The Milwaukee Brewers are currently the best team in baseball. Although the Brewers endured a sweep by the Texas Rangers, they still have the best path in the MLB playoffs. Christian Yelich will lead the charge. However, there are three Brewers players to watch who could play a major role in October.
Milwaukee currently has +700 odds to win the World Series, according to FanDuel. That gives them the third-best odds to win it all. However, they will need a lot to keep the consistency going. Milwaukee has the best record in baseball right now. Yet, their playoff history leaves a lot to be desired. Yelich has been with the team since 2018. That was also the last time Milwaukee even made it to the National League Championship Series.
Yelich will look to get them there this time around. Can anyone else help him and hit the baseball? These are the three Brewers to watch, and they can provide a major boost in the MLB playoffs if this team is to go any further than one round.
Brice Turang must hit alongside Christian Yelich
What a season it's been for Brice Turang. Ultimately, he has stepped up his game. Turang is batting .289 with 18 home runs, 74 RBIs, and 90 runs scored. Significantly, he has done his part as the leadoff hitter for the Brew Crew and has done everything he could to help the Brew Crew get to the top of the standings.
Turang performed well in the 2024 MLB Playoffs. In fact, he was one of the few Brewers players who actually did well. Now, he must do it again. Turang hit .455 (5-for-11) with three doubles against the New York Mets in the 2024 MLB Playoffs. Substantially, there is a chance the Brewers face the Mets again. If the Mets make the playoffs and get past the Los Angeles Dodgers, they would meet Milwaukee again. This time, it would be in a Best-of-5 AL Divisional Round Series.
Turang must continue to set the tone, getting on base to set the table for Jackson Chourio, Yelich, and William Contreras behind him. If he can, the Brew Crew might go further than they have gone in a long time.
William Contreras cannot struggle again in the MLB playoffs
Contreras has been an ironman this season, playing in 140 games. Yet, there is an uneasy feeling about his performance and whether he can show up in the MLB playoffs. Contreras is batting .263 with 17 home runs, 71 RBIs, and 85 runs. However, he struggled in the NL Wild Card Series against the Mets, batting .167 (2 for 12) with two RBIs. That cannot happen again.
Contreras must clobber the baseball. Alarmingly, the Brewers have lacked power and rank just 20th in home runs. Although they have gotten on base (second in on-base percentage), they have struggled to hit the baseball into the stands. Contreras is one of the low-key power hitters on the team, and he is hitting up to his standards. Yet, he has never hit a home run in the MLB playoffs.
The Brew Crew needs Contreras to get hot and find a way to stay hot. What they don't need is for him to struggle again in the MLB playoffs as he did last season. Overall, he has struggled in the playoffs throughout his career with the 2023 MLB Postseason being the only time where he experienced a smidge of success in October.
Rhys Hoskins is one of the Brewers' players to watch
Rhys Hoskins has struggled this season, batting .244 with 12 home runs, 43 RBIs, and 30 runs over 84 games. Despite playing with the Philadelphia Phillies in past seasons, he has not played well in his limited playoff chances.
Hoskins went 0-for-9 in the 2024 MLB Postseason. Before that, he hit .205 (9-for-69) in the Phillies' run to the World Series, failing to contribute at all to the cause. The Brewers need Hoskins to be good, either in the lineup or off the bench.
Lately, he has been mostly coming off the bench. Even so, the Brewers will need him to do more, especially if they need him in a late-game situation. Hoskins currently platoons at first base with Andrew Vaughn. Regardless, he needs to find his hitting stroke and come through when the team needs him.
Pitching is already a major strength for the Brewers. Unfortunately, hitting has been one of the biggest struggles throughout the years. While the team is hitting better, these three Brewers players must figure out a way to consistently hit the baseball to help Yelich. If they cannot help Yelich out, then the Brewers will likely be going home early again this season.
