Jackson Chourio and Andrew Vaughn have revamped the Brewers' offense

It’s easy to forget that not long ago, the Milwaukee Brewers opened the 2026 season without outfielder Jackson Chourio, who was recovering from a hand fracture suffered during an exhibition game for the World Baseball Classic. The team then lost Andrew Vaughn the day after Opening Day when he broke the hamate bone in his left hand, leaving Milwaukee without two of their key offensive contributors right out of the gate.

Of course, losing Christian Yelich to a groin injury on April 12 didn’t help matters either, and ultimately forced the Brewers to rely even more on small-ball tactics: bunts, stolen bases, and other fundamental approaches to manufacture runs at the plate. They also leaned heavily on the production from Brice Turang, William Contreras, and Jake Bauers during Chourio and Vaughn's absence.

Despite not having Chourio or Andrew Vaughn until May 4, when both returned on the same day, the Brewers still managed to score 172 total runs, which ranked seventh-most in the league at that point. That production came despite a team slugging percentage of just .354 and a 98 wRC+, meaning Milwaukee was statistically a below-average offensive unit even while finding ways to consistently push runs across the plate.

However, since their returns, the Brewers have shown a clear uptick in those categories, with both slugging percentage and wRC+ rising to .381 and 105 respectively, providing a much-needed lift to the offense.

After staying afloat without Jackson Chourio and Andrew Vaughn, the Brewers' offense has been dangerous since their returns

Since being activated, Chourio is slashing .278/.321/.405 across 18 games. While he has just one home run so far, he's mashed seven doubles. Vaughn, meanwhile, is slashing .340/.436/.532 with one home run and six doubles.

Together, their 13 doubles account for 41.9% of the Brewers’ total doubles since May 4 (31), underscoring just how important they’ve been to the club’s overall slugging output. Of course, Yelich, who returned on May 12 but then missed a few games with a sore back, has also played a major role, with five of his six hits since coming back going for extra bases, including three home runs.

In the end, the returns of Chourio and Vaughn have done more than simply restore two key bats to the lineup: they’ve fundamentally changed the shape of the offense. What was once a group leaning heavily on contact and manufacturing runs has shifted into a more dangerous unit capable of doing damage in the gap and over the fence.

The jump in slugging percentage and overall offensive metrics reflects that added impact. As a result, Milwaukee’s offense now has the type of middle-order thump that can change games in a single swing.

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