When Milwaukee Brewers star outfielder, Jackson Chourio was placed on the injured list, Manager Pat Murphy was left searching for runs in unexpected places. Without its most productive batter, the Brew Crew was underequipped as it set out for its fourth season atop the NL Central standings in five years.
Milwaukee made the most of the situation, bringing an 18-15 record into Chourio’s regular-season debut despite other key injuries to the bullpen and veteran slugger Christian Yelich. But after years as one of the most high-octane offenses in baseball, the Brewers have yet to find the consistency that made them one of the most formidable regular-season forces in baseball.
Despite strong offensive starts from second baseman Brice Turang and catcher William Contreras, the Brewers find themselves at the bottom of their division now 34 games into the season. Luckily, Chourio is back in the lineup and making a statement about where the Brewers are headed from here.
Jackson Chourio’s 4-hit return sets the Brewers back on track.
Few players are capable of putting together a season debut as entertaining and impressive as the Brewers’ 23-year-old star. Chourio got on base five times, including four hits with an exit velocity of at least 102 MPH. His last hit of the night, a 109 MPH double in the ninth inning, set the table for two run homer by Turang to reduce the deficit.
Ultimately, it wasn’t enough, as Milwaukee gave up six runs to the Cardinals and left 12 runners stranded on base in the process. It’s an issue that has plagued the Brewers all season as their hard work goes to waste time and time again. While the Brewers remain top 10 in total runs, RBI and OBP, they have only hit 23 home runs, the second fewest in the entire league, and continue to miss scoring opportunities in big moments.
This is where Chourio comes in. Although he is still young, the Venezuelan star sets the tone for his team on and off the field. While he won’t be hitting four balls every game, he has a unique combination of power, timing and patience that make him a no-brainer candidate to get his teammates across home plate.
Off the field, Chourio is a proven leader in his own right. In speaking with MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy following his season debut, Chourio expressed confidence in the team despite his “frustration” about leaving runners on base.
“We have a very talented group here, and I have a lot of confidence in all the guys here in the clubhouse," he said. "I know we’ll cash in on those opportunities later on.”
This is not a groundbreaking opinion, but it is the type of confidence this batting rotation needs right now. Yelich is still making progress toward a return, and first baseman Andrew Vaughan is working his way back from injury as well. Chourio's return provides an opportunity to build momentum and hopefully stack wins in the rpcoess.
It’s only May, and there’s a long way to go, but now that Chourio is back in the lineup, Milwaukee should have the confidence it needs to climb back to the top of the standings where it belongs. Chourio, however, might just be the linchpin to decide it all.
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