4 Brewers who must improve on their 2025 postseason performances this year

Major League Baseball’s postseason bracket is officially set. Much like last year, the Milwaukee Brewers finished with the best record in baseball, earning not only a first-round bye but also home-field advantage throughout the entire playoffs. Milwaukee’s NLDS opponent has yet to be determined, but once again, the Brewers will face the winner of a Wild Card Series between the Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres.

The similarities from last year's postseason and this year's don't end with the Brewers' seed and their NLDS matchup; the Brewers also have many players returning from last year’s playoff squad. Some may still have a sour taste in their mouths after not living up to their own individual expectations last year. Here are four players looking to put last year’s postseason performances behind them and make a bigger impact this time around.

4 Brewers who must improve on their 2025 postseason performances in 2026

1. 2B Brice Turang

This year's postseason run will mark the fourth of Brice Turang's four-year MLB career. His biggest October contributions came in 2024 during the Wild Card Series against the Mets. In that series, Turang reached base safely in six of his 12 plate appearances while also stealing a pair of bases. His 2025 postseason was a much different story, as he reached base just six times in 37 plate appearances and finished with a .391 OPS across the Crew’s nine games.

This year, after setting career highs in doubles (37), home runs (21), RBI (100), and walks (90), Turang will once again find himself near the top of the Brewers’ lineup as one of the leaders of Milwaukee's offense. With his offensive production reaching a new level, the Brewers will be counting on him to carry that success into October and put together the strongest offensive postseason performance yet.

2. DH Christian Yelich

Just days after becoming the first captain in Milwaukee Brewers history, a distinction that will be marked by a “C” on the front of his jersey, Christian Yelich will be tasked with leading by example while looking to put his history of postseason struggles behind him. Those struggles include a difficult 2025 playoff run, when Yelich opened with hits in each of his first three games before going just 1-for-20 at the plate the rest of the way.

Even though Yelich is no longer hitting third or fourth in the Brewers’ lineup, a few timely hits from him this postseason would be huge for the offense. When he’s locked in, Yelich has proven he’s more than capable of carrying an offense, but we haven’t seen that version of him in October in quite some time. In fact, 2018 was the last time he hit a home run in the postseason. Perhaps this year, Yelich can rediscover that swing and come through with a few big moments when the Brewers need them most.

3. 3B Joey Ortiz

Last year, Joey Ortiz’s postseason struggles at the plate came as little surprise after he endured a difficult regular season offensively. Being the Brewers’ best defensive option at shortstop is what kept Ortiz in the postseason lineup a year ago, but despite playing in every game, he slashed just .105/.227/.105.

This year, however, the outlook surrounding his bat is much different, and with it comes a much higher level of expectation heading into the postseason. Ortiz has been one of the league's best hitters at the plate since the All-Star break, holding a .911 OPS over that span that is headlined by an impressive .329 batting average. Continuing to be a consistent hit collector is exactly what Milwaukee needs from him this October.

4. LHP Aaron Ashby

Last year, Aaron Ashby had his hands all over the Brewers’ postseason run, opening three games while also taking on a high-leverage role in several others. He logged the fourth-most innings among Milwaukee pitchers that October, but the results were mixed. Ashby surrendered three earned runs in Game 2 of the NLDS against the Cubs and ultimately finished the postseason with a 5.40 ERA.

This year, Ashby is primed to once again take on an important bullpen role after putting together another impressive season as Pat Murphy's Swiss-Army Knife reliever. His versatility could make Ashby one of the first arms Murphy turns to, potentially leading to appearances earlier in games than he would typically see in the regular season. Regardless of when he enters, Ashby’s ability to consistently put up zeros will be crucial as Milwaukee enters the postseason with a relatively young pitching staff.

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