Joey Ortiz can't escape odd situational trend dating back to 2025

They say baseball has a way of finding you, and for some players, that couldn’t be more true. No matter how many games are played, certain patterns have a strange way of resurfacing time and time again.

For Joey Ortiz, that idea has proven true in the form of bases-loaded opportunities. What began as an unusual trend in 2025, when he led the majors with 31 plate appearances with the bases juiced, has carried over into the 2026 season. So far, Ortiz has already logged four plate appearances with three runners on base, tied for the fifth-most in the league -- Carlos Correa leads the way with nine.

Joey Ortiz can't escape bases loaded trend that began in 2025

This trend with Ortiz is difficult to ignore, especially given his struggles in those spots a year ago. He went just 5-for-30 with one walk when batting with the bases loaded, often leaving the Milwaukee Brewers without the run production they needed.

In 2026, he appears to be trending in that same direction again. After delivering a bases-loaded hit on Opening Day -- a 60 MPH bloop into the outfield -- Ortiz has come up empty in each of his last three opportunities, failing to even drive in a run with some good situational hitting.

His most recent at-bat with the bases loaded was an especially important one. In the Brewers' loss to the Toronto Blue Jays in Tuesday's series opener, Ortiz came to the plate with the bases juiced in the bottom of the ninth inning after Milwaukee had come roaring back with two runs earlier in the frame to tie the game at six runs apiece. However, Ortiz watched the only pitch he saw in the zone and chased two outside of it, leading to a strikeout that sent the game to extra innings, where the Brewers lost the contest.

Whether it’s simply coincidence or an act of the baseball gods, Ortiz once again finds himself at the center of a pattern where success would go a long way in helping his team in high-leverage moments. Bases-loaded situations are often the difference between a quiet inning and a game-changing rally, and being the one consistently stepping into those spots comes with both opportunity and pressure.

That said, it’s entirely possible we see Ortiz take a more situational approach to driving in runs this year. Even outside of bases-loaded scenarios, he showed that mindset on Thursday against the Toronto Blue Jays by dropping down a sacrifice bunt that plated the go-ahead run in the seventh inning -- a lead the Brewers ultimately held onto.

Or it’s possible the Brewers simply let Ortiz keep swinging the bat in those moments, trusting his ability to come through. If he does deliver, it wouldn’t just produce runs, it would send a strong statement that he’s capable of flipping this trend and becoming a reliable option in the biggest spots.

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