3 Brewers who won't survive on the roster when team's injured players return

The Milwaukee Brewers are currently navigating the early part of the 2026 season without three key pieces of their offense. Both Jackson Chourio, who landed on the IL just hours before the Brewers' first game of the season, and Andrew Vaughn, who joined Chourio on the IL before Milwaukee's second game of the season, are out with hand issues. Christian Yelich, meanwhile, is dealing with the first soft tissue injury of his career -- a strain to his left adductor muscle.

As things currently stand, Chourio is expected to return to the active roster in early May, with team insider Adam McCalvy announcing that the 22-year-old outfielder will hit on the field for the first time since his IL placement tomorrow afternoon.

Vaughn, who is recovering from a broken hamate bone, and Yelich both currently have an estimated return date in mid- to late-May. That said, when Yelich talked to the media shortly after his placement on the IL, the Brewers' veteran leader didn't want to put a timeline on his return, instilling optimism that he might return earlier rather than later.

Regardless, Chourio, Vaughn, and Yelich should all return to the lineup before the calendar flips to June, which will make for some difficult roster decisions for the Brewers over the next few weeks. Let's take a look at which position players are most likely to lose their spot on the roster as the Brewers' roster heals over the next month.

The 3 players who Jackson Chourio, Andrew Vaughn, and Christian Yelich are likely to replace on Brewers' roster

With those three players sidelined, and Akil Baddoo also landing on the 60-day injured list, the Brewers have, somewhat surprisingly, stocked their active roster with outfielders, currently carrying a total of six true outfielders, which doesn't count the versatile Jake Bauers. In the near future, that likely puts newcomers Greg Jones and Luis Matos on the hot seat, while also adding some roster pressure to Blake Perkins' performance in the near future.

1. OF Luis Matos

24-year-old Luis Matos appears to be the most likely candidate to lose his spot on the roster when Chourio returns in a few short weeks, assuming the Brewers don't have Tyler Black replace him on the big-league roster before then. In need of more right-handed bats after Chourio and Vaughn landed on the IL, the Brewers acquired Matos, who was designated for assignment by the San Francisco Giants ahead of Opening Day, back on March 31.

Though Matos hasn't been given a ton of opportunities to prove himself with the Crew, it's apparent that he won't be a long-term solution for the Brewers. Matos, a former top prospect who has never lived up to his true potential, has just three hits -- all singles -- in 16 at-bats with the Brewers. He is out of minor league options, meaning he would have to clear waivers following his release from the roster to remain in the Brewers' organization.

2. OF Greg Jones

Jones is a former first-round pick of the Tampa Bay Rays, who the Brewers signed to a minor league deal this offseason. Milwaukee was hoping to spark the potential that caused the Rays to select Jones with the 22nd overall pick back in 2019 -- a strategy that worked very well with former first-round picks Vaughn and Quinn Priester. However, in a limited sample size, Jones hasn't done much to prove he's worthy of maintaining a roster spot when the trio of injured Brewers return to the roster. After posting a .470 OPS in 21 Cactus League games this spring, Jones has just one hit through his first nine regular season at-bats.

The trouble is that Jones is also out of minor league options. Therefore, if Milwaukee does elect to have Vaughn or Yelich replace him on the active roster in the coming weeks, Jones will have to clear waivers to remain in the Brewers' organization. The Brewers clearly like Jones' profile, so his lack of options might complicate the decision slightly, but there's always the chance he clears waivers and heads back to Triple-A Nashville.

3. OF Blake Perkins

Lastly, there’s Perkins, who has been a strong contributor over the past few seasons, particularly with his defensive work. However, he was originally optioned to start the year in Triple-A, with Brandon Lockridge earning the Opening Day roster spot instead, before Chourio's injury allowed Perkins to start the year in the big leagues.

Perkins hasn't been the same since his shin injury during Spring Training of last year. Both on offense and defense, Perkins appears to have taken a step back. In 34 at-bats this year, he's slashing just .118/.250/.176 for a brutal .426 OPS. The offensive numbers were much easier to justify when Perkins was playing elite defense in the outfield, but his glove has taken a step back this year as well. The switch-hitting, 29-year-old Perkins remains valuable organizational depth, but with a fully healthy roster, his role might be in Triple-A, as evidenced by the Brewers' initial decision not to include him on their Opening Day roster.

With the Brewers juggling injuries, roster depth, and a crowded outfield mix, decisions on Jones, Matos, and Perkins feel inevitable once the group is back at full strength. Waivers will likely come into play as well, meaning Jones and Matos may not remain with the organization once all is said and done. However, without the string of injuries that the Brewers are currently suffering, those two wouldn't have had a chance to prove themselves in what Matt Arnold calls "The Land of Opportunity."

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