One of the frequent discussion points surrounding Milwaukee in recent seasons has been to what extent their lineup can find the home run power necessary to succeed in the playoffs. That problem seemed like it might resurface with the loss of Willy Adames this past offseason, who provided the team with 32 home runs last year. Instead the Brewers have been one of the most prolific offenses in the league this year with a surprising slugging output from some unexpected sources. Is it enough to elevate the Brewers’ playoff expectations?
In 2024, the Brewers finished 16th in the league in home runs. They struggled in the first half of this season, ranking 23rd. Yet as the season has progressed, the lineup has increasingly shapeshifted into a legitimate power threat. They’ve been one of the best teams in baseball partly due to their 29 home runs in the second half, ranking 14th.
It’s not that a ranking near the middle of the pack is anything exceptional, but that the lineup has power spread out throughout the lineup in a way that it didn’t before. It starts with players like Brice Turang, who suddenly is acting like he’s in a home run derby. He already has a career-high 11 home runs this season with a 112 wRC+, a significant step up from his 89 mark last season. Turang is already an elite defender with great bat-to-ball skills and speed on the basepaths. His ability to make such an improvement in his batted ball quality this season, an increase in barrel rate from 2.4% to 7%, is an alteration that could truly make him one of the most well-rounded players in baseball.
Sal Frelick, another returning player known for his speed and defense, has a career-high 8 home runs. His profile has improved in nearly every area. His hard-hit rate is up from 19.4% to 27.1%; his batting average is up from .259 to .291; his strikeout rate is a career-low 13.2%. Frelick isn’t an exceptional power threat, but this added thump builds in extra distribution throughout the lineup of players capable of making the most of the disciplined plate approach that seems to be a tenet of the team’s philosophy.
Rookie Isaac Collins is another unexpected performer providing a lot of pop for a lineup more known for its rallies and stolen bases. Since the start of July, he has posted a 47.7% hard-hit rate, which ranks first among all outfielders in that time span. While it is always worthwhile to exercise caution in judging a rookie’s ceiling, especially a player making his debut at a much older age than usual, Collins’ impact on this lineup is undeniable. Toss in an impressive plate approach, a heavy pull-side approach, and a constant improvement throughout this season, and it becomes easier to believe that Collins will be able to maximize his power output.
Christian Yelich and William Contreras are two veterans on the team most expected to help the team with their home run potential and they’ve fulfilled that expectation.
Yelich is having an interesting season, both in good and bad ways. His 120 wRC+ is a substantial drop from his 154 mark last season, as well as striking out nearly 10% more of the time. But despite these struggles, he’s been a reliable power hitter, leading the team with 22 home runs. It’s a personal best for Yelich since 2019 when he hit a whopping 44 home runs. He isn’t cracking into the top tier of the MVP race with this season, but it’s a remarkable increase year-over-year. Yelich hadn’t even managed a 20-home run season in the intervening years, and now he’s on pace to push 30 in 2025.
As the Brewers’ offense has evolved this season, the return of form from Contreras has been just as important as breakouts like Collins. At the end of June, Contreras had six home runs and a 103 wRC+ through 336 plate appearances. After his prolific season last year, it was a disappointing start to the season. He’s rebounded since then, in nearly half the time with 154 plate appearances, hitting another six home runs with a 132 wRC+. Contreras is making much better contact with the ball, hitting fewer grounders, and notably doing much better against fastballs.
All of these developments, throughout the lineup, paint a portrait of a Milwaukee offense that could finally break through and find success in the playoffs. If power has been a concern in the past, one unique strength of this year’s Brewers team is that there appears to be a greater depth of hitters capable of hitting double-digit home run seasons. The team’s recent success has catapulted them into national conversation, and for good reason. If the offense finally becomes a comprehensive, robust threat throughout the lineup, they might be able to make some more noise when the playoffs roll around.