2 Brewers who've played their way onto Opening Day roster, 2 who played their way off

Spring training is starting to wind down now and the Milwaukee Brewers are seemingly well on their way to figuring out their Opening Day roster. Despite some high profile losses this offseason, Milwaukee entered camp with most of their roster pretty well determined with only a few genuine battles for spots to sort out.

However, the competitions the Brewers have had have seen some really interesting names rise to the surface. Unfortunately, that also means a few names that we thought were going to be in the running have fallen off for one reason or another.

Here are the Brewers players that have won (and lost) Opening Day roster spots during spring training

Manager Pat Murphy has been extremely clear that he plans on utilizing the entirety of spring training to make his decisions on the Brewers' roster, so things can still change here. Players can get dinged up and decisions elsewhere on the roster can have weird top-down effects that could lead Milwaukee to changing their minds on who to carry. The goal here is also to talk about players who are still in camp, so you won't see Jacob Misiorowski appear on this list as an example as he was already sent back over to minor league camp.

Here is a look at the Brewers players who seem to now have an inside track for an Opening Day roster spot as well as a couple guys that have seen their chances dwindle.

Mark Canha - Winner

Okay, this one is weird because the Brewers just brought Canha back and he hasn't actually played in spring training yet. How could he have "played" his way on Milwaukee's Opening Day roster? That is a fair question, but the timing of Canha's signing suggests that the Brewers felt like he was needed compared to their other options and could be heavily favored to get carried on the roster when the season starts.

Canha isn't the same player he once was, but he is a guy that can provide some pop at the plate as a first baseman, DH, or be trusted in a pinch-hitting spot. With some of the Brewers' options for their extra bench spot falling off in camp (more on that in a minute), it would be an upset if Canha didn't make the roster at this point.

Vinny Capra - Winner

For some, Vinny Capra's torrid spring has been more a fun story than something that could have real implications on Milwaukee's big league roster. However, after posting a 1.294 OPS so far in spring training, it now feels like Capra may have actually earned an opportunity to see if this offensive outburst is anywhere close to real.

In addition to playing out of his mind this spring, Capra is also out of minor league options. When compared to other options like Caleb Durbin or Andruw Monasterio who do have options, it actually makes sense from a depth to keep Capra and send someone else down to the minors while seeing if he can keep this up. The odds are that he can't in which case the Brewers can give him a try and if that fails, pivot to one of their other remaining internal options.

Tyler Black - Loser

It really seemed like Tyler Black was heavily favored to make Milwaukee's roster coming into camp. That was certainly the buzz at the time and with his prospect pedigree and experience in the minors, Black seemed like a strong candidate to provide some playing time at either of the infield corners or even as a designated hitter in a pinch.

However, Black's performance this spring has left a lot to be desired. After slashing .091/.286/.091 in eight games so far this spring, the case for carrying Black has taken quite the hit. With Canha, Capra, and Caleb Durbin all looking like safer/more productive/more versatile options than Black, it seems like he will have to go back to the minors to earn an opportunity later on.

Elvin Rodriguez - Loser

The Brewers' rotation had a real opportunity for at least one arm if they performed well enough. While Brandon Woodruff is on track to return relatively quickly, there is no guarantee he will be ready for the start of the season and the back end of Milwaukee's rotation is pretty speculative at the moment. One name that was a late entrant to the Brewers' pool of options was Elvin Rodriguez who was signed in January after a strong showing in Japan in 2024.

Rodriguez may have gotten a bit of a reprieve if Tobias Myers' injury proves to be a bigger problem than it currently appears to be. Based purely on merit, Rodriguez hasn't helped his own cause as he has posted a 9 ERA in five innings of work this spring. A very small sample to be sure, but he did need to show something this spring and the early results have been anything but exciting.

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