Milwaukee Brewers DVOA, Stats, & MLB Rankings

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Sal Frelick will bat leadoff and play third base in the team's Cactus League opener on Saturday against the San Diego Padres. Given all of the outfield depth that Milwaukee has at the big-league level, the Brewers have had Frelick working out on the infield in camp, and they are going to throw him in there at the hot corner right away to kick things off this weekend. The 23-year-old is an exceptional athlete, but it would still be a bit of a stretch to think that he'll play regularly on the dirt for the Brew Crew in 2024. Frelick hit .246 (47-for-191) with three homers, 24 RBI and seven stolen bases in his first 57 major-league games last year. The former first-rounder takes his walks and doesn't strike out much, giving him upside as an average and runs contributor atop Milwaukee's lineup.

Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy said that catcher Gary Sanchez (hand) has been cleared for baseball activities after dealing with right-wrist issues last year. However, he will need some time to ramp up before being ready for spring training games. Sanchez's 2023 season came to an end early last September when he fractured his wrist, but it was a recent hand injury that he suffered that brought up a red flag for the Brewers on Sanchez's physical. The 31-year-old veteran backstop should be ready for Opening Day, where he'll be the primary back up to William Contreras while also seeing a steady amount of at-bats as the team's designated hitter. Sanchez rebounded nicely in San Diego last year with 19 home runs in 75 games. While he can provide solid power in two-catcher leagues, he also is going to drag your fantasy team's batting average down.

The Milwaukee Brewers placed right-hander Brandon Woodruff (shoulder) on the 60-day injured list on Wednesday to make room on the 40-man roster for recently signed catcher Gary Sanchez. Woodruff was able to begin a throwing program last week and is over four months removed from having surgery on the anterior capsule in his right shoulder in October that will keep him out for the entire 2024 season. While the 31-year-old is feeling great following his surgery, he still faces a long recovery process and will be off the fantasy radar in single-year leagues this spring. Fantasy managers that take on the two-time All-Star next year will be dealing with some risk/reward in hopes that Woodruff can return to his pre-injury form.

Free-agent catcher Gary Sanchez (wrist) is close to finalizing the one-year, $7 million contract that he reached with the Milwaukee Brewers nearly two weeks ago, according to sources briefed on the discussions. There was a holdup because the Brewers had lingering concerns over the condition of Sanchez's right wrist after his physical, and the expectation is he will accept a lower base salary with incentives that would allow him to earn the original $7 million if he stays healthy. The deal also includes a mutual option for 2025. The 31-year-old veteran backstop fractured his right wrist on Sept. 6 while with the Padres when he was hit by a pitch. Before that, he had a resurgent 2023, batting just .218 but hitting 19 homers with a .792 OPS in 260 plate appearances. In Milwaukee, he'll be the primary backup to William Contreras but will also see at-bats at designated hitter.

Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider made sure to point out how "electric" right-hander Mitch White looked in his first bullpen session this spring, where he was sitting at around 94-95 mph with his fastball. Along with Bowden Francis, White is a leading candidate for the fifth starting rotation spot to open the 2024 season. He's been less successful in the big leagues, but he ended the season well at Triple-A Buffalo and is out of minor-league options. If he doesn't win a starting spot, he'll be a leading candidate to break camp in a long-relief role. The 29-year-old has had an ERA over 7.00 in his short time with the Blue Jays since 2022, but he could be in play in AL-only leagues if he shows improvement this year and manages to win the No. 5 starting role.