Brewers' All-Star expected to make full recovery for 2026 after offseason surgery

There's no denying that the 162-game MLB regular season takes a physical toll on the body. For more than six months, big leaguers are tasked with playing nearly every day with just a handful of off days sprinkled throughout. That toll is worsened for players who occupy the most physically demanding position on the diamond: catcher.

Most big league backstops have a counterpart who generally covers roughly a fifth of the team's games. Occasionally, the backup catcher will match up with one of the five starting pitchers and catch their start every five games. Other times, the backup is reserved for day games after night games, or used to give the primary catcher a game as the designated hitter. Rarely will fans see a major league catcher try to play every day, and often they won't eclipse the 130-game mark even if they remain healthy throughout the season.

However, Milwaukee's All-Star catcher, William Contreras, is another story. Contreras, who just completed his third season in a Brewers uniform, likes to play every single day, whether his manager and his body want him to or not. In 2024, that determination resulted in Contreras logging 155 games, with an impressive 120 of those appearances coming behind the dish (the other 35 were as the Brewers' DH).

In 2025, Contreras played five fewer total games, but he caught eight more than he did in 2024. That's right, Contreras caught 128 games in 2025, but that number alone doesn't capture the incredible feat that the Brewers' backstop accomplished this past season. On top of playing nearly every game and catching most of them, Contreras battled through a fractured index finger on his catching hand practically all season.

MLB.com's Adam McCalvy initially reported the injury way back on May 7, but Contreras was never placed on the injured list throughout the entire season. It was an unbelievable display of toughness that no doubt had a positive impact on the rest of the clubhouse. Now, with the offseason in full swing, Contreras has taken care of the injury in hopes of a healthy 2026 season.

William Contreras undergoes surgery on fractured finger, expected to make full recovery well before Spring Training

As reported by McCalvy on the social media platform X on Tuesday afternoon, Contreras underwent "a procedure to address the fractured middle finger on his glove hand. GM Matt Arnold characterized it as “minor” and said Contreras will be ready for Spring Training. 5-6 wks away from baseball activity."

The procedure should come as no surprise to Brewers fans who winced watching Contreras catch the team's high-velocity hurlers. The fact that Contreras got the surgery out of the way early on in the offseason is a welcomed development as it means he will have plenty of time to heal before spring training begins next February.

However, the timeline does call into question whether or not Contreras will be ready for the World Baseball Classic next spring, as keenly pointed out by Matthew Trueblood of brewerfanatic.com. Contreras would form a formidable catching duo alongside Salvador Perez for the Venezuelan team next March, but it remains to be seen whether or not his participation in the WBC will be possible.

Contreras emerged as a team leader in 2025, with his love for his team and the city of Milwaukee shining through both on the diamond and through the inspiring letter that he penned to Brewers fans prior to the start of the postseason. If the Brewers hope to defend their NL Central crown once again next season, having a fully healthy Contreras is a good place to start.