3 Brewers who've already proven they don't belong on roster after May 1

The Milwaukee Brewers may have stumbled out of the gate, but they've shown surprising resilience in righting the ship. Despite opening the season with a punishing series against the New York Yankees — one that ballooned their run differential to -16 — the Brewers have managed to climb into second place in the National League Central. It's still early, but the turnaround has been a testament to their resilience.

This early-season turnaround speaks volumes about the clubhouse chemistry and the team’s ability to stay unified and adapt under pressure. Instead of spiraling, Milwaukee has found ways to win games, stringing together just enough consistency to keep pace in a division anticipated to be wide open.

But beneath the encouraging record lies an inconvenient truth: not everyone on this roster has lived up to their billing. Let’s take a look at the players whose early struggles are raising eyebrows.

3 Brewers who've already proven they don't belong on roster after May 1

2B Vinny Capra

The darling of spring training, Vinny Capra was one of the feel-good stories for the Brewers. A journeyman grinding through the minor leagues for years, Capra finally looked like he was putting it all together. In 19 spring games, he crushed six home runs and drove in 14 runs while slashing an impressive .292/.358/.729 — leading many to believe he had punched his ticket to the big leagues for good.

But that same magic hasn’t carried over. Through eight regular-season appearances, Capra has gone just 3-for-23 at the plate with a lone home run and three RBIs. His slash line now sits at an anemic .130/.130/.261. He's not striking out a ton, which is a good thing. Still, the lack of offensive production puts him squarely at the bottom of the depth chart.

If another bat starts knocking on the door from Triple-A, Capra will easily become the odd man out in a position-player shuffle.

RHP Elvin Rodriguez

Elvin Rodriguez wasn’t supposed to be a key part of the Brewers' rotation this early, but a wave of injuries forced the team’s hand. Thrust into the rotation, Rodriguez has struggled to rise to the occasion.

In two starts, he’s posted an 0–2 record while allowing 11 earned runs across just nine innings. His debut against Kansas City was rough — four earned runs over four innings. But things got worse against a Reds lineup that has struggled to score runs all year. Rodriguez got smacked for seven earned runs in five innings.

He was always part of the emergency plan, and as the Brewers begin to get healthier in their rotation, Rodriguez’s time with the big-league club could be coming to a swift end.

LHP Connor Thomas

Left-hander Connor Thomas didn’t get much time to make an impression — unfortunately for him, the impression he did make wasn’t a good one. In just two relief appearances, Thomas was absolutely shelled.

In his debut against the Yankees on March 29, Thomas allowed eight earned runs on six hits over two innings. His next outing wasn’t much better, as he gave up four more runs in 3.1 innings during a lopsided loss to the Reds.

Now on the injured list, Thomas will need to do more than just get healthy — he’ll have to regain trust. Whether he returns to the bullpen mix this season remains to be seen, but one thing’s clear: the leash will be short when (or if) he gets another shot.

The Brewers' ability to stay afloat in the standings has been impressive, but if they want to keep it going, they’ll need more from the fringes of their roster. Players like Capra and Rodriguez may not be everyday starters, but in a long MLB season, depth often makes the difference. Right now, that depth is being tested.