2 ways Brewers could improve on their 2025 season in 2026, 1 area they might regress

The 2026 season is right around the corner for the Milwaukee Brewers, who enter the year aiming to build on last season’s momentum after securing their third straight division title, earning the No. 1 seed in the playoffs with baseball’s best record, and making a run to the NLCS.

That said, every season comes with its own obstacles and challenges, and if they hope to reach the postseason with a chance at the franchise’s first World Series, they’ll need to be ready to overcome them. Here we take a look at two ways in which the Brewers may improve compared to last season, and one area where they may regress.

Confidence in the speed and power potential of the Brewers' lineup remains high as questions of rotation inexperience loom

Area of improvement: Stolen bases

Over the past two seasons, the Brewers were already among the league’s best at stealing bases, so how can they take it a step further? To provide context, they led the National League last year with 164 steals, though they finished 30 behind the Tampa Bay Rays for the MLB lead. In 2024, they swiped 217 bases, second only to the Washington Nationals’ 234, making it clear that in 2026, a return to the 200-steal mark should be the goal.

Improving in the stolen base department is certainly within reach. Last year, Brice Turang led the team despite finishing with about half the 50 steals he recorded in 2024. Jackson Chourio, who missed a month, ranked second and was the only other player to reach the 20-stolen base mark. If both of them, along with proven base stealers like Sal Frelick and Christian Yelich, can get back over the 20-steal mark, surpassing 200 as a team should be well within reach, especially with the addition of the speedy David Hamilton to the mix this season.

Area of regression: Innings covered by starting pitchers

After constant shuffling in the starting rotation due to injuries last season, the Brewers ended up with the fifth-fewest innings from their starters in all of baseball at 807.1. Interestingly, the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers finished even lower at 783.1 innings, highlighting just how critical strong bullpen management and reliable relievers are to sustaining success over a full season.

This year, the hope is that injuries won’t play as big of a role, but inexperience and workload management will still be factors as several young pitchers are likely to reach career-high innings totals. That could point to another dip in innings from the starting rotation in 2026, though Pat Murphy has shown he can successfully navigate those challenges.

Area of improvement: Home runs

Over the past two seasons, the Brewers have “Murph-balled” their way to 190 regular-season wins, fielding the sixth- and third-highest scoring offenses in the league during that span, despite not relying heavily on the long ball. That offensive approach should remain in place in 2026, but expect an uptick in total home runs this season.

With Chourio another year more mature, Turang having tapped into his power, Yelich back in form, William Contreras past the finger issue that limited his slugging, and Andrew Vaughn poised for a full season with the team, Milwaukee looks primed to hit more home runs in 2026. The Brewers haven’t topped 200 homers in a season since 2022, but this could be the year they get back to that mark, adding another element to their potent offense.