The Milwaukee Brewers look like they’re up to their usual tricks to begin the 2026 campaign.
Off to a 4-1 start, the Brewers are getting contributions up and down their scrappy roster. But even at this early juncture, we can acknowledge that some players have more favorable standings with the club than others.
To some Brewers, a hot start is less of a luxury and more of a mandate. These players, in particular, have everything to gain and a lot to lose by continuing the good work they’ve accrued through the first five games.
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1. Outfielder Brandon Lockridge
Lockridge may have been the biggest surprise on the opening day roster, though the surprise was somewhat nullified when Jackson Chourio hit the injured list with a hand fracture. And when Chourio comes back, an outfielder is headed to Triple-A.
Fortunately for Lockridge, Blake Perkins seems to be the odd man out at the moment, but in the next few weeks, the two could theoretically flip-flop if their offensive stats reverse. There’s also Luis Matos, the Brewers’ newest big-leaguer, but he doesn’t qualify for this list because he doesn’t even have an at-bat yet.
2. Reliever Jake Woodford 
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jake Woodford (41) pitches during the ninth inning of the Opening Day game against the Chicago White Sox on Thursday March 26, 2026 at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. | Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Woodford, acquired in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays right before opening day, has four strikeouts and only two baserunners allowed in his first three innings with his new ballclub. His inclusion on the roster right now coincides with some very talented, big-league caliber pitchers being stuck in Triple-A.
If Woodford keeps his WHIP below one, he’ll have nothing to worry about. But even though most are starters, the likes of Robert Gasser, Easton McGee, Logan Henderson, and Shane Drohan all want spots on this pitching staff quite badly.
3. Outfielder/first baseman Jake Bauers
Mar 26, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Jake Bauers (9) hits a 3-run home run in the seventh inning against the Chicago White Sox at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
This one is cheating a bit because Bauers won’t lose his roster spot whenever Andrew Vaughn returns from a broken hamate bone. But Vaughn seemed to have won the starting job with his work at the tail end of last year, and Bauers is currently getting a second chance to prove he deserves something close to a starter’s workload.
A similar case could be made here for Gary Sánchez, whose opportunities against left-handed pitchers drastically increased with Vaughn on the injured list. And