MILWAUKEE — If you can't appreciate William Contreras and everything he brings to the Milwaukee Brewers, you might be a Los Angeles Dodgers fan.
His savvy behind the plate. His timely hitting. And his long, slow trots around the bases that give his teammates the opportunity to jump on and enjoy his ride.
"He's underrated. Whatever people think about him, he's underrated," Brewers manager Pat Murphy said of his catcher. "He's that good."
The Brewers have put the Los Angeles Dodgers – the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers – in an 0-2 hole in their best-of-seven National League Championship Series, and Contreras is a large part of the reason why. He's been the conductor for a pitching staff that's allowed four runs and 10
hits in the first two games, and he had a solo homer and drove in the go-ahead run in a 7-4 win in Game 2 on Wednesday, Oct. 12.
He is hitting .391 this postseason, with three homers and four RBIs. The three homers give him five for his postseason career, tying him with Jackson Chourio for Milwaukee's franchise record.
"I think it's the confidence that Milwaukee instilled in me from day one when they acquired me. Going out there and letting me play the game that I do and letting me play the way that I do," said Contreras, who spent the first eight seasons of his career in the Atlanta Braves organization before being traded to the Brewers in December 2022.
"(I'm) just very appreciative to the organization for what they've been able to do," he added. "I think I've been able to have the best years of my career here."
Competitive fire
Contreras was still raw when Milwaukee acquired him, but it didn't take Murphy long to realize the Brewers had landed a special player. Catcher is the most physically and psychologically demanding position in baseball, requiring players to spend the better part of three hours squatting behind the plate and be laser focused not only on calling the game but knowing what's going on everywhere else on the field.
Get distracted for a second, and your opponent has a runner in scoring position. Call for the wrong pitch, or forget a hitter's tendencies, and you could be watching a ball sail over the outfield fence. And, on top of that, try and contribute offensively.
It's taxing, which is why most teams make liberal use of their backup catchers. But Contreras never wanted to come out. Day games after night games, opponents with gnarly offenses, 90-degree days — Contreras insisted on being behind the plate every day.
"He was ticked if I ever DHd him," Murphy said. "He just wanted to be in there. This kid wants it. He doesn't believe in days off. He doesn't believe in being injured. He played one year with a broken hand.
"And he wants to excel," Murphy said. "It's not enough for him to make the All-Star team. He wants to excel. He wants it all."
IT'S HIS TIME TO SHINE pic.twitter.com/sgFqwbKI4M
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) October 12, 2026
Steady glove behind plate
That kind of intensity can consume a young player, but Contreras has the maturity to channel it in the right directions. It is no coincidence the Brewers have arguably the best young pitching staff in the game, led by Jacob Misiorowski, Logan Henderson and Robert Gasser.
They're superbly talented, sure. Misiorowski is a heavy favorite to win his first Cy Young Award this year, leading the majors in both ERA (1.80) and strikeouts (252). Henderson went 11-3 with a 2.47 ERA in 18 starts this season, giving up one run or less in nine of them. Gasser, who missed almost all of 2025 recovering from Tommy John surgery, went 2-0 with a 1.87 ERA in his last eight games of the regular season.
But Contreras' steadiness behind the plate allows the youngsters to thrive, knowing he's going to be there to bail them out when they do make mistakes.
"He does a great job handling the pitching staff," captain Christian Yelich said. "He's the fire of our team. Just likes the moments, likes the big moments. We've got all the confidence in the world in him when he's out there, whether that's behind the plate or at the plate."
Everyone gets in on Contreras' fun
Though the Brewers make no secret of their ambitions — "This year they don't want to be denied," Murphy said — they are not soulless robots grinding their way through the season. This is team that's having fun and enjoying each other, with Contreras leading the way.
When he goes deep, he turns to Milwaukee's dugout and "fires" a bazooka. He also takes his time rounding the bases; his home run trot in Game 2 lasted just over 35 seconds. Contreras isn't showing up the opponent. He's including his teammates in on the fun.
"More than anything, I try to enjoy the moment," Contreras said. "(The home run celebrations), it's most importantly for my teammates. For them to feel the energy, feel the vibes, and for us to feel that together. The celebrations are for them. It's for the teammates and to keep us going."
The Brewers have long known what a gem they have in Contreras. After this postseason, everyone else does, too.
Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Do-everything William Contreras is criminally 'underrated' for Brewers | Opinion
