Milwaukee, WI
Brice Turang Finally Playing To Milwaukee Brewers’ Original Forecast
Brice Turang is having the time of his life. So are the Milwaukee Brewers thus far thanks in large part to their 24-year-old second baseman.
Pat Murphy, in his first season as Brewers manager, saw it coming. Few others did.
“I think this kid’s gonna make a quantum leap,” Murphy said on March 12 in the Brewers’ spring-training camp. “I think he’ll establish himself as an everyday player. I’m really confident.”
For five years, Turang did not show much offense. He was a good defensive player and baserunner with potential, highly touted as a first-round pick out of high school in 2018. He got a $3,411,100 signing bonus at age 18. He climbed steadily if not spectacularly through the minors, hitting .270 with only 26 homers in 434 games.
MILWAUKEE: Brice Turang is dunked by teammates after a 10-0 win over the New York Mets at American … [+]
He became a Brewers starter a year ago. There wasn’t much fanfare – Turang didn’t warrant it. He hit a measly .218 in 137 games with a paltry .585 OPS (.285 on-base percentage + .300 slugging percentage). That ranked 495th in the majors.
Today, he ranks 11th in batting average (.314), 29th in on-base percentage (.369) and has a downright giddy .800 OPS, 41st overall. That’s better than such noted stars as Fernando Tatis Jr., Jose Ramirez, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Pete Alonso, Nolan Arenado and a few hundred other players.
That is a big reason why the Brewers lead the National League Central Division with a 27-19 record. The Brew Crew is barreling along despite trading away ace pitcher Corbin Burnes, star closer Devin Williams being sidelined since mid-March with a back injury and slugging outfielder Christian Yelich limited to 20 games by a bad back. First baseman Rhys Hoskins, outfielder Joey Wiemer and pitchers DL Hall, Wade Miley and Jakob Junis are now on the injured list, too.
Short Stroke, Big Results
Turang’s turnaround was pointed out statistically by Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. He found that tracking data lists Turang with the second-shortest swing in the game to two-time defending batting champion Luis Arraez.
“Short and direct, that’s what I’m trying to be every swing I take,” Turang told Hogg. “Short to it, long through it.”
That generally means making more contact at the expense of the long ball. Yet Turang already has 12 doubles, three more in 94 fewer games than he had as a rookie.
Other Young Brewers On The Rise
Turang is one of five Brewers in the regular lineup 26 or younger. The elder statesman of the group at 26, catcher William Contreras, is carrying the club. He’s third in the majors in batting (.341), tied for third in runs (40), tied for fifth in RBI (37) and seventh in OPS (.955).
PITTSBURGH: William Contreras celebrates his three-run home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates at … [+]
His output is not as surprising. He has a .285 average and 52 homers in 340 career games for the Atlanta Braves and Brewers.
Third baseman Joey Ortiz, acquired with Hall in the deal that sent Burnes to the Baltimore Orioles, is batting .292 with 5 homers.
Jackson Chourio, the 20-year-old uber-prospect outfielder, is starting to find his way. He is batting .275 in May after a rough first 27 games in the majors when he batted only .206 with 34 strikeouts. He has only seven strikeouts in 15 games this month. He has 5 homers and a .226 average overall.
Left fielder Sal Frelick is hitting .250 but has six stolen bases. The Brewers rank third overall with 61 steals (in 71 tries), led by Turang. He’s 18-for-18.
Milwaukee ranks third in batting average, runs, RBI and fourth in homers.
Another Leap Two Years Ago
Andres Gimenez had similar numbers to Turang in the New York Mets’ farm system. Also like Turang, the native of Venezuela wowed everybody with his defense and baserunning. The question was, would he hit?
CLEVELAND: Second baseman Andres Gimenez snares a ball hit by George Springer of the Toronto Blue … [+]
He batted .263 in 49 games after being called up in 2021, then was traded to Cleveland. Big expectations turned into big disappointment. He hit only .218 in 2021 with exceptional defense and 11 steals without being caught.
In 2022, Gimenez became an all-star at age 23. He won a gold glove, batted .297, had 17 homers, 69 RBI and went 20-for-23 in steal attempts.
Gumby Turned Out Well
For 17 years, Brewers fans enjoyed watching another contact-hitting second baseman. Jim Gantner batted .274 with only 74 homers in 1,801 games for Milwaukee from 1976 thru 1992. He didn’t claim a regular role until his fifth season when he hit .282 in 1980.
NEW YORK: Jim Gantner dislays Gumby-like qualities as he stretches before a game against the New … [+]
Turang has more natural athleticism than Ganter, nicknamed Gumby by teammate Gorman Thomas for the sometimes awkward but likeable cartoon character.
Gantner never won a gold glove or made an all-star team. He did hit .333 in the franchise’s only appearance in The World Series – a seven-game loss to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1982. Yet he was highly respected as the “Brew Crew Glue” that helped solidify the team for years.
Turang’s sudden improvement has him on track to surpass Gantner, though it is doubtful he’ll ever reach the status Hall of Famers Robin Yount and Paul Molitor achieved in Milwaukee.
He already has big-league bragging rights in the family, however. His father Brian hit .222 with 9 steals in 78 games for the Seattle Mariners. Dad’s numbers over eight years in the Mariners’ minors, 1989-96: .274, 45 homers, 103 steals in 673 games.
The Brewers knew the name. They had picked dad in the 20th round out of high school, but he went off to college and then was picked and signed by Seattle. They took Brice with the 21st overall pick 31 years later. It’s paying off now.
Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee residents react to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s legacy before trade goes through
MILWAUKEE — Fans in Milwaukee are waking up to the news that Giannis Antetokounmpo has been traded, ending a 13-year run with the Bucks that included a championship in 2021.
The news of the trade broke late last night, and fans have mixed emotions about the move.
Before the trade happened, TMJ4 spoke with fans in Milwaukee about what they wanted to see happen.
Some fans were focused on what the Bucks could get in return.
Alonna Johnson
“If he gets traded, we get like some valuable pieces for him at least. I don’t want Bam Adebayo. I want Tyler Herro because he’s from Milwaukee so you know he’s a hooper they can keep bound,” Khorey said.
Others acknowledged Antetokounmpo’s impact even without following the sport closely.
Alonna Johnson
“I’m not a basketball fan myself but I know who Giannis is. And that says someone whose background is theater. We got a championship from him,” Halana said.
A mural created in honor of Antetokounmpo’s achievements on and off the court now stands as a reminder of his legacy in the city.
For those who predicted Antetokounmpo could be traded — they were correct.
Alonna Johnson
“I don’t like to see him get traded. I don’t like that. But the franchise is not big enough. Giannis needs to move in another direction,” Scheila said.
Not everyone was ready to accept the change.
Alonna Johnson
“Not saying that there’s anything wrong with anybody else, but Giannis is like the Bucks. So I would prefer if he didn’t because it’s just going to be weird. And then it’s like, who can follow in those big old footsteps,” Nariah said.
We’ll continue to bring you updates on the trade on-air and online.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Let’s talk:
Hey there! At TMJ4 News, we’re all about listening to our audience and tackling the stuff that really matters to you. Got a story idea, tip, or just want to chat about this piece? Hit us up using the form below. For more ways to get in touch, head over to tmj4.com/tips.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
Report a typo or error // Submit a news tip
Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee DPW truck ran red light, crashed into vehicle; 2 injured
Scene at 68th and Capitol
MILWAUKEE – A Milwaukee DPW truck ran a red light and crashed into another vehicle on Monday afternoon, June 22.
Crash details
What we know:
According to the Milwaukee Police Department, just before 3 p.m. a DPW truck was heading east on Capitol when it ran a red light at 68th Street and crashed into a sedan that was heading north on 68th.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android
A passenger in the DPW truck, a 44-year-old, was taken to the hospital for treatment of non-fatal injuries.
The driver and only person in the sedan, a 25-year-old, was also taken to the hospital for treatment of non-fatal injuries.
The driver of the DPW truck was cited for running the red traffic light.
The Source: The Milwaukee Police Department sent FOX6 the information. FOX6 crews also went to the scene.
Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee Mayor Johnson says he’s not aware of FBI interviewing city election officials
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson says he is unaware of any city election officials, current or former, who have sat for an interview with FBI agents seeking to discuss the 2020 election.
“I know there’s been outside counsel that has been engaged on this as well, which I’m grateful for, the partnership we’re having with some of the outside counsel there,” Johnson said on WISN 12’s “UpFront,” which is produced in partnership with WisPolitics. “But my understanding as of this moment is no.”
Agents are said to be specifically asking questions related to Milwaukee’s nearly 180,000 absentee ballots and the processing of those ballots at the city’s central count location.
The ballots have yet to be destroyed. The county’s corporation counsel has cited an ongoing lawsuit as the reason for preserving the ballots.
Johnson said he doesn’t know all the details about why the ballots are still there, but he wants the privacy of Milwaukee voters to be protected.
“If there was or is an opportunity to destroy that, to secure the sanctity of the vote for the people in Milwaukee, so that they know that their vote is private and the federal government can’t figure out who folks voted for, I think we should do that,” Johnson said.
Meantime, Don Millis, the Republican chair of the bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission, is urging Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul to intervene and destroy Milwaukee’s 2020 absentee ballots.
Millis told “UpFront” he had a “very constructive conversation” with Milwaukee County Clerk George Christenson and learned there were 265,000 absentee ballots from which it could be determined who voters cast their ballots for, not just for the presidency, but other offices as well.
“No one’s entitled to see those,” Millis said. “Our constitution was built on the idea of a secret ballot, and I’m just frustrated that this hasn’t happened. I just wish the decision makers who are in charge of this would see that and move more quickly.”
Millis added, “Best case scenario would be tomorrow. But I just don’t think that’s going to happen. I think it’s going to probably be weeks or months before that happens.”
Millis said the law permits the ballots to be destroyed.
“No one has a right to see them, and so if there is quote unquote litigation, those are documents that should not be sought to a litigation hold,” Millis said. “And it would seem to me incumbent upon the court to see it that way and give permission for Mr. Christenson to do what he’s authorized and required to do.”
Millis said there has been staff-level discussion with the attorney general’s office.
“I’d be satisfied if he chose to intervene, to take the steps that need to be taken,” Millis said.
Milwaukeean Tyanna Buie is one of 30 artists selected to have work featured in the Obama Presidential Center, which officially opened Friday.
“It still hasn’t set in yet,” Buie told “UpFront.” “It still feels like a dream. I remember when I was first contacted, they never said what the project was.”
Buie recalled that conversation, when she was told “You’re good to go.”
“I said, ‘Who is they? What are we talking about?’ And that’s when they said, ‘Oh, we didn’t tell you. It’s the Obama Presidential Center,’ and I was like, ‘Oh, my goodness.”
Buie said her piece is in a room themed “fired up for change.”
“And it was also a space where people can sit, lounge and just take it all in,” she said. “Just the scale of the magnitude of everybody’s work is phenomenal, so I’m grateful to be included, but also super excited for people to see it.”
See more from the show.
-
Iowa4 minutes agoState officials continue to recommend no swimming at one Iowa lake
-
Kansas7 minutes ago
Kansas City police bring in extra help for World Cup events
-
Kentucky12 minutes agoKentucky’s schematic changes on defense in 2026
-
Louisiana19 minutes agoThe Supreme Court’s campaign to expand religious liberty now has a glaring exception
-
Maine19 minutes ago
Rains bring relief to drought in Maine
-
Maryland27 minutes agoSCOTUS holds the fates of 20,000 Haitian TPS recipients on Maryland’s Eastern Shore
-
Michigan34 minutes ago5 Michigan-themed coffee mugs to browse during Prime Day 2026
-
Massachusetts37 minutes agoRent control question tossed from ballot, SJC cites religious exemptions