One of the teams performing up to, or slightly better than preseason expectations, is the 2023 Milwaukee Brewers.
The Milwaukee Brewers are playing above their competition in a fairly weak National League Central division this season. Looking under the microscope, Milwaukee sits at 57-48 and holds a slim half-game lead over the Cincinnati Reds, with the Chicago Cubs still lingering.
They are also doing a good job of holding their own in the health department and managing their preseason hype. Most people viewed the Brew Crew as the second-best team, but the St. Louis Cardinals have been massive disappointments.
But how good are the Milwaukee Brewers at this point across various facets of the game? Let’s take a closer inspection.
Offense Seems to be Rather Lackluster
Despite being one of the teams meeting expectations, the Brewers offense in 2023 is a sputtering one. Milwaukee has, statistically speaking, the fewest hits (803) and the worst batting average (.233) in the National League. They also find themselves at the bottom of the Senior Circuit barrel in slugging (.377) and OPS (.689).
Unfortunately, Milwaukee doesn’t create a whole lot of traffic on the bases, either. They rank dead last in total bases (1289) in the NL and 14th in on-base percentage (.312). The Brewers also have the second-most strikeouts in the NL for hitters, with 955 total punch outs.
However, there is one bright spot in terms of offense this year for the Brewers: that would be none other than star OF Christian Yelich. Now in his sixth season in Milwaukee, Yelich is becoming one of the more dependable guys at the plate. He leads the team in just about every single statistic category, with the lone exception being home runs. Likewise, he is seeing a bit of an improvement in his stats from last season. Yelich currently sports a .286/.372/.471 slash line with 15 home runs and 57 RBIs. He also has some pretty decent wheels, stealing 22 bases in 24 attempts.
Yelich could also be on his way to a major milestone this season, as he is just 39 hits away from reaching 1500 for his career.
Who Else is Stepping Up?
But Yelich is not the only guy who is putting together a solid offensive season. The team leader in home runs for the Brewers this year is SS Willy Adames. Adames is tops on the Brewers in bombs with 17, after hitting 31 last season. However, his numbers for this season have seen a bit of a sharp drop-off compared to 2022. To this point, Adames’ slash line is .204/.287/.391 against a .238/.298/.458 mark last year. He is also posting a career-worst 89 OPS+.
Looking at the Pitching
While the offense may be fizzling, the Brewers pitching staff continues to be a gold standard. Overall, Milwaukee is at least in the top five in multiple pitching categories in the NL.
To explain, the Brew Crew has the third-most wins in the Senior Circuit (57), the third-fewest runs allowed (447), sixth-fewest earned runs allowed (417), and the fifth-best ERA (4.03).
Of course, the anchor in the rotation is ace SP Corbin Burnes. Burnes is proving himself to be a perennial Cy Young candidate in the NL with the way he attacks hitters. Looking at his statistics, Burnes is having another All-Star season, with a 9-6 record, a 3.46 ERA, and 131 strikeouts in 127.1 innings. He also has a 3.05 strikeout to walk ratio, with only 43 walks given up.
Another guy in the staff who is stepping up as an electric closer is fifth-year pro CP Devin Williams. Williams is slowly emerging into one of the best closers in today’s game. After a 15-save campaign last year and an All-Star nod, Williams is back in the All-Star role and has a new personal best with 26 saves. The righty has a 1.56 ERA and a 5-2 record in 41 games.
He also has a stellar 2.81 FIP, 59 strikeouts, and an impressive 0.992 WHIP. With an ever-evolving four-pitch mix, Williams does an impressive job of closing down games when called upon.
Thoughts on the Defense
Looking at the Milwaukee Brewers defense, they are in the top five for most statistics. The Brew Crew are fifth in the NL for fewest errors (47) and fifth-best in fielding percentage (.987). GM Matt Arnold has built this team around strong pitching and defense, and the results show it.
Milwaukee Brewers Schedule: Best/Statement Win/Worst Loss
Looking back at the Brewers schedule, their statement win for the 2023 season came back on May 8. That day, they beat the Los Angeles Dodgers by a final count of 9-3. The win looks more impressive now that the Dodgers are in first place.
Conversely, the Brewers’ worst loss also came at home. Back on May 26, they got thumped by the San Francisco Giants by a score of 15-1.
Final Thoughts on the Mid-Season Recap
Overall, 2023 has been a year of ups and downs for the Milwaukee Brewers. And in a tightly-contested NL Central division, the Brew Crew are looking for something to be consistent. Their offense is struggling, but the pitching is a steady unit.
If the Brewers want to make a serious run for the playoffs, they will need to pull off a big splash to boost their offense. What they do is up to them. Acquiring 1b Carlos Santana is a good start, but they could use more. But only time will tell which way Milwaukee goes.
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Nate Powalie is a contributor for Back Sports Page. A 2022 graduate of Ashland University (Ashland, Ohio), Nate has five years of sports writing experience, and has gotten the chance to call sporting events for radio and live stream. Nate can be found on Twitter (@PNate22) and Facebook (Nate Powalie).
