The Milwaukee Brewers quietly had one of the best regular seasons in baseball, going 97–65 with a +172 run differential and a third straight National League Central title before getting swept by the Dodgers in the NLCS. The core is largely intact, but they head to the Winter Meetings knowing the margins still need work.
Insurance at shortstop.
Joey Ortiz gave Milwaukee elite defense in 2025, ranking in the 98th percentile with +13 Outs Above Average. But among qualified hitters, he finished with the lowest OPS and wRC+ in the league. The Brewers don’t need to replace him outright, but they do need another legitimate shortstop option. Perhaps that's sliding Brice Turang over, adding a stopgap, or exploring trade fits like Taylor Walls, so they’re not one prolonged slump away from a black hole at a premium spot.Add real power to a contact-heavy lineup.
Even with 97 wins, Milwaukee still finished in the lower third of MLB in home runs, and its overall contact quality lagged behind other contenders. Rhys Hoskins is headed to free agency after the Brewers declined his mutual option, removing one of their few reliable sources of slug. Jake Bauers is returning on a one-year deal, but he profiles more as depth than a middle-order threat. A left-handed first baseman or corner bat with legitimate pop — someone in the Ryan O’Hearn tier — belongs near the top of their Winter Meetings shopping list.Reinforce a young rotation
The Brewers’ run prevention machine leans on young arms and a pitching lab that squeezes value out of everyone. With Freddy Peralta rumored to be too expensive and being explored as trade bait, they could add here via free agency. They could use another stable mid-rotation starter as an ideal complement, like Chris Bassitt or Merrill Kelly.
Milwaukee doesn’t have to overhaul anything. The trick is making two or three targeted moves that translate another division crown into a deeper October.
