3 Brewers whose hot starts feel sustainable in 2026, 2 whose feel like fool's gold

Across the league, the early weeks of a baseball season can offer hope of unexpected breakouts for certain players, and the 2026 Milwaukee Brewers are no exception. A handful of Brewers have come out of the gate on fire, posting numbers that demand attention -- but not all hot starts are built the same.

Some early season breakouts are backed by meaningful changes in approach or underlying metrics, while others are riding waves that history suggests won’t last. So which performances should fans actually believe in? Here’s a closer look at three Brewers whose strong starts feel sustainable over the long haul, and two who may be due for a reality check as the season settles in.

3 Milwaukee Brewers players who can sustain early season success

1. RHP Jacob Misiorowski

To kick off his sophomore season, Jacob Misiorowski set an Opening Day record with 11 strikeouts. He has since followed it up with four outings during which he's pitched at least five innings, allowed three earned runs or less, and struck out a combined 31 opponents. Pair those 31 punch-outs with the 11 that Miz collected on Opening Day, and the Brewers' flame-thrower leads all of MLB with 42 strikeouts after the first three weeks of the season.

While Misiorowski is likely to hit some bumps at some point this season, he proved last year that he can bounce back and isn't afraid of a big moment. That track record, along with his electric stuff on the mound, makes his early performance feel far more sustainable over the course of the 2026 season.

2. 2B Brice Turang

A year ago, Turang broke out and put together his most complete offensive season to date with a .794 OPS, 81 RBI, and 24 stolen bases. Right now, Fangraphs has him on pace for a 1.016 OPS, 113 RBI, 32 HR, and 49 stolen bases, which would undoubtedly mark another "quantum" leap for the Platinum Glove-winning second baseman.

It would be a rather impressive pace for Turang to keep up throughout the entire 2026 season, but might he be able to live up to these projections? His current .571 slugging percentage is almost certain to drop a little bit, but it's not unfathomable for Turang to be closer to that mark than the .435 slugging percentage he posted last year. Turang's power really came on during the second half of the season and it's reasonable, based on the power he consistently displays in batting practice, that it's here to stay. Additionally, he’s drawing walks at a career-best 17% rate -- playing a large part in reaching base safely in all 19 games this year -- and the speed has always been part of his game, as evidenced by his 50-steal season in 2023.

3. C William Contreras

After his offensive production dipped last season, largely due to playing through a finger fracture, Contreras has come out swinging this year. He currently leads the Brewers with 22 hits, largely due to a team-best 13-game hitting streak that ended on Sunday afternoon. This surge may be tied to his increased contact rate, as he’s striking out in just 12% of his at-bats.

If Contreras can push his batting average back into the .280s by season’s end, where it sat in each of his first two years in Milwaukee, he should be in line for another 90+ RBI campaign given his spot in the lineup. With the improved contact rate and consistent run-producing opportunities, his early-season success absolutely looks sustainable.

2 Brewers players whose early-season success may not last

1. C Gary Sánchez

Before the shortened 2020 season, Gary Sánchez posted multiple 30-plus home run campaigns with the New York Yankees. Now 33 years old, he hasn’t come close to that mark since, in part due to a reduced role over the past three seasons.

That said, Sánchez has been given ample opportunity with the Brewers early this year, and he’s taken advantage, slugging five home runs in just 15 games, or one every 8.4 at-bats. Sustaining this pace is unlikely, as he is bound to see his role decrease once Christian Yelich, Andrew Vaughn, and Jackson Chourio all return.

2. LHP DL Hall

Since arriving as a part of the Corbin Burnes trade, DL Hall’s tenure with the Brewers hasn’t gone as planned. He initially slotted in as a starter but missed significant time with a knee issue. In 2025, a lat strain landed him on the 60-day IL, and another soft-tissue injury after his return further limited his availability over his first two seasons.

This year, he opened the season in strong fashion, not allowing a run until his ninth appearance, resulting in a very solid 2.79 ERA. However, his expected ERA sits closer to 3.90, driven in part by control issues as he’s walked at least one batter in six of his ten outings. So far, he’s been able to work out of trouble thanks to a spike in his strikeout and whiff rates compared to previous seasons, but with a tough showing against the Miami Marlins over the weekend, the wheels are already starting to fall off for Hall. With better command, there's still plenty of hope for Hall to remain a valuable piece of the Brewers' bullpen, but improvement in that area of the game is far easier said than done.

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