The Curse of Travis Shaw Continues

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Photo by Charles Edward Miller - Wikimedia Commons

Travis Shaw with the Milwaukee Brewers (2018)

Travis Shaw with the Milwaukee Brewers (2018)

The Brewers waited until almost the last minute to make one of their biggest moves of the winter, but in so doing they continued a trend that stretches back nearly a full decade.

Caleb Durbin, the primary export in Monday’s six-player trade with the Red Sox, was the Brewers’ primary third baseman in 2025 and seemed to be locked into that role again for 2026. Instead, the Brewers will have another new regular there, their ninth in nine seasons. Since Travis Shaw manned the position for back-to-back seasons in 2017 and 2018 the Brewers have had (as calculated by Baseball Reference) Mike Moustakas, Eric Sogard, Luis Urias, Jace Peterson, Brian Anderson, Joey Ortiz and Durbin all spend a single season in the role, which is now open again for 2026.  

This is only the second time in franchise history the Brewers have had a new primary regular at any position in at least eight consecutive seasons. Here are their longest such streaks:

First Base, 12 seasons from 2011 to 2022

Prince Fielder was one of the most dynamic players in Brewers history and from the moment he left in free agency following the 2011 season it was clear he had left big shoes to fill, but no one could have predicted just how long it would take the team to stop the revolving door that followed. Corey Hart moved in from the outfield to fill the spot in 2012 but Juan Francisco, Mark Reynolds, Adam Lind, Chris Carter, Eric Thames, Jesus Aguilar, Thames again, Justin Smoak and Daniel Vogelbach all spent single seasons in that role before Rowdy Tellez finally nailed it down for 2022 and 2023.

Third Base, Eight seasons and counting from 2018-present (will be nine in 2026)

Center Field, Seven seasons from 2019-25 (could be eight in 2026)

Center field defense has been one of the Brewers’ strengths as a team for much of this century and throughout the team’s current extended run of contention, but it’s been a moment since the Crew had an established long-term regular out there. Lorenzo Cain was the last Brewer to serve as a primary center fielder in back-to-back years when he did it in 2018 and 2019, and since then Avisail Garcia, Jackie Bradley Jr., Tyrone Taylor, Joey Wiemer, Blake Perkins and Jackson Chourio have all been out there. Chourio and Perkins remain in the organization, but it remains to be seen how the organization will handle center field this season and if their preferred options out there can remain healthy.

Left Field, Seven seasons from 1984-1990

Ben Oglivie was one of the cornerstones of the first great run of successful Brewers teams, serving as the primary left fielder every year from 1979 to 1984. When he was no longer able to carry that workload, however, it took the Brewers a long time to find someone else. 1985 was Robin Yount’s first season in the outfield and he primarily played left that year before moving to center in 1986. With the position once again vacant Glenn Braggs, Rob Deer, Jeffrey Leonard and Braggs again all spent a season out there before another rookie, Greg Vaughn, took over and made the position his own in 1990. Vaughn would go on to be the Brewers’ primary left fielder for six of the next seven seasons.

Right Field, Seven seasons from 1969-1975

The first seven teams in franchise history didn’t experience a lot of success, but they did try out a lot of right fielders. Future Brewer and Milwaukee sportscaster Mike Hegan played right field on the Seattle Pilots’ first Opening Day and hit a home run, but he would go on to spend most of his career at first base. For the Brewers’ early seasons in Milwaukee the somewhat forgettable collection of Bob Burda, Bill Voss, Joe Lahoud, Bob Collucio and Dave May (moving over from center field) played more time out there than anyone else. Sixto Lezcano eventually claimed the role in 1975 and would go on to become one of the organization’s first stars.