms back on the mound is a welcome development. Both are expected to be ready in late August or early September, which should give the club more options at the end of the season, but it will also force some roster decisions when they are cleared to come off the rehab track. [Read more 🡒]