Joey Ortiz has gone from lineup question mark to one of the Brewers’ biggest reasons for optimism heading into October.
That’s a sharp turn for a player whose value has long been built around everything except the bat. Ortiz has always fit Milwaukee’s identity: dependable, athletic, and steady in the field.
He did enough last season to post 1.4 FanGraphs’ Wins Above Replacement even with a 67 wRC+, a strange mix that summed up the frustration around his offense. He could run, defend, and help the Brewers win in the margins, but too many of his at-bats felt empty.
Now the conversation looks different. Since the All-Star break, the 28-year-old has been one of the best hitters in baseball, putting up a .954 OPS and a 160 wRC+ that both rank in the top 10 among qualified hitters. That surge has already changed how Milwaukee is deploying its roster, with David Hamilton shifting into a full-time super utility role to make room for Ortiz’s bat.
The timing matters because Ortiz’s postseason track record has been rough. He went 0-for-11 in the Brewers’ loss to the Mets in the 2024 Wild Card Round, then followed that up with a 2-for-19 showing in 2025, collecting only two singles and three walks. Those results fueled real questions about whether he could be counted on as a regular hitter, even if his defense and baserunning still gave him value.
But the bigger picture in Milwaukee looks a lot cleaner now. No starter on the team has a wRC+ below 90, and the only players likely to make the postseason roster who are under that mark - David Hamilton at 82 and Sal Frelick at 72 - are still ahead of where Ortiz sat in 2025.
The Brewers aren’t carrying a lineup with a glaring weak spot anymore. Every regular is at least a credible threat.
That’s what makes Ortiz so important. He doesn’t need to be the guy carrying the offense.
He just needs to keep the chain moving and keep doing what he has always done in the field. If his second-half surge holds up in October, Milwaukee’s lineup becomes a much tougher puzzle for opposing pitchers to solve.
In Other News...
Brewers Fans Get One Early Shot At October Before Tickets Open
The Brewers are giving fans a head start on planning for October, with tickets for the first round of the 2026 postseason set to go on sale to the general public Wednesday, Sept. 23 at noon CT. Wisconsin residents will get early access a day earlier, as Milwaukee opens the door first to the home crowd that has been living and dying with this team all summer.
Before those tickets hit the market, American Family Field will host a Rally for October on Sept. 22, a fan celebration built around player appearances, a watch party, merchandise sales and other activities. The postseason picture is still tied to the final regular-season standings, so the exact dates and opponent remain undecided, but the Brewers are already making sure the atmosphere around the ballpark feels a little like October has arrived. [Read more 🡒]
Brewers Fan Stole The Show During Bo Naylors First Milwaukee Homer
Bo Naylors first Milwaukee home run at PNC Park ended up creating a bigger scene in the stands than it did on the field. A Brewers fan from Windsor, Ontario, Gavin Deblois, went after the ball in the seats but couldnt hang on to it, turning what should have been a simple souvenir grab into the kind of moment that immediately draws every camera in the park.
The home run still counted after an umpire review, and Deblois eventually got his cap back from a Pirates usher, so the night did not end empty-handed for the visiting Milwaukee supporter. Brewers broadcaster Josh Maurer also made a stop by the fans with a signed Division Champion cap, a nice consolation for a section that wound up getting nearly as much attention as the at-bat itself. [Read more 🡒]
Jacob Misiorowski Just Flipped One Brewers Doubt On Its Head
With the Brewers already locked into a fourth straight NL Central title and sitting atop the majors with 10 games left in the regular season, Jacob Misiorowski has become one of the defining reasons this year has felt different. The right-hander has gone from an intriguing talent to the staff ace, pairing two-time All-Star status with a Major League-best 1.89 ERA and 243 strikeouts, the kind of production that changes how a team is built and how opponents plan for it.
The shift has also forced a rethink from outside the organization. Keith Law publicly acknowledged he was wrong about Misiorowski's chances of succeeding as a starter, a notable admission for a pitcher whose rise has been hard to ignore all season. For Milwaukee, the bigger story is what comes next: a rotation headlined by a pitcher who has already turned skepticism into evidence, and is still adding to it with the postseason ahead. [Read more 🡒]