As we hit Tuesday we head back to the NL Central to cover the Brewers. This a team that has run this division for some time but unfortunately fell short of winning the championship they were seemingly built for. With their window closing it seems the front office is finally pulling the plug and beginning a rebuild that will likely be a lengthy one. The rebuild began with trading Corbin Burnes to the Orioles and there will likely be more to follow him in the exodus. Injured Brandon Woodruff recently signed a two-year extension and veteran first baseman Rhys Hoskins signed as a free agent from the Phillies. Let’s dig into what will make this season a success in Milwaukee.

Keys to Success

1. Good Return on Investments at the Deadline: This may seem like an odd one but with the Brewers entering a full scale rebuild, the most important thing for them is to recoup large scale return on potential trade pieces. While they did just extend Brandon Woodruff and bring in Hoskins, the two of them along with Willy Adames, Joel Payamps and Devin Williams would be highly sought after trade deadline targets. Woodruff’s injury complicates matters as they could look to deal him, but that is a story worth monitoring. They didn’t get great return for Corbin Burnes, so recovering that with the rest is critical for the success of this rebuild.

2. The Kids Are Alright: While the eventual fire sale needs to work out, what is perhaps even more important for the Brewers is their current young players delivering on this season. Jackson Chourio, Garrett Mitchell, Brice Turang, and Sal Frelick (shown in order above) make up a new core of position players that the Brewers are hoping will be a feature for a long time. If these players succeed, they can return to competition much faster.

3. DL Delivers: The aforementioned Corbin Burnes trade with the Orioles didn’t net the Brew Crew much, but the centerpiece of that trade needs to come through. With young lefty start DL Hall coming to Wisconsin, they need him to come through to kick start the retooling of a once proud Brewers staff. If Hall comes through, he can be the first building block on the pitching side of Milwaukee.

The Lineup

1. Christian Yelich DH

2. William Contreras C

3. Sal Frelick CF

4. Rhys Hoskins 1B

5. Willy Adames SS

6. Garrett Mitchell LF

7. Jackson Chourio LF

8. Brice Turang 2B

9. Joseph Ortiz 3B

The Staff

1. Brandon Woodruff (when healthy)

2. Freddy Peralta

3. Wade Miley

4. Jake Junis

5. DL Hall

Closer: Devin Williams

The Prediction

73 Wins

While there are some interesting pieces on this roster, I don’t see this team being relevant in the second half. Expect Milwaukee to sell high on their marquee chips as they try to kickstart a rebuild. At least there is good news for the Brewers, they’ll be staying in Milwaukee for a long time to come per their new lease.

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