2026 MLB First-Half Recap: Milwaukee Brewers

The Pitching

The Good

Milwaukee, over the last four years, has moved on from many familiar names who’ve headlined the pitching staff. And yet, the Brewers’ pitching factory rolls on, as Milwaukee ranked second in the MLB in total strikeouts. Only the Phillies had more entering the break.

Jacob Misiorowski, in his second big-league season, helped keep the machine going. Misorowski was, arguably, the best starter in the Majors heading into the break. Through 18 starts, Misiorowski struck out a league-high 167 batters, thanks in large part to fastball velocity we’ve never really seen consistently in the “Statcast” era.

But it takes more than just one pitcher to make a rotation click. And perhaps the best story, aside from Misiorowski, was Kyle Harrison. Harrison was acquired from the Red Sox in February as part of the deal that saw Caleb Durbin go to Boston. Once a touted prospect in the Giants’ system, Harrison struck out 101 over 83 IP and posted a stellar 3.01 ERA.

Harrison made some tweaks to his delivery. His arm angle has risen slightly, as the delivery, overall, isn’t as crossfire-like as it was last season. Overall, the changes have made a world of difference for the lefty, who just a few years ago was one of baseball’s top pitching prospects.

Yet again, the Brewers’ bullpen was impressive in the first half, as Trevor Megill & Abner Uribe were the glue for Milwaukee in the late innings. Among relievers with 25+ appearances this season, the two each had opponents’ wOBA figures in the top 20 across the league.

As for the offense, the Brewers, over the course of the last three years, have not been a home run-hitting team. Rather, Milwaukee is content with grinding opposing pitchers with long at-bats, speed, and putting the ball in play.

Now, that doesn’t mean there’s no power on the Brewers. From June 1 onward, Brice Turang and Jackson Chourio were tied for the third-most extra-base hits (21) in the Majors. Turang had seven home runs in that span, while Jackson Chourio cracked 11. But it goes deeper than that.

Milwaukee had two hitters, Sal Frelick and William Contreras, in the top 20 in terms of lowest K%. Turang and Jake Bauers entered the break with two of the 21 best BB%. Bauers, with an .881 OPS, has been a revelation this year. A favorite among the analytics community for years, Bauers hit 18 home runs this season.

He’s also shaken the notion of being a platoon-only hitter. Against left-handed pitchers, Bauers slashed .253/.341/.468 in 91 plate appearances.

The Bad

Milwaukee only had three starting pitchers make at least 10 starts this season: Misiorowski, Harrison, and rookie Brandon Sproat.

Sproat, acquired over the winter for Freddy Peralta, had a reputation for being a pitcher who can limit well-hit contact thanks to a heavy sinker and complementary secondary stuff. However, Sproat posted a 1.65 HR/9, among the 15 worst figures in the Majors over the first half.

It also hasn’t helped that Brandon Woodruff and Logan Henderson, expected to be significant pieces for the rotation, have dealt with injuries. This has become a recurring theme for Woodruff, who was placed on the IL with shoulder inflammation in May after his velocity dipped significantly.

Looking Ahead

If there was a year for the Brewers to go for it — and by that, I mean potentially add a big piece via a trade — this would be the year.

Milwaukee, yet again, is on top of the NL Central and looks primed for another playoff run. And with a deep farm system, the Brewers could add and still be fine for the long-term.

However, there are things to watch for the second half. Namely, how the Brewers handle Jacob Misiorowski, who was scratched just two days before the All-Star Game.