SPORTS LINE
The Milwaukee Brewers.
The team is shedding its underdog label as it takes hold of the NL Central at just the right time, as it proves what they are capable of. They’ve shown they might be not only the best team in the NL Central but also the best in baseball. It was a similar script for the 2024 Brewers. Under first-year manager Pat Murphy, the Brewers played better than expected, running away with the division and leaving the Cubs in their wake. Lurking like a lion stalking its prey, waiting for their moment to pounce, and after weeks of keeping up with the best teams in the league, the Brew Crew are 33-16 since June 1, they’ve jumped to the top of the National League.
The Brewers are still a young team, and they’re trying to keep everything in front of them and stay focused on the next game. The Brewers kicked off their 2025 trade deadline with the acquisition of backup catcher Danny Jansen from the Tampa Bay Rays. The catching position was not thought of as an area of need for Milwaukee, but it’s clear that the front office felt they needed more out of their backup catching situation heading into the second half of the season. Pat Murphy has made it very clear that good swing decisions are fundamental for a player to succeed in the Brewers’ lineup, and Jansen brings that to the table. Jansen has 11 homers this season in 74 games (.042 HR/PA) to go with a .387 slugging percentage and a .185 isolated power.
That power potential is an upgrade from Haase, who had an HR/PA of .026 this season with a slug of just .357 and an ISO of .129. The transaction won’t grab headlines, but in typical Brewers fashion, it’s a sneaky, under-the-radar move that should provide lots of value in the latter half of the season. In exchange for Jansen, the Brewers sent cash along with second base prospect Jadher Areinamo to Tampa Bay.
The Milwaukee Bucks.
The team has made some bold moves this offseason in order to keep Giannis Antetokounmpo happy with the direction the franchise is headed. Signing Myles Turner to a four-year deal worth $108.9 million and using the waive-and-stretch provision on Damian Lillard was perhaps the boldest move a team has made in free agency in the last five years. Milwaukee will head into the season with a ton of new pieces, and they will head into the season with new jerseys or at least jerseys they haven’t worn in quite a while. The Bucks announced that they are set to bring back the ‘Cream City’ jerseys.
The Bucks last wore the Cream City jerseys during the 2019-20 season. Milwaukee wore the jerseys for one game in the Orlando Bubble against the Houston Rockets. According to Bucks chief marketing officer Dustin Godsey, he said back in 2022 that the reason they haven’t worn them in almost four seasons is because “they interfere with technology that is used for digitally inserted, on-court advertisements that are only seen on the television broadcasts.” Godsey added that he hopes that one day they can resolve the issue from a technology standpoint. Well, that day has come. The uniform’s cream color serves as a nod to the bricks that built the foundation of Milwaukee and inspired the nickname “Cream City.” The Bucks’ green and blue striping and script font pay homage to the team’s history while adding a modern twist to the design. The shorts also prominently feature the stylized “M” at the bottom, along with a salute to the state of Wisconsin on the shorts buckle. The Bucks Cream City Edition retail collection, including the new Cream City jersey, will go on sale in November. The retail collection launch date and additional information, including uniform wear dates, will be announced at a later date.
The Green Bay Packers.
The team has a center problem, in that it has a world-class center, but one that is not happy with its contract. The team has an issue to resolve before the season starts this year, as veteran offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins is allegedly unhappy with his contract. According to reports, Jenkins skipped the voluntary portion of the offseason program as he wants his deal, which has two years and no guaranteed money remaining, to be reworked. But what should Green Bay do about it? First and foremost, Jenkins is right to feel uneasy about his current contract situation. His $24.8 million-slated salary in 2026 is a benefit to him, but something that threatens his place on the roster beyond this year, as the Packers can save $20 million by releasing him before next season. He’s the 3rd highest paid center in the game, but he appears afraid his contract will not be renewed, so the team can save millions by taking a chance on an unproven and currently unknown player.
