The Milwaukee Brewers are back to work this week as pitchers and catchers report for Spring Training, and once again, they’re stepping into a familiar role: underdogs. Despite winning the NL Central three years running, the Brewers are entering 2026 with plenty of skeptics predicting a .500 finish. That’s become something of an annual tradition - analysts doubt, Milwaukee delivers.
But if the Brewers are going to keep that streak alive and punch another ticket to October, it’s going to take more than just solid pitching and a sharp defense. The offense needs to keep trending upward, and that includes continued growth from players like Brice Turang.
Turang, the Brewers’ slick-fielding second baseman and reigning Gold Glove winner, made major strides at the plate last season. He posted a .288/.359/.435 slash line with 18 home runs and 81 RBIs - a breakout campaign by any measure.
The power surge, in particular, turned heads. After hitting just 13 home runs across his first two big-league seasons, Turang launched 18 in 2025 - 10 of which came in a scorching-hot August.
But not everyone’s convinced the power is here to stay.
One national analyst recently pegged Turang as a candidate for regression in 2026, pointing to a few red flags in his underlying numbers. Chief among them: a rising strikeout rate, which jumped from 17.0% in 2024 to 22.8% last season.
Combine that with middling bat speed - he ranked in the 27th percentile - and there’s concern that his home run spike may not be sustainable. The fear is that if Turang continues to sell out for power, it could come at the cost of overall offensive consistency.
Now, let’s unpack that.
Yes, Turang’s strikeouts went up - 150 punchouts in 156 games isn’t ideal. That’s a significant jump from the 105 he recorded over a similar workload in 2024.
But strikeouts, while frustrating, don’t tell the whole story. Turang also improved in several key areas.
His walk rate climbed, his on-base percentage rose nearly 40 points, and his BAbip (batting average on balls in play) jumped from .300 to .356. Translation: when he made contact, he was doing more damage - and finding more grass.
And that late-season power burst? It was real, but it wasn’t the only thing driving his value.
After that 10-homer August, Turang cooled off in the power department, hitting just two more the rest of the way. But even without the long ball, he kept producing, slashing .294/.400/.435 down the stretch.
That’s the kind of plate discipline and situational hitting that wins games in September.
The question now is: can he find the balance?
If Turang can cut down on the swing-and-miss while maintaining his improved approach - working counts, drawing walks, using the whole field - there’s every reason to believe he can build on last year’s breakout. He doesn’t need to chase 25 homers to be valuable.
With his glove, his speed, and his ability to get on base, Turang is already a cornerstone in Milwaukee’s lineup. Add in even average power production, and you’re looking at a legitimate two-way threat.
A Silver Slugger to go with his Gold Glove? That might be a stretch - but it’s not out of the question.
What’s clear is that Turang’s development at the plate is one of the biggest storylines to watch as the Brewers gear up for another run at the division crown. If he continues to evolve, Milwaukee might just surprise the doubters again - just like they always seem to do.