Milwaukee

Brewers

With Milwaukee leading the way in the NL Central, Murphy has won NL Manager of the Year both seasons since he replaced Craig Counsell at the helm of the Brewers. Whether he or the team’s front office deserves the most credit for the team exceeding expectations is a fair debate, but there’s certainly no need to mess with what’s working.

The deal, which was agreed upon over the weekend, is now official. The versatile 28-year-old had a down season offensively in 2025, slashing a mere .238/.287/.335 with nine homers, 43 RBI and 10 stolen bases (in 17 attempts) over 541 plate appearances with the Angels. If he can bounce back though, he could be the answer that the Brewers are looking for at third base after shipping Caleb Durbin to the Red Sox.

The deal is now official. Sánchez returns to Milwaukee following a one-year detour in Baltimore where injuries limited him to just 30 games. The 33-year-old backstop’s time as a fantasy-relevant option are clearly over, but he provides the Brewers with a reliable veteran backup behind ironman starter William Contreras.

It is an MLB deal, so it does appear that Rengifo will open the 2026 season on the Brew Crew roster Rengifo was not good in 2026 with an ugly .622 OPS over 541 at-bats in 2025 with the Angels, but he’s a switch-hitter who offers versatility with the ability to play pretty much anywhere but catcher. It’s hard to see a ton of playing time for Rengifo to open 2026, so even with some power and speed potential, it’s difficult to justify him as a fantasy option

Jesse Rogers of ESPN adds that the hard-hitting backstop will earn $9.4 million in 2025, which is near the midpoint of the $9.9 million figure that Contreras filed at and the $8.55 million that the Brewers countered with. The deal also includes a $14.5 million club option for the 2027 season.

Sánchez hit .231/.297/.418 for the Orioles last year, in 101 plate appearances, missing a lot of the season with a knee sprain, and played for the Brewers in 2024. The 33-year-old would seem likely to be their backup catcher behind William Contreras should this agreement be finalized.

Strzelecki, 31, arrived in the big leagues with the Brewers in 2022 and had nice success early before losing two mph of his fastball in 2023 and pitching his way back to Triple-A. He was limited to 22 innings for two Triple-A teams last year and posted a 9.41 ERA.

The 27-year-old southpaw was a fifth-round selection by the Red Sox from the 2020 draft class. He was outstanding in 12 appearances (11 starts) at Triple-A Worcester in 2025, registering a 2.27 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and a 67/16 K/BB ratio across 47 2/3 innings. He adds to an already strong stockpile of rotation options for the Brewers.

Hamilton had a very rough season at the plate for the Red Sox in 2025, slashing a meager .198/.257/.333 with six homers, 19 RBI, 22 stolen bases and a 47/13 K/BB ratio over 194 plate appearances. His calling cards are speed and defense though, which should land him a utility role on the Brewers’ Opening Day roster. He can continue to be ignored for fantasy purposes.

Harrison, who was the headliner of the package that the Red Sox received in the deal that sent Rafael Devers to the Giants in 2025, will head back to the National League after making just three appearances (two starts) in the big leagues for the Red Sox. The 24-year-old southpaw holds a 4.39 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and a 191/67 K/BB ratio over 194 2/3 innings or his career at the MLB level. Harrison moves from one crowded rotation mix to another though and he’s facing an uphill battle at securing a spot in the Brewers’ Opening Day rotation.