Milwaukee, WI
Predicting the Milwaukee Brewers’ opening day roster with one week left in spring training
PEORIA, Ariz. – The churning of the Milwaukee Brewers’ roster situation is enough to make your head spin.
Or worse.
“It makes me want to puke,” Pat Murphy said.
While the Brewers manager can hopefully manage to keep his insides, well, inside between now and opening day next Thursday, his club’s current roster situation is certainly queasiness-inducing.
Injuries are at the forefront of that. Starting pitcher Tobias Myers suffered an oblique injury Saturday that will land him on the injured list to open the year. Fellow rotation candidates Aaron Ashby and DL Hall already were injured earlier in camp. Infielder Brice Turang is battling a shoulder ailment. And then there’s reliever Nick Mears, who will start the season on the 15-day IL because he was sick and lost nearly 10 pounds, perhaps taking Murphy’s words a bit too literally.
“We’re up against it a little bit,” Murphy said.
Just a little bit?
“A lot of bit.”
In a matter of only a few days, the Brewers’ roster discussion went from seemingly set to feeling like it’s taking place on a chess board. Even still, Murphy declared the puzzle, one that has all the top members of the Brewers’ brass in a state of constant meetings, a fairly simple one.
“You guys can figure it out,” Murphy said. “You only have so many options.”
Challenge accepted.
Let’s see if we can’t deduce where the Brewers’ roster currently stands.
Catchers (2)
William Contreras, Eric Haase
Nothing to see or talk about here – it’s the one position with full health.
Infielders (7)
Mark Canha, Vinny Capra, Oliver Dunn, Caleb Durbin, Rhys Hoskins, Joey Ortiz, Brice Turang
From right to left positionally, Hoskins, Turang, Ortiz and Dunn are the regulars on the infield. The Brewers are adamant that Turang’s right shoulder fatigue isn’t going to require an injured list stint, but they still aren’t quite out of the woods yet on it and that makes it worth monitoring.
Vinny Capra has all but been told he has made the team as a backup infielder.
“I think you guys have deduced that since Capra can play shortstop he’s our guy,” Murphy said.
That leaves two spots on the bench still to be decided, with Canha, Durbin and Andruw Monasterio (you could throw utilityman Isaac Collins in there, too, though he’s been primarily an outfielder this spring).
Canha will have to be informed by Friday whether or not he’s made the club. He’s one of the veterans on the roster – Margot is another – with an opt out in his minor-league deal. Every sign this spring has pointed to Canha making the club.
All indications from Murphy have been that Capra and Monasterio were the ones battling for a bench spot most of camp, and Durbin was mostly grouped in a platoon with Dunn. Durbin hasn’t been told he made the team yet and isn’t necessarily a lock, but it would be a surprise not to see him included.
Outfielders (4)
Jackson Chourio, Sal Frelick, Garrett Mitchell, Christian Yelich
Also nothing to see or talk about here. Blake Perkins continues to recover from his fractured shin and Manuel Margot hasn’t looked nearly good enough on defense for the Brewers to be comfortable with him in right field.
Starting pitchers (4)
Aaron Civale, Nestor Cortes, Freddy Peralta, José Quintana
Unless the Brewers can find a way to keep Quintana off the roster on opening day without having to place him on the injured list, this will be their top four. They’ll need someone from the bullpen ranks, possibly Tyler Alexander or Elvin Rodriguez, to slot into the rotation for the time being while Tobias Myers returns from his oblique injury.
Relief pitchers (9)
Tyler Alexander, Bryan Hudson, Jared Koenig, Trevor Megill, Joel Payamps, Elvis Peguero, Elvin Rodriguez, Connor Thomas, Abner Uribe
This is where things get tricky. The injury to Myers opened up the floodgate for dozens of different permutations and possibilities for the Brewers. It’s what Murphy has been talking about in meetings with the Brewers front office members.
“We sat and went over every single scenario that we’re talking about right now,” Murphy said. “We didn’t solve anything. But I’ll tell you this – roster spots are very important and depth is so important on a team like this.”
Myers’ injury also could factor into how the Brewers approach Uribe’s looming suspension.
Previously, it seemed like they would open the year with him on the roster. With an off-day following opening day and a rested bullpen, it would be as good a time as there is to get the suspension out of the way.
Now, though, with only three fully-stretched out starters in the rotation, the Brewers are going to need as much length from the bullpen as possible. But if, say, Alexander or Rodriguez or Thomas are tasked with starting the home opener, their availability in New York would be limited. Would Milwaukee be too thin in the bullpen if a spot was used on Uribe?
You’ll notice that camp standout Craig Yoho isn’t on the roster. Murphy hinted that maintaining organizational depth would be at the center of roster decisions, and Yoho isn’t yet on the 40-man roster. He could very well open the year in the minor leagues.
If Yoho starts at Class AAA, that puts Uribe on the roster unless the Brewers dip into minor-league camp depth. That would mean Grant Anderson, who’s on the 40-man, would make the team.
Whatever the Brewers choose to open the year with, expect moves on the pitching side shortly thereafter. They have a cascade of pitchers with minor-league options remaining and could cycle fresh arms in as needed.
Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam talks greater involvement, Giannis future
Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam says that he will have a greater involvement with the team and that includes the decision on if to re-sign Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Milwaukee Bucks know their placement in the 2026 NBA Draft, slotted No. 10 for their first lottery pick in a decade. Who are some of the possible selections at that spot when June 23 rolls around?
Check out what the first post-lottery wave of mock drafts has to say, most of them pointing to same prospect, that being Nate Ament of Tennessee, a 6-10 freshman small forward.
Nate Ament, forward, Tennessee
From Spencer Woo of ESPN: “While Ament’s stock has slipped from an early top-five projection, he had productive stretches this season within a tricky team context and has room to help himself in workouts. Although scouts are split on whether he has star potential or projects better as a long-term supporting player, there is still plenty of intrigue around Ament in the lottery. As a tall skill player with shotmaking upside, Ament fits a player archetype that teams often love to swing on. As Milwaukee considers a post-Antetokounmpo future, a malleable upside swing such as Ament could be a fit.”
Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo! Sports: “The Bucks should take a swing to jump-start their new era, whether or not Giannis Antetokounmpo is part of it. Players who can handle, shoot off the dribble, and stand at 6-foot-10 don’t grow on trees. This physical foundation kept Ament in lottery consideration even after a dreadful start to his freshman season when he struggled to score efficiently and make an impact defensively. But over the second half of the year for Tennessee, he flipped a switch and shots began to fall. He averaged 23.8 points over a six-game stretch in January and February that reminded everyone why he was a top recruit in the country. Then he dealt with an ankle injury that ruined his momentum entering March and he severely struggled during the tournament. Bucks general manager Jon Horst has never been afraid to take risks though. If Ament pans out, it could look like a stroke of genius.”
Gary Parrish of CBS Sports: “Ament had an up-and-down freshman season for the Vols – but the upside isn’t hard to spot. Less than a year ago, the 2025 McDonald’s All-American was considered a possible top-five pick. So getting Ament here would be nice for a Bucks franchise that seems on the verge of rebuilding after presumably trading Giannis Antetokounmpo this offseason.”
The Ringer: “Barring some transactional magic, this could be Milwaukee’s best bite at the talent apple in the draft for a while. The Bucks don’t currently have control over a first-round pick until 2031. If Giannis Antetokounmpo decides it’s time to move on, this roster will be rudderless and talent-deprived. If Giannis decides not to move on, it’ll have a rudder but still won’t go anywhere. Less than ideal, but that makes this a ‘best player available’ scenario, or rather ‘best wager available.’ There are definitely more stable options in this range, but Ament’s higher possible outcomes justify this pick. Ament fell short of expectations this past season, and he slid from top-five consideration as a result, but the jumbo-sized, smooth-moving ball handler is still a worthy bet here. Handling the ball at 6-foot-10 is an intriguing enough skill to instill some belief that he could develop into a quality asset. And the Bucks can take the risk given their circumstances.
Adam Finkelstein of CBS Sports: “Ament is a polarizing prospect with a wide range of outcomes on draft night. A late-blooming 6-foot-10 combo-forward who is fluid, has touch, and skill, he’s also inconsistent and needs to get stronger. While his freshman year was up and down, Ament’s overall arc has been linear, and there’s still glaring potential. That upside makes him a logical choice for a Milwaukee team that has a very uncertain future ahead of them.”
Brian Lewis of New York Post: “After the run on guards, taking an upside swing on a gifted developmental player here seems like a worthy gamble for a Bucks team that could be in full-on rebuild in a post-Giannis era.”
Two other names mentioned
From Eric Nehm of The Athletic: “This was an incredibly difficult pick to make without knowing what the Bucks are going to do with Giannis Antetokounmpo. If the 10-time All-Star forward remains in Milwaukee, it might make more sense to look at someone like Yaxel Lendeborg, who could make an impact right away and give the Bucks more size and skill. Instead, though, I went with Philon, who has a lot of offensive upside and could be protected on the defensive end by Ryan Rollins. Philon is an electrifying offensive player who shot 50 percent from the field and 39 percent from 3 while averaging 22 points, 3.5 rebounds and five assists per game last season.”
From Kurt Helin of NBC Sports: “The Bucks need all the backcourt help they can get, and Burries may not be flashy, but he does a lot of things well — he can play on and off the ball, can knock down catch-and-shoot jumpers but also attack closeouts, and he gets downhill off screens and has a midrange pull-up game.”
Brad Paisley (Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE – Brad Paisley is scheduled to perform at the BMO Pavilion in Milwaukee on Sept. 4.
Ticket information
What we know:
The ticket pre-sale for Brad’s fan club members, Paisley Nation, begins on Tuesday, May 12 at 10 am. All tickets available at BradPaisley.com.
The tour will also offer a variety of VIP packages and experiences for fans to take their concert experience to the next level.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android
Packages vary but include premium seats, a guided backstage tour, VIP-exclusive gift item, early entry & more. VIP package contents vary depending on the selected offer. For more information, visit VIPnation.com.
The Source: The information in this post was provided by Live Nation.
Billionaire Wes Edens, co-founder of Fortress Investment Group and co-owner of the Milwaukee Bucks NBA club, is shown at Sun Valley, Idaho, on July 9, 2015. The Wall Street Journal on Sunday identified Edens as the victim of a billion-dollar extortion plot allegedly hatched by an ex-lover. File Photo by Andrew Gombert/EPA
May 10 (UPI) — Wes Edens, the billionaire co-founder of Fortress Investment Group and an owner of the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks, was the target of a billion-dollar extortion scheme allegedly perpetrated by an ex-lover, the Wall Street Journal reported Sunday.
A spokesman for Edens, 64, confirmed to the newspaper that the financier is the unnamed alleged victim in a federal indictment brought against Changli “Sophia” Luo of New York City.
Edens, one of world’s most successful global investment management firm leaders with Fortress, has developed and owned businesses in real estate, transportation, infrastructure, health care, financial services, media and entertainment.
He is also a high-profile sports team owner, including the Bucks and soccer club Aston Villa of the English Premier League. He is credited turning the Bucks from a perennial cellar dweller into a champion squad over a five-year span, culminating in the 2021 NBA championship.
But he also fell victim to a lurid alleged “sextortion” scheme, his spokesman confirmed to the WSJ, admitting the Edens is the unnamed “Victim 1” cited an indictment filed last year in Manhattan federal court against Luo.
The indictment reportedly accuses her of trying to extort Victim 1 of more than $1 billion by threatening to release videos and photos of them engaged in sex. Prosecutors alleged Luo also threatened to contact the victim’s family members and business partners in a threat to destroy his fortune if he did not pay up.
According to the indictment, Luo was arrested June 14 at JFK International Airport as she tried to board a flight to China, the New York Post reported.
“Mr. Edens will be making no comment on the case as the indictment speaks for itself with respect to the charges against the defendant,” his spokesman told the Journal. “Mr. Edens expects to testify under oath at the upcoming trial.”
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