REPORTS: Brewers Forced To Balance Strategy, Development; All The Break Down

The 2024 Brewers are treading relatively new ground by debuting a significant number of top prospects and contending for a postseason berth concurrently. While the franchise has introduced young talent before and vied for playoff contention, the current situation is somewhat unusual.

Comprising players like Jackson Chourio, Joey Ortiz, Robert Gasser, Tyler Black, Carlos Rodriguez, Bradley Blalock, Oliver Dunn, Garrett Mitchell, and DL Hall, the Brewers have nine individuals who were ranked among the top 20 prospects by at least one major publication before the season started, and all of them have already made appearances in the major leagues this year. This surge of young talent rivals the notable youth movement of 2005 when Prince Fielder, J.J. Hardy, Rickie Weeks, Corey Hart, Bill Hall, and an then-unknown rookie, who turned out to be Nelson Cruz, were all 25 or younger and on the same team.

However, the 2005 team provides a stronger example of what teams in such a situation typically resemble. In the four seasons leading up to that year, the Brewers had averaged a 65-97 record, marking one of the franchise’s lowest points. Their complete teardown and rebuild had brought in much of the talent they would later build around, but it also diminished expectations. When the team recorded 81 wins that year, it marked the first time in 13 years that they had reached that mark.

Due to the reduced expectations for a developing team, the Brewers’ front office and coaching staff had the freedom to allow players to learn and grow at the MLB level. If a young player appeared overmatched in a crucial moment, they could use the experience to improve under greater pressure in the subsequent years.

However, the current scenario stands in stark contrast. Over the past five full seasons, the Brewers have averaged 92 wins and secured postseason berths in four of those years (including the abbreviated 2020 season). In terms of regular season success, this represents the most prosperous period in franchise history, and it seems poised to persist. With all respect to the players from the early 2000s, these games, innings, and at-bats carry greater significance than the environment in which the previous generation made their debut.

Juggling the development of the next wave of Brewers stars with the immediate aim to win now presents a set of challenging decisions, especially in the late innings of games. Consider the series opener in San Diego on Thursday:

In the seventh inning, trailing by two runs with two men on base, Sal Frelick was slated to bat. In the eighth inning, down by three with the bases empty, Tyler Black was due up. In the ninth inning, trailing by two with the tying run on base, Jackson Chourio was set to bat. In all three scenarios, the Brewers chose to use pinch hitters: Gary Sanchez substituted for Frelick, Andruw Monasterio replaced Black (and eventually batted in his spot again in a tied game in the ninth), and Jake Bauers batted for Chourio. In each case, the Brewers opted for a more seasoned hitter in place of one of their potential future stars.

These decisions are not uncommon for Pat Murphy and the Brewers: It was the 14th time they’ve pinch-hit for Frelick, meaning he had been substituted early in almost one in four of his games in the majors this season. It was also the 12th time Chourio has been pinch-hit for, signifying that about one in five of his MLB games have concluded with someone else batting in his place. More than a third of the Brewers’ pinch-hit plate appearances this season have been in place of Frelick or Chourio. The Brewers have also pinch-hit for Brice Turang six times and Joey Ortiz five times.

As long as the Brewers remain in contention for the postseason (which seems likely), they will continue to grapple with balancing in-game strategy and player development. Effectively pursuing both of these objectives could prove to be a substantial challenge for Pat Murphy and his staff, as the paths to short and long-term success do not always align.