Five Underrated Heroes of the 2021 Milwaukee Brewers

Brewers Underrated Hero #4: Avisail Garcia

It’s not crazy to say that the team leader in hits, home runs and runs batted in is important to the team but does Avi Garcia really get credit for how crucial he has been to team success this year?

Not only is Avisail Garcia leading the Crew in home runs, but the 24 he’s hit this year is also a career high, Avi is also just four runs batted in shy of his career high 80 back when he was an all-star in 2017.

Avisail Garcia is second on the Milwaukee Brewers in games played with 113 to only Luis Urias and the best ability is availability, while the Brewers have dealt with stints on the injured list by Christian Yelich, Lorenzo Cain and currently Tyrone Taylor, one guy Craig Counsell has always been able to count on is Avisail Garcia.

The Brewers were banking on Yelich and Keston Hiura providing the bulk of the power production in the middle of the lineup this year. That clearly has not happened. With the two biggest power hitters on the team not hitting like they were expected to, that left a void that could’ve sunk this team’s playoff aspirations. But Garcia stepped up to fill that void.

His career season has been flying under the radar to many while his contributions have been invaluable.

Brewers Underrated Hero #3: Jace Peterson

Jace Peterson provides value as a utility player available to Craig Counsell to plug in when a regular starter needs a day off, but with the acquisitions of other players like Willy Adames, Rowdy Tellez and Eduardo Escobar the Brewers haven’t needed Peterson as often.

However, Peterson has forced Counsell to give him more playing time as Peterson has found himself number one on the Brewers in on base percentage at .395! Albeit in limited time as Jace has only appeared in 67 games but getting on base nearly 40% of the time cannot be ignored, and Peterson has earned such nicknames as “Jace on Base.”

On the reverse, Jace Peterson has proven himself a useful and versatile defender, playing every position but catcher and center field, (yes, he even pitched an inning) often filling in for players when they are hurt, giving Craig Counsell and the Milwaukee Brewers the luxury of being able to be overcautious with injuries sustained to players like the aforementioned Willy Adames and Eduardo Escobar by having a capable utility player to plug in and still get production.

He’s prone to some hot and cold stretches with the bat, but that ability to draw walks and still get on base has been consistent, and has usually been able to come through in big situations.