Milwaukee Brewers: 3 best DH options for shortened season

1. Ryan Braun

In an effort to keep him healthy, the Brewers have given Braun regular days off in recent years and last year he played 18 games (12 starts) at first base to keep him in the lineup more. In 144 games last year (his highest game total since 2012, over 508 plate appearances), he hit .285/.343/.505 with 22 home runs, 75 RBI and 11 stolen bases with an OPS+ of 116.

Braun had been in line to split time in right field with free agency signing Avisail Garcia, along with some time at first base as Christian Yelich moves over to left field. But now Braun can literally be a full-time DH, and just hit with little or no time spent in the field.

Before the coronavirus pandemic really took hold and stalled everything, Braun acknowledged that 2020 could be his final season. This is the final fully guaranteed year of his contract, with a $15 million club option for 2021. But a short season might change his thinking about continuing to play, apart from the Brewers’ deciding to pick up that option. With 344 career home runs entering this season, a run at 400 homers over the next 2-3 seasons if the universal DH does stick isn’t out of the question.

Braun never was a fantastic defensive player, regardless of the position he played. So being able to DH regularly, if not all the time this year, is perfect for him. It doesn’t have to hard for Counsell, who will practically write the former NL MVP’s name into the lineup as the DH in ink over the 60-game season.