Unbelievable Joey Ortiz stat makes inconsistent playing time even more perplexing

"What should the Milwaukee Brewers do with Joey Ortiz?" is a question I've found myself pondering far more than I would have guessed five years ago, but that's why you always leave your interview answers vague. The walking conundrum of the Crew's infield simply can't be trusted at the plate, thanks to a complete lack of pop and a shaky-at-best approach. But he's also super fast (92nd percentile sprint speed) and a savant on the dirt, consistently racking up positive WAR totals thanks to stellar glove work.

Yes, he's riding a heater at the plate in the second half (180 wRC+) due in part to a huge jump in his bat speed. If this version of him sticks, then the entire conversation about playing time will change. For now, it's safest to assume that he'll come back down to earth eventually, once again leaving Pat Murphy in a tough spot when it comes to divvying up responsibilities on the left side of the infield.

And yet, perhaps the solution is simpler than we think. Ortiz might be a shortstop by trade, but much like his standout 2024 campaign, he's having tremendous success at the hot corner this year. In fact, he leads all of MLB with +7 Outs Above Average at third base in 2026. Is slotting him there the best path forward?

Joey Ortiz has found third base Nirvana, and the Brewers shouldn't mess with a good thing

What's truly incredible about Ortiz's dominance at third base is that he hasn't even played enough to qualify on the leaderboards yet. His 209.1 innings at the position are less than 25% of Matt Chapman's total, which is meaningful since he's the player directly behind Ortiz with +6 OAA.

It's true that this one fact isn't an end-all, be-all argument. David Hamilton is beloved by Defensive Runs Saved, racking up +7 compared to Ortiz's +3 at the hot corner. But he's also played twice as many innings there and can't stack up to Ortiz's +5 Fielding Run Value (tied with Chapman and Alex Bregman for the best mark among third basemen).

This all gets a little messy when we introduce rookie shortstop Cooper Pratt into the equation, who deserves a lion's share of the playing time at his primary position once he's healthy. That leaves three excellent defenders for two positions, and simply moving one of them to second base isn't an option because Brice Turang exists.

I wager that Hamilton, who has more history at the keystone and is a bigger threat to steal bases, is better suited for a utility role that allows him to sub in late in games wherever the Brewers need him. Another offensive downturn from Ortiz could change this equation again, but for now, he's the best defensive third baseman on the roster. The playing time should reflect as such.

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