It’s only early May, but the Brewers have already surpassed expectations. Milwaukee is currently 14-14 (a far cry from their projected over/under total set by Vegas), and just one game behind the defending champion Chicago Cubs in the win column.
Let’s look at five key questions for the rest of the season.
Can 1B Eric Thames stay hot?
Thames has been a monster in the two-hole this season. After battling with Jesus Aguilar for playing time in the first couple weeks, Thames went on a Babe Ruth-type tear, batting .396/.517/1.083 with 10 home runs from April 13-25.
Even in the last week, when he has slumped back to mortal levels (.200/.355/.360), Thames has shown positive signs. He is not going to hit a homer every other at-bat, but he can pair solid power with an impressive eye (17.0 percent walk rate this season).
That will play well at the top of the Brewers’ lineup with the short porch in right field at Miller Park.
Has Milwaukee found its infield of the future?
Thames, 30, is the oldest of the bunch, but the rest of the diamond has age on its side. Third baseman Travis Shaw has already smacked six home runs in his age-27 season, and sports a career-best .847 OPS.
Second baseman Jonathan Villar (26) got off to a slow start in April, but has looked like his 2016 self over the last 12 games, hitting .306/.370/.408. 22-year-old shortstop Orlando Arcia is still figuring out the bat at the major league level, but his glove has been a big boon for the Brewers up the middle.
Milwaukee’s minor league outfield depth has long been the focus of fans, but these infielders hold the key to the next contending Brewers team. By the time the Brewers are really looking to contend in 2019, Arcia, Shaw, and Villar will all be in their prime, and hopefully stabilizing the middle of the Milwaukee order.
Can the pitching get any worse?
The Brewers pitching staff has been one of the worst units in baseball this season. Here is how the team ranks in several pitching categories:
- BA allowed: 30th
- HR allowed: 23rd
- Walks allowed: 26th
- WHIP: 29th
- ERA: 21st
Outside of Chase Anderson (rocking a 2.10 ERA through five starts), the rest of the Brewers starters have either been injured or terrible.
Zach Davies has been the biggest disappointment; the 24-year-old has a sky-high WHIP and 6.07 ERA, after he looked like a potential building block in 2016. Milwaukee needs him to turn it around.
Can Ryan Braun stay healthy enough through July?
Braun is off to a nice start in 2017, even though he missed the last two games after suffering an arm injury over the weekend. He should return to the lineup soon, but his health has a big impact on the Brewers’ present and future.
Braun has been involved in trade rumors for the better part of two years now, and this could finally be the season GM David Stearns moves him. Stearns has a history of moving veterans at their peak, right before their value tanks.
Check out Stearns’ big trades in the last year:
- LHP Will Smith traded to San Francisco at the deadline (Smith underwent Tommy John surgery in spring training this season)
- C Jonathan Lucroy traded to Texas at the deadline (Lucroy has a career-low .622 OPS in 2017),
- Jeremy Jeffress traded to Texas the deadline (Jeffress owns a 5.56 ERA this season)
- RHP Tyler Thornburg traded to Boston in the offseason (Thornburg hasn’t pitched yet this year after suffering a shoulder injury)
Stearns has a pattern of extracting top value for players at the best possible moment. Braun is a different case because he is “the” franchise player, but age 33, with his injury history, it might be time to move on.
What is the goal for the rest of the season?
Even at 14-14, and tied for second place in the NL Central, the Brewers can’t get sucked in. This team is playing the long game.
Success for the rest of the season should be defined by the development of the young players on the major league roster (Arcia, Davies, Villar, Shaw, and Domingo Santana), as well as the progression of top prospects Lewis Brinson and Josh Hader.
Milwaukee doesn’t have the starting pitching or bullpen depth for a sustained run deep into the summer. But the longer the team can hang on the fringes of contention, the more the core players will learn the next time the Brewers are actually competing for a championship.
Be sure and watch TODAY'S TMJ4 on Roku! We are the only station in Milwaukee to provide the latest news, weather and sports on the device. Search for us on Roku today!
