SPORTS LINE
The Milwaukee Brewers.
The team has been the hottest in baseball over the past two weeks, and that’s a huge contrast in quality of play during this hot stretch when compared to the beginning of the season. At the beginning of the season, it was clear that they were searching for their identity in more ways than one. This goes back to spring training. The offense was struggling mightily, the starting rotation was a revolving door of inexperienced arms getting their feet wet in the big leagues, and the bullpen was running on fumes due to its enormous workload. The first games of the season were an embarrassment and not the team we’ve grown to know and love. Flash forward to the first week in June, and they are finally looking like the Brew Crew that we have been accustomed to watching in recent years.
The turning point came on May 18 when Jackson Chourio had his signature superstar moment. The Brewers were up by a score of 4-2 in the top of the eighth inning, desperate for a win. With a runner on second base, Twins third baseman Royce Lewis connected on a heater at the top of the zone, and it appeared as though the Brewers’ woes would continue. But Chourio had different plans. Chourio scaled the left-center wall and robbed Lewis of a game-tying home run, not only saving the game, but saving the sinking ship from sinking any further. He single-handedly sent the Brewers on the right path, and it’s been uphill since then. The Brewers would go on to win the game by a score of 5-2, and the team hasn’t looked the same since then. It’s also no coincidence that the Brewers’ hot streak largely coincides with Christian Yelich finding his groove at the plate. Yelich has his timing back. Over his last 12 games, Yelich is hitting .429 with six homers and 15 RBI. Since May 22, his 1.288 OPS and 257 wRC+ rank second in MLB, and Yelich has the highest wOBA in the sport since that date at .545. He even earned the NL Player of the Week Award in the process. At the end of the day, timely hitting is at the heart of any offense’s consistency, but it’s especially true for the Brewers. They may not outslug every opponent, but they can produce at key moments, and that’s what counts.
The Milwaukee Bucks.
The team is trying to figure out exactly what they are going to do with their roster heading into next year. Two guys that they are looking into bringing back are Gary Trent Jr. and Kevin Porter Jr. Trent Jr. was the best player that the Bucks had in the playoffs against the Pacers. His prowess from beyond the arc is a critical asset, especially when the stakes are high. Utilizing the mid-level exception could be a strategic move to retain him, but the allure of higher offers from rival teams looms large. Trent Jr. is looking to capitalize on his strong playoff performance after playing for the veteran’s minimum in Milwaukee this year. He has proven that he certainly deserves more money than what he was paid this year. There’s always a chance that another team wants to pay him a lot more than that to be a key part of their bench. His ability to shoot the three is extremely valuable, especially in the playoffs. Kevin Porter Jr. is less likely to return, despite the trade for him. If they can get him for cheap, they might bring him back to Milwaukee. The Bucks face a complex financial puzzle as they attempt to maintain competitiveness while managing their budget constraints. The potential departure of key figures like Lopez necessitates a delicate balance between fiscal prudence and competitive aspirations. Every decision on player contracts will significantly impact the Bucks’ trajectory in the coming seasons.
The Green Bay Packers. Malik Willis is waiting in the wings for Jordon Love to show any kind of weakness, whatever. Malik, who came over two years ago from the Titans, has proven himself to be just about the match for any quarterback in the NFL, and that’s including the guy who’s about to enter the coming season often looking over his shoulder. Hard to have that kind of backup just waiting there, like a tiger stalking silently in the field.
