2 Brewers who are already earning more playing time, 2 who deserve less

Although the Milwaukee Brewers have righted the ship with back-to-back wins against the Detroit Tigers, they continue to hover around the .500 mark, and mediocrity won’t cut it in a competitive NL Central where every game matters.

For a team chasing a third straight division title, the margin for error is razor-thin, and the Brewers are going to need to make some tough decisions. Some players have stepped up and made the most of their opportunities, flashing the kind of production that demands more playing time. Others? Not so much. Let’s break down who’s earning their stripes — and who might be playing their way out of a regular role.

2 Brewers who are already earning more playing time

1B/DH Jake Bauers

Let’s be clear: this isn’t a campaign to hand Jake Bauers the everyday first base role in Milwaukee. But if you're watching closely, his early-season performance is getting harder to ignore.

Bauers had a quietly strong spring, and now that the regular season is underway, he’s showing flashes of being more than just a bench bat. Through limited action, he's posted up a .788 OPS — not eye-popping, but certainly worthy of more than the mere 20 plate appearances Bauers has been awarded so far.

With Hoskins starting to heat up after a sluggish start, Bauers' at-bats will likely come as the DH or in games where Hoskins slides to DH and Bauers mans first base. In either case, this would require Christian Yelich to play the field, which he has shown he's capable of doing even after his offseason back surgery.

RHP Chad Patrick

Chad Patrick wasn’t even supposed to be here. Coming into the season, he was more of an afterthought in the Brewers' pitching plans — a depth piece in the minors, not a rotation regular. But baseball rarely goes according to plan, and when injuries hit the rotation hard, Patrick stepped in and made the most of his opportunity.

Across four appearances — including three starts — Patrick has been a revelation. He’s sporting a 1.76 ERA over 15.1 innings with 13 strikeouts, giving the Brewers exactly the kind of stability they desperately needed. Sure, the 14.1% walk rate raises some eyebrows, and the command still needs refinement. But when a guy shows this kind of poise under pressure, you don’t overthink it.

At this point, there’s no debate: Chad Patrick has earned a spot in the rotation until further notice.

2 Brewers who deserve less playing time

RHP Joel Payamps

There’s no sugarcoating this — Payamps has been a mess to start the 2025 season.

The right-hander has allowed multiple runs in three of his eight appearances, including two brutal outings where he was tagged for five earned runs in just two-thirds of an inning. His last two times out? Seven runs allowed while recording just three outs.

Now carrying an inflated 19.06 ERA, Payamps looks nothing like the steady late-inning presence the Brewers were counting on. Whether it’s mechanical issues, confidence, or something else entirely, something is clearly off — and the margin for error is shrinking fast. If this trend continues, Milwaukee may be forced to reevaluate his role in the bullpen.

2B Vinny Capra

Vinny Capra was the rave of Brewers camp this spring. The utility infielder turned heads by launching a team-leading six home runs and driving in 14 runs across 16 Cactus League games, all while slashing .292/.358/.729. His performance was big enough to earn him a spot on the Opening Day roster, with fans and analysts alike wondering if Milwaukee had unearthed a hidden gem.

But just a few weeks into the regular season, that spring buzz is starting to feel like a mirage. Through his first 12 games, Capra has looked completely overmatched at the plate. In 31 at-bats, he’s collected just three hits — one of which was a home run early in the campaign that briefly stoked excitement. Outside of that flash, his bat has gone ice cold. He's slashing a meager .097/.125/.194 with 10 strikeouts, giving him a strikeout rate north of 31%.

What complicates matters even further for Milwaukee is that Capra is out of minor league options. That means if the Brewers want to remove him from the active roster, they’ll have to designate him for assignment — exposing him to waivers and potentially losing him for next to nothing.

The clock is ticking, and Capra’s spring magic is wearing off fast. Unless he can turn things around quickly, the Brewers may be forced to make a tough decision. Should they carry an unproductive bat? Or cut bait on a spring standout who just might be a Quad-A player in disguise?

As the Brewers try to stay afloat in a competitive division, it’s clear that standing pat isn’t an option. The early part of the season has revealed both resilience and concern, and if Milwaukee wants to be playing meaningful baseball in September, they’ll need to lean into what’s working — and make bold calls on what isn’t. With reinforcements on the way and roles still very much in flux, the Brewers’ ability to adapt could ultimately define their season.