Willy Adames has added a new element to his game this season.

Adames has a career-high 20 stolen bases for the Milwaukee Brewers heading into their Wednesday road game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

He is the first shortstop in franchise history with at least 30 home runs and 20 stolen bases in a season.

“I didn’t think in the beginning I was going to steal 20,” Adames said after stealing his 20th base in the Brewers’ 7-2 win against the Pirates in the series opener on Tuesday. “Maybe we can go to 25.”

Adames said he was encouraged by the coaching staff and teammates to shoot for 20 steals this season. His previous career high was eight in 2022.

He is the fifth Milwaukee player with at least 20 steals this season, and he joins rookie Jackson Chourio as the first Brewers teammates with at least 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in the same season.

“I feel like it was the right mentality to fit in with the boys,” Adames said of his increase in stolen bases. “They were aggressive since Day 1, and I just wanted to be involved with them.”

Brewers manager Pat Murphy doesn’t need milestones to recognize Adames is enjoying the best season of his career. The skipper is considerably more focused on getting his team into the postseason on the right foot, and that begins with winning the series against the Pirates.

“We’ve got to continue playing decent baseball, we were decent (on Tuesday),” Murphy said. “I’ve said it all year, (Pittsburgh) is not a bad ballclub. They’ve got some hitters and they’ve got some pitching that we all know about.”

Freddy Peralta is scheduled to start on the mound for the Brewers (90-67) on Wednesday.

Peralta (11-8, 3.69 ERA) is 4-1 with a 2.19 ERA in his past seven starts.

He did not receive a decision in his most recent outing, on Sept. 18 against the Philadelphia Phillies, despite allowing just one run and two hits in five innings. Peralta departed with the score tied 1-1 and the Brewers eventually won 2-1 after clinching the National League Central earlier in the day.

Peralta has made 21 appearances against the Pirates, including 12 starts, and is 2-1 with a 3.56 ERA. He last faced Pittsburgh on April 25 and did not receive a decision after allowing five runs and five hits and five walks in 4 2/3 innings.

Luis L. Ortiz is scheduled to start for the Pirates (73-84) on Wednesday.

Ortiz (6-6, 3.43) is 0-2 with a 5.17 ERA in three starts this month, but he pitched well in his most recent outing. He held the St. Louis Cardinals to two runs and five hits in six innings while striking out seven and walking two on Thursday.

The right-hander did not receive a decision in the Pirates’ 3-2 victory, but he was satisfied with his performance.

“My whole focus today was to get weak contact, and the strikeouts showed up,” Ortiz said via an interpreter. “That was not in my mind to strike people out, but making quality pitches, that’s what happened and we’re pretty happy.”

Pirates manager Derek Shelton was also impressed with Ortiz’s command.

“I thought he looked really sharp,” Shelton said. “Looked really good. He was able to run the cutter and the four-seamer off it. I thought he did a nice job.”

Ortiz is 1-0 with a 2.93 ERA in four career appearances (two starts) against the Brewers. He has no decisions and a 3.86 ERA in two relief outings vs. Milwaukee this year.

–Field Level Media