Brewers' Struggling Rookie Under Pressure Amid Jackson Chourio Uncertainty

Sep 5, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Isaac Collins (6) in the batting cage before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Jackson Chourio waiting game continues for the Milwaukee Brewers.

After leaving Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the Chicago Cubs early with a hamstring injury, Chourio underwent an MRI on Sunday. Heading into Monday's Game 2, though, that MRI did little to determine how much time, if any, the 21-year-old will miss in this postseason run.

One thing is for certain, though. Everyone will need to be ready to step up in case Chourio can't go, or if he isn't the peak version of himself. And no one will be under more pressure in the event of any missed time than his replacement, rookie Isaac Collins.

Brewers still unclear on Chourio timeline

Oct 4, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Jackson Chourio (11) leaves the game after an apparent injury during the second inning of game one of the NLDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Whether Chourio starts on Monday still appears inconclusive, and for that matter, it's not guaranteed he'll appear at all in the remainder of the series.

"It’s not a serious hamstring strain, but it’s not necessarily something that won’t limit him," manager Pat Murphy said, per Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. "We’re going to kind of see how he feels. He’s going to go through some testing, and if he feels anything, we’re going to shut it down.”

The 28-year-old Collins looked to be a top Rookie of the Year candidate for much of the season, and he was fantastic in August while Chourio was on the injured list. But a tricky September brought him back to earth a bit, and he saw his playing time diminished on a crowded Milwaukee outfield depth chart.

In 130 games, Collins slashed .263/.368/.411, good for a 118 OPS+. The Brewers were lucky to have a bat like that waiting in the wings in case an injury happened, but Chourio has shown the capacity to catch lightning in a bottle in October, going 8-for-14 in his young postseason career.

Game 2 starts at 8:08 p.m. CT, so the Brewers still have some time to work out Chourio today and figure out if he's good to go. Picking up a 2-0 series lead would obviously be massive, and Collins could play a key role in the game's outcome if he's thrust into action.

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