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Milwaukee Brewers: Predicting the 2021 NLDS Roster

By Harrison Carter

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 26: Milwaukee Brewers celebrates winning the Central Division title after the game against the New York Mets at American Family Field on September 26, 2021 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Brewers defeated the Mets 8-4. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 26: Milwaukee Brewers celebrates winning the Central Division title after the game against the New York Mets at American Family Field on September 26, 2021 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Brewers defeated the Mets 8-4. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) /
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As the start of the NLDS approaches, the Milwaukee Brewers have until 10 a.m. CT on Friday to set their NLDS roster.

For the most part, the roster does not have many question marks, but there are a few decisions that will need to be made.

Here is my prediction for how the Milwaukee Brewers 26-man NLDS roster will shake out.

Catchers

Omar Narváez, Manny Piña, Luke Maile

Infielders

1B: Rowdy Tellez, Daniel Vogelbach

2B: Kolten Wong

SS: Willy Adames

3B: Eduardo Escobar

Utility: Jace Peterson, Luis Urías

Outfielders

Christian Yelich, Lorenzo Cain, Jackie Bradley Jr., Avisaíl García, Tyrone Taylor

Starting Pitchers

Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, Freddy Peralta, Eric Lauer

Relief Pitchers

Josh Hader, Brad Boxberger, Jake Cousins, Aaron Ashby, Brent Suter, Hunter Strickland, Adrian Houser

There are several things to note in my prediction. Many might be surprised to see Luke Maile in my roster prediction. However, I think Maile will play an important part in Craig Counsell’s late-game management.

Maile will provide the opportunity to pinch-hit for lefty-hitting Omar Narváez, who has been in a terrible slump recently. Additionally, having Maile provides insurance in case of an injury to either Narváez or Piña, which would be a major problem if the Brewers were only rostering two catchers.

Another two players of note who are missing from my predictions are relievers Daniel Norris and Miguel Sanchez. Mid-season acquisition Norris has not produced well enough to make the NLDS roster in my eyes. Norris was supposed to be a reliever who could come in and shut down lefty hitters, but that has just not been the case.

The 23 left-handed batters that Norris has faced since being traded to the Brewers have a .947 OPS against him. If Norris cannot get left-handed hitters out, he simply does not hold much value to the Milwaukee Brewers bullpen, especially with the emergence of left-handed Aaron Ashby.

Sanchez does have a case to make the roster, but with either Houser or Lauer being sent to the bullpen, the need for Sanchez diminishes.

There will always be debates for why players should or shouldn’t be put on the postseason roster, but at the end of the day Counsell knows how to optimize his rosters to get the most production. So there should be trust in Counsell regardless of the various ways he could form this roster.

What do you think of my prediction? What players should be left out, and which players should be included?

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