The excitement surrounding the 2025 baseball season is intensifying, even before the World Series kicks off, as award season begins to take shape. The Milwaukee Brewers have made headlines as three of their standout players—Brice Turang, William Contreras, and Christian Yelich—have been named National League finalists for the prestigious Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award, determined by a vote from NL managers and coaches.
Brice Turang stands out as a finalist at second base, competing against Ketel Marte of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Nico Hoerner of the Chicago Cubs. Turang achieved impressive career highs this season, boasting a .288 batting average, 18 home runs, 81 RBIs, and a robust on-base plus slugging (OPS) of .794 in 156 games, establishing himself as a key player for the Brewers.
William Contreras, selected as a finalist at catcher, faces competition from Hunter Goodman of the Colorado Rockies and Will Smith of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Although Contreras was the 2024 NL Silver Slugger winner, he played with a broken left middle finger throughout the season. Despite these challenges, he managed a commendable .260 batting average, 17 home runs, 76 RBIs, and a .754 OPS over 150 games.
Christian Yelich is recognized as a finalist for designated hitter alongside renowned players Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers and Kyle Schwarber of the Washington Nationals. Yelich enjoyed a renaissance season post-back surgery, emerging as Milwaukee’s top run producer with a .264 batting average, 29 home runs, 103 RBIs, and an OPS of .795 in 150 games.
The winners of the Silver Slugger Awards are set to be announced on November 6, adding an element of anticipation for fans and players alike.
In another move, the Brewers have made their first postseason transaction of 2025 by claiming left-handed pitcher Sammy Peralta off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels. The 27-year-old Peralta had a rough season, finishing with a 0-1 record and a 7.59 earned run average (ERA) in five relief appearances for the Angels. Over his three-season major league career, including time with the Chicago White Sox, he has a combined record of 2-1 with a 5.12 ERA, 1.71 WHIP, and 37 strikeouts in 45⅔ innings pitched. Peralta has one minor league option remaining, giving the Brewers flexibility with his development.
The selection process for the Silver Slugger award involves extensive voting by the managers and coaches of NL teams, who evaluate players based not only on their offensive statistics such as OPS, homers, and batting average but also based on their overall impact on the game. This recognition highlights the dynamic talent within the league and showcases the Brewers’ competitive spirit as they move forward in the postseason.