Brewers Face 'One Big Question' That Could Hurt Their Season

The Brewers have a big question ahead...

Sep 10, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; General view of the helmet used by the Milwaukee Brewers before the start of the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images | Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Brewers currently have a 35-32 record and are in third place in the National League Central.

Milwaukee is 6-4 over its last 10 games and has started to look like the team many hoped it would be. There's a lot to like about this Brewers team right now, but there are things to work on as well. That isn't shocking for a team that is just three games above .500.

The Brewers have plenty of talent on their hands and one thing that could help get the team in the right direction is if shortstop Joey Ortiz can turn his season around. Last year, he finished the season with 2.7 wins above replacement. He slashed .239/.329/.398 with 11 homers, 60 RBIs, 11 stolen bases, and 25 doubles in 142 games played.

The 2025 season has been a different story. He currently is at -0.9 wins above replacement. Ortiz is slashing .183/.257/.248 with two homers, nine RBIs, and seven doubles in 65 games.

The Athletic shared their new power rankings and had the Brewers tied for No. 14 while also saying their "one big question" is whether Oritz can turn it around.

"One big question: Can Joey Ortiz salvage his sophomore season? A key piece of the deal that sent Corbin Burnes to Baltimore a season ago, Ortiz has not been the same player since returning from a neck injury in mid-2024 (.817 OPS through July 1 vs. a .637 OPS after July 14)," The Athletic's Johnny Flores Jr. said. "This year, his .497 OPS has not been the stuff expected of an everyday player, and his underlying stats (barrel rate, hard-hit rate, average exit velocity, etc.) all rank in the bottom of the league.

"Among qualified shortstops, his -0.4 fWAR is 87th in the league … there are 91 qualified players. His defense has been good, but it’s certainly not enough to keep him in an everyday role. Can he turn things around, or do the Brewers need to give him a break at Triple A to refine his mechanics?"

Will he find it again?

More MLB: Ex-Brewers 7-Year MLB Veteran Quietly Signed With White Sox