3 good surprises from Brewers' first half of the 2026 season, 2 bad ones

At the All-Star break, the 2026 Milwaukee Brewers own the best record (59-37) and highest winning percentage (.615) of any season in franchise history at this point in the season. They've also reached several win milestones faster than any previous Brewers team, making this, by virtue of the standings, the best first half the organization has ever enjoyed.

Amazingly, the Brewers' record-breaking first half included a six-game losing streak back in April and a familiar series sweep at the hands of the Pittsburgh Pirates heading into the break. Therefore, as impressive as the first half of the 2026 season has been for one of the most consistent recent contenders in Major League Baseball, it still feels like there are ways in which the current iteration of the Brewers could improve, either from an more production from internal options who underperformed during the first half, or by way of an external addition prior to the August 3 trade deadline.

Along the way, several players have exceeded expectations. Others have not yet lived up to the high preseason expectations fans and manager Pat Murphy placed on them. Here, we highlight three of the club's biggest good surprises from the first half of the 2026 season and two that weren't as welcome.

3 good surprises from the Brewers' record-breaking first half

1B/OF Jake Bauers

Jake "Rake" Bauers has been the team's biggest surprise so far. His performance at the plate has essentially forced a platoon role with Andrew Vaughn, but Bauers ensures he adds even more at-bats by manning a corner outfield position from time to time. Entering the All-Star break, Bauers leads Brewers hitters with 18 home runs, ranks second on the team with 59 RBI, and owns a 142 wRC+, the fourth-highest mark among qualified first basemen in Major League Baseball and first in the National League. The Brewers' decision to bring back Bauers on a one-year deal at last year's non-tender trade deadline looks like an astute move on Milwaukee's front office's part at this point in time.

OF Garrett Mitchell

Meanwhile, Garrett Mitchell has stayed healthy and delivered exactly what the Brewers hoped for in center field. Through 86 games, he is slashing .274/.362/.459 with eight home runs, 20 doubles, 44 RBI, and six stolen bases. His 128 wRC+ ranks fourth among qualified major league center fielders, while his 2.0 fWAR is seventh-best at the position. Mitchell continues to display impressive range in the outfield, with three outs above average (OAA) to prove it, and Murphy made clear his center field hierarchy when Mitchell took over from Minor League Gold Glover Luis Lara in center at the end of the latter's MLB debut.

LHP Kyle Harrison

On the pitching side, Kyle Harrison has exceeded expectations after joining the team via trade in the offseason. The former highly-regarded prospect posted ERAs of 4.15, 4.56, and 4.04 through his first three years in the show, but enters the All-Star break with a 3.01 ERA and 101 strikeouts over 83.2 innings. Harrison's breakout has been not only a good surprise, but also a necessary one, as Milwaukee in navigating the season without 2025 breakout starter Quinn Priester and with limited starts from veteran right-hander Brandon Woodruff. The 24-year-old southpaw has formed a formidable duo with Cy Young-favorite Jacob Misiorowski atop the Brewers' rotation.

2 Bad Surprises from the Brewers' first half of the 2026 season

3B Luis Rengifo

Luis Rengifo was one of the Brewers' few free agent additions last offseason and entered the year as the club's primary third baseman. Fans were hoping for a bounceback campaign for Rengifo in 2026, as the long-time Los Angeles Angel posted a 75 OPS+ during a down 2026 season. However, Rengifo's 2026 numbers before the Brewers designated him for assignment in early June reflect a career-worst offensive stretch. The switch-hitting infielder posted a meager .251 slugging percentage over 211 plate appearances without hitting a single home run. While Milwaukee wasn't counting on Rengifo to be a middle-of-the-order force, they expected league-average production from the $3.5 million free agent. Unfortunately, Rengifo didn't provide that for the Brewers, but now he's getting a chance to prove his value as a member of the San Diego Padres.

DH Christian Yelich

One year removed from a 29-home run, 103-RBI campaign, Christian Yelich has fallen short of expectations during the first half of the 2026 season. The veteran has hit just six home runs and driven in 31 runs across 62 games after missing roughly a month with a groin injury in April and May. Yelich provided an immediate, albeit brief spark for the offense upon his return in mid-May, but has since cooled off. Since June 1, Yelich is slashing just .230/.329/.331 with an 88 wRC+ and a 28.4% strikeout rate. At his current pace, Yelich would finish the season with approximately 10 home runs and 52 RBI; however, notorious for his streakiness, the former MVP can turn things around in the blink of an eye.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow