The Milwaukee Brewers enter the 2026 MLB season with unfinished business, and William Contreras is making that message clear from the outset. After battling through last season at less than full strength, the two-time All-Star catcher has set a personal goal that could redefine Milwaukee’s championship aspirations.
The Brewers leaned heavily on the catcher throughout their dominant 2025 campaign, even after he suffered a fractured left middle finger in early May. Despite the injury becoming public, he never landed on the injured list. Instead, he powered through 150 games, batting .260 with 17 home runs, 76 RBIs, and a .754 OPS. While respectable, those numbers fell short of the elite production he delivered during his Silver Slugger campaigns in 2023 and 2024.
Following offseason surgery, Contreras arrived at Brewers spring training at American Family Fields of Phoenix fully healthy and determined to reclaim top form. Milwaukee, coming off a dominant 2025 season that secured the National League’s top seed, will rely on his resurgence in 2026. The Brewers won 97 games last year, finishing with the best record in all of Major League Baseball, before their postseason run ended in a four-game sweep against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series.
In a video shared by MLB Network on X, formerly Twitter, during Friday’s spring training coverage, the 2024 All-MLB First Team selection addressed both his health and his mindset heading into the upcoming season.
“I feel really good… this year is going to be different for me, mentally and physically.”
Contreras explained that he essentially played the entire 2025 season with a broken finger. This year, he emphasized, will be different as he prepares mentally and physically with the goal of returning to his Silver Slugger form—and adding a third one to his collection.
His statement signals more than optimism. As both a middle-of-the-order force and a defensive anchor, Contreras remains central to the club's success in the 2026 MLB season. If he returns to peak production, Milwaukee’s championship hopes increase substantially.
