MILWAUKEE – Brewers Community Foundation is putting the finishing touches on another impactful year in which the club’s charitable arm raised more than $5.7 million with contributions from every player on the roster, and was able to pay it forward to more than 200 nonprofits throughout Wisconsin. It all adds up. Under the umbrella of “Beyond the Diamond” efforts, Brewers players, coaches, and front office staff made more than 115 appearances and contributed more than 3,300 hours to support nonprofits. Here’s a rundown of some of the most impactful BCF and community relations department initiatives in 2025: • 50/50 Raffle: The gameday mainstay set a record this year, raising more than $4 million. Fifty percent of the proceeds directly impacted nonprofit organizations throughout the state. Since its inception in 2010, the 50/50 raffle has raised $32,793,663 for good causes.
• Fundraisers: BCF partners with fans and supporters to fundraise through initiatives like the 5K/10K Famous Racing Sausages Run/Walk, the BCF Ultimate Auction and BCF Weekends. The Leadership Council – a group of corporate partners whose vital support makes many of these initiatives possible – includes American Family Insurance, Aurora Health Care, Baker Tilly, Delta Dental of Wisconsin, Johnson Controls, Lubar & Co., Molson Coors, the Milwaukee Admirals, Northwestern Mutual, Potawatomi Casino Hotel, We Energies Foundation and Town Bank.
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• Drive for Charity: The Brewers hosted five drive-thru and in-ballpark collection events in the 21st year of the program. Fans donated non-perishable food items, school supplies, new socks, pet supplies, new hats, mittens and scarves to support Community Advocates, Guest House, Wisconsin Humane Society, NourishMKE and Running Rebels. • Grants: BCF provided grants to Sojourner Family Peace Center, Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, Milwaukee Public Library and Milwaukee County Parks. The impact stretches around the state with initiatives and support provided to nonprofits including Center for Black Excellence & Culture, Special Olympics, Bridging Gaps to Greatness and Best Buddies International, to name a few. • Community Relations: Separate from BCF, the Brewers’ community relations department hosted a number of events this year. Among the most notable: Brewers Bookshelf Build, where players, front office volunteers and children from Lloyd Barbee Montessori School and Greenfield Bilingual School built 60 bookshelves on the warning track at AmFam Field. The eighth annual Play Ball Weekend, an MLB league-wide initiative that welcomed nearly 1,000 children for a morning of baseball and softball clinics to spark a love for the game. #KindnessInMKE, a day dedicated to surprise acts of kindness by players, coaches and front office staff, which resulted in $50,000 donated throughout the community in one day. |
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As part of #KindnessInMKE, Brewers alum Ryan Braun surprised seniors during their weekly aerobics class at Wilson Park Senior Center. Beyond player involvement, the Brewers’ front office staff also contributed, launching the season with a campaign to support domestic violence survivors. This effort supported four vital community partners including Sojourner Family Peace Center, Hope House, Waukesha Women’s Center and Milwaukee Women’s Center, with 250 care packages and a $5,000 grant for basic needs.
“Community is at the heart of everything we do,” Brewers VP of community relations Katina Shaw said. |
MLB MORNING LINEUP PODCAST |
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The Brewers signed their first Major League free agent (outfielder Akil Baddoo) and made their first trade (acquiring lefty Angel Zerpa from the Royals for Nick Mears and Isaac Collins) in the days immediately following the Winter Meetings, continuing a recent trend of a quiet Meetings followed by some action. Zerpa is an intriguing add, working with a heavy fastball that ranked in Statcast’s 99th percentile for ground-ball percentage and 84th percentile for velocity in 2025. His primary fastball, a two-seam sinker, averaged 96.6 mph last season. And while nothing’s set, the Brewers might look at him as a starter. |
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The Brewers have kept the door open for a return for Jordan Montgomery, the veteran lefty whom they acquired with reliever Shelby Miller from the D-backs at last year’s Trade Deadline, even though there was no chance Montgomery would pitch. By picking up some of the money left on his contract while Montgomery was rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, the Brewers were able to land Miller without giving up a player. As thorny as his relationship with the D-backs had become, the Brewers found Montgomery to be great, to the point he came into American Family Field in September to make a donation to Brewers Community Foundation. (And why not? Montgomery was thrilled and surprised to learn that he landed a $500,000 bonus for being traded.) “Obviously we can’t talk about the sort of conversations we’re having, but our time with him was awesome,” president of baseball operations Matt Arnold said. At last word, Montgomery was expected to begin throwing bullpens in January, which means his availability for the very start of the season would be tight. But if the sides can work out a deal that covers the Brewers’ risk, a return seems a strong possibility. |
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ESPN’s Jeff Passan wrote last week about the unique circumstance of Brewers skipper Pat Murphy, who is on one hand the two-time reigning NL Manager of the Year Award winner, and on the other hand without a contract beyond next season. Murphy, 67, ever flanked by his two youngest sons following Brewers home games, is understandably eager to address that.
“I owe a lot to the Milwaukee Brewers, I really do,” Murphy told ESPN. “I hope they want me.”
For now, the situation is a little uncertain. When Murphy was promoted from bench coach to manager in November 2023 in the wake of Craig Counsell’s departure for the Cubs, the Brewers concurrently hired former second baseman Rickie Weeks as associate manager, a title that suggested he was a future manager in waiting. But it didn’t work out that way, and earlier this offseason the Brewers moved Weeks back to a front office role.
So, there’s no clear succession plan. Murphy recently slashed his prodigious daily caffeine intake in a major way in the interest of health, and he has given no indications he’s nearing retirement. As the Brewers build their roster and coaching staff, addressing the manager’s future – or not – is also high on the agenda. |
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