The Brewers got the kind of injury update every playoff team wants to hear: Joey Ortiz says he’s ready.
With Milwaukee still a few days away from opening a five-game National League Division Series on Oct. 3 against either the San Diego Padres or the Chicago Cubs, Ortiz sounded confident after his MRI. Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel shared this on X: "Joey Ortiz on his status after yesterday’s MRI: 'I’ll be ready to go. I’m ready to play,'"
Ortiz hasn’t played since Sep. 25, and he’s been dealing with abdominal swelling and a bruised knee. Brewers manager Pat Murphy said the MRI came back "all good," according to MLB.com's Adam McCalvy on X.
McCalvy also wrote, "Joey Ortiz’s MRI results were 'all good,' per Pat Murphy. Some abdominal swelling they will monitor, and a bruised knee.
He won’t play tomorrow but the outlook is good for the postseason,"
That’s a welcome development for Milwaukee, especially given how much Ortiz changed his season after a rough first half. Early in the year, his bat wasn’t giving the Brewers much, and before Cooper Pratt was promoted, it looked like the rookie might be the one to take over. With Jett Williams down in the minors and able to handle third base, Ortiz’s path looked shaky.
Instead, Ortiz found his footing once he moved to third. Pratt debuted on June 16, and from June 17 on, Ortiz hit .310/.348/.491 with an .840 OPS, along with eight home runs, 33 RBIs, nine doubles and four triples in 74 games. Before that stretch, he was sitting at .207/.299/.262 over 60 games.
Now Milwaukee needs that version of Ortiz in October - the one who can handle third base and contribute at the plate. And with a few extra days to get right after earning the No. 1 seed and finishing ahead of every other team in the 2026 regular season, the Brewers appear to be in good shape heading into the postseason.
In Other News...
Bucks Must Decide If This Former Top Pick Is Worth The Backcourt Squeeze
The Bucks are still sorting through the edges of their roster, and the open two-way slot has become a place where upside matters as much as immediate fit. Rob Dillingham, who was recently cut by the Hornets, is one of the names in the mix, and his appeal is easy to see for a team that is always looking for another guard who can eventually grow into a larger role. With the Wisconsin Herd also going through roster changes, Milwaukee has a development pipeline that could give a young player a real chance to settle in and improve.
Still, the question is whether the Bucks can afford to add another backcourt piece without crowding the room even more. Their guard group is already tight, so any move for Dillingham would have to be justified by the long view rather than short-term minutes. For a team trying to balance depth, development and fit, the decision is less about whether the talent is interesting than whether the squeeze in the backcourt is worth it. [Read more 🡒]
Kevin Porter Jr. Wants To Stay But Bucks Face A Backcourt Squeeze
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The complication is what comes next. Tyler Herro and Ryan Rollins are also on track to be free agents next year, leaving Milwaukee with a crowded and potentially fluid guard picture as it weighs roster priorities and future flexibility. Porter could end up as part of that mix in a veteran presence role, or he could become a name to monitor if the Bucks decide a different backcourt alignment makes more sense. [Read more 🡒]
Kevin Porter Jr. Could Quietly Swing The Bucks Backcourt Plan
Kevin Porter Jr. spent 38 games with the Bucks last season and turned in some of the best production of his career, enough to keep him in the conversation as Milwaukee sorts out its backcourt plans for the year ahead. At media day, Porter said he is healthy entering the upcoming season, an important starting point for a player whose path with the team has already shown signs of fit and upside.
The next step may be less about where he stands on the roster and more about how the Bucks use him. The coaching staff is considering Porter as a bench option to run the second unit, a role that could put the ball in his hands more often and give him the freedom to drive his numbers even higher. For a team looking to sharpen its guard rotation, that kind of quiet adjustment could end up mattering more than it first appears. [Read more 🡒]