Brewers' 2026 coaching change already paying dividends in first week of season

Since 2021, the Milwaukee Brewers have seen multiple changes at their first-base coach position. Quintin Berry held the role from 2021 through 2024 before departing for the Chicago Cubs. He was followed by Julio Borbón, who served for one season but was reassigned to a player development role this offseason. As a result, Spencer Allen took over as the Brewers' first-base coach for the 2026 season.

Before his promotion to first base coach, Allen served as the Brewers’ director of player development. He took on that role for the 2024 and 2025 seasons after working as the organization’s field coordinator. Earlier in his career, Allen was the head baseball coach at Northwestern University. As reported by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, prior to accepting the new role with the Brewers this offseason, there was widespread interest in Allen's services around the league, and many see him as a future managerial candidate.

Although Milwaukee’s season is only one six-game homestand old, Allen's influence on the team already seems to be paying off, with new franchise records already being set.

First-base coach Spencer Allen has revived the Milwaukee Brewers' base-running game in the first week of the 2026 season

Against the Chicago White Sox and Tampa Bay Rays, the Brewers stole 15 bases, the most in franchise history through the first six games of a season, according to MLB.com Brewers' beat reporter Adam McCalvy. That stretch included a game against Chicago in which they stole seven bases, marking the fifth time in franchise history they’ve reached that total in a single game and tying the third-highest single-game mark overall.

Beyond the stolen bases, Allen has reinforced the team’s aggressive approach to taking the extra base, often forcing defenders to make perfect throws to catch runners advancing from first to third. While many may see this as simply the Brewers’ philosophy, Allen’s ability to communicate his analysis of pitchers pick-off moves and recognizing where a ball is going to land in play has played a significant role in that success.

Although we are in the early stages of the season, the impact Allen is having is already becoming clear. Milwaukee’s aggressiveness on the bases isn’t just philosophy; it’s execution, preparation, and trust in the information being delivered. If this trend continues, Allen’s influence could prove to be a key factor in shaping one of the most dynamic and disruptive running games in the league.