Milwaukee Brewers: Studs and Duds from the Month of May

In May, the wins kept coming for the Milwaukee Brewers as the team went 17-12 for the month and improved their overall record to 32-19 for the 2022 season.

To begin the season, the Brewers got off to their third best start in franchise history during the month of April in terms of winning percentage. By game 50, they had 32 wins. This marked the best start in franchise history, surpassing the 2018 Brewers team that had 31 wins.

Impressively, the Brewers did this despite the injury bug hitting hard. In May alone, Andrew McCutchen spent time on the Covid-IL, Josh Hader was absent due to a family emergency, and Jake Cousins, Willy Adames, Hunter Renfroe, Freddy Peralta, and Brandon Woodruff were all injured.

Between injuries and a tough schedule, the depth of the Brewers organization was tested greatly during the month of May. This presented additional opportunities for players who were healthy to step up. Some accepted the challenge, while others struggled to get through the month.

Here is a look at the studs and duds for the Milwaukee Brewers from the month of May.

Brewers May Stud: Corbin Burnes

Corbin Burnes was an innings eater during the month of May as he pitched a team best 39 innings. Of his six starts, he went six innings on three occasions and seven innings on the remaining three. He also had just a 2.08 ERA and struck out 45 batters.

With Woodruff and Peralta injured and off days hard to come by, Burnes reliably working deep into games was important. He also did so against some more potent offenses as he faced the Braves twice as well as the Padres and Cardinals once each.

Brewers May Stud: Tyrone Taylor

It is hard to imagine where the Brewers would be without Tyrone Taylor getting hot in the middle of May. During a stretch of seven games from May 18th to May 26th, he collected at least one RBI in every game and had 12 overall during that time. For the entire month, Taylor drove in 21 runs.

Along with contributing offensively, Taylor did a good job flashing the leather as well. He certainly has made his case to see an increase in playing time going forward, so it should be interesting to see what he can do with it.

Brewers May Dud: Lorenzo Cain

In what could potentially be his last season, center fielder Lorenzo Cain has been ice cold at the plate to begin 2022. His batting average currently sits below the “Mendoza Line” and his OPS is just a few decimal points above .500.

Defensively, Cain still provides great value. At 36 years old, he still roams the outfield as good as anybody. But with how much he has struggled combined with the emergence of Taylor, we may be getting to the point where Cain becomes a defensive replacement late in games.

Brewers May Stud: Aaron Ashby

Due to injuries in the starting rotation, Aaron Ashby moved out of the swingman’s role and into the starting rotation at the end of May. Upon entering the rotation, he made two starts in which he covered 11.2 innings, allowed one earned run, and struck out 17. His 12-strikeout game against the Cubs on Memorial Day was a career high for him.

So far Ashby has filled in nicely with Peralta and Woodruff sidelined. Peralta is expected to be out until at least August, so if Ashby continues to pitch well, he should continue to draw starts. His ability to limit free passes will be one area to watch as he continues to pitch.

Brewers May Stud, Honorable Mention: Rowdy Tellez

First baseman Rowdy Tellez, who was the NL player of the week early in May, is an honorable mention in the stud category. The lefty had 23 RBI’s in the month with eight of them coming in one game.

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For Brewer fans, you have to be pleased with the team’s results. They have battled through the adversity of injuries and a very tough and road heavy schedule.  Hopefully they can keep things rolling in June.