A major key for the Milwaukee Brewers to keep pace in the National League Central this year will be the true breakout for outfielder Jackson Chourio.
It’s easy to forget, because we’ve seen him for two regular seasons and playoff runs already, but Chourio doesn’t turn 22 until next month. And it’s not as though he’s been bad by any means in his first two seasons; he just hasn’t blossomed into a superstar yet.
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That star turn could easily be coming this season, and credit to one Brewers expert who pointed out a simple way the youngster could make that happen.
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Brewers need Chourio to come out of the gates better
Oct 14, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers right fielder Jackson Chourio (11) reacts to striking out against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fifth inning during game two of the NLCS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
On Tuesday, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel identified Chourio’s two-month slow starts in each of his first two seasons as a primary culprit behind his lack of superstar stature at this point — because from June on, he’s pretty much been that guy in boths seasons.
“It wasn’t quite as drastic as 2024 when his OPS sat at .582 on June 1, but Chourio entered the final day of May last season with a .691 OPS (and .272 OBP),” wrote Hogg.
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“As the Brewers seek a leap from Chourio in Year 3, it will be paramount that the soon-to-be 22-year old begins the season with a firm plan at the plate.”
Of course, Chourio’s hamstring injury last summer cost him most of August, so the numbers are a bit skewed. But in his small sample thus far, he has a career OPS of .803 in June, .945 in July, and .996 in August. Then, in the playoffs, that number jumps to 1.044.
It’s not about accentuating the good months for Chourio as much as it is minimizing the bad ones. And young players in particular tend to experience either slow starts or sluggish finished — so credit to Chourio, at least, for picking the better of the two options so far.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/brewers/onsi as Brewers’ Jackson Chourio Has Simple Formula to Emerge As Superstar.