Chourio's .882 Postseason OPS Inverts League-Wide Trend

Jackson Chourio finished Game 3 of the World Series with four hits, a performance that extended his postseason OPS to .882. That figure is 83 points higher than his .799 regular season average across the last three years. In the league at large, players typically see their OPS drop by 39 points in the postseason compared to the regular season. Chourio moves in the opposite direction.

The Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 10-1 in St. Petersburg, Florida, on Monday. The win puts Milwaukee up 3-0 in the series. Chourio accounted for four of the 16 hits recorded by the Brewers. He opened a key rally in the fifth inning with a base hit up the middle and closed it with a double into the right-center field gap. The Brewers scored eight runs in that inning, all with two outs.

Chourio, 22, became the first player of his age to record four hits in a World Series game in 80 years. He has collected eight hits in the first three games of this series. His regular season record from 2024 to 2026 includes three consecutive campaigns with at least 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases. He is the first player to achieve that feat before age 23.

Daniel Vogelbach, the Brewers hitting coach, described Chourio as "a kid" who could still be playing college baseball. Matt Arnold, president of baseball operations, stated that Chourio is "turning into a superstar right in front of our eyes." Arnold was the general manager when the team signed Chourio out of Venezuela in 2021 at age 16. Christian Yelich, the team captain, noted that Chourio has a "slow heartbeat" and enjoys the moment.

Néstor Corredor, the field coordinator, observed that Chourio became anxious during a rematch against the Los Angeles Dodgers earlier in the month. Corredor said Chourio has since dialed back his approach. He is working counts and shortening his swing. Corredor added that Chourio understands he is part of a complete team and does not need to be the sole hero. "He's the leader of the lineup, but there's a calmness to him," Corredor said.

Chourio read part of Kobe Bryant's autobiography, "The Mamba Mentality," and has tried to adopt the late star's approach to pressure. His middle name, Bryan, is a nod to Bryant. His father, Jackson Sr., was a fan of the Los Angeles Lakers' early 2000s dynasty. Chourio's brother, Jaison, who is in the Cleveland Guardians system, has the middle name Oneel after Shaquille O'Neal.

Chourio said he must remain calm and think positive despite high expectations. "I know people expect a lot out of me. I expect a lot out of myself too," he said in Spanish. He believes he is born to perform in these environments. The Brewers are on the verge of their first championship in 57 years of franchise history.