One team for whole career? It almost didn't happen for Braun, either

F1 São Paulo GP 2026 – Practice 1

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One team for whole career? It almost didn't happen for Braun, either

JR Radcliffe, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel · Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Tue, Jun 23, 2026 ·

3 min read

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It's almost impossible for a pro athlete to spend the entirety of a decade-long career and never play for more than one organization, so perhaps it was to be expected that Giannis Antetokounmpo wouldn't finish his career with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Sure, there are examples like Dirk Nowitzki and Kobe Bryant in the NBA, Eli Manning or Ben Roethlisberger in the NFL or Clayton Kershaw in Major League Baseball, but the vast majority of players don't get that experience.

It's happened notably a few times in Milwaukee Brewers history, with Jim Gantner (17 years) and Hall of Famer Robin Yount (20 years) famously never leaving the Brewers during the organization's climb to excellence in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Bob Wickman (relief pitcher), 2000
(Jeff Phelps / Journal Sentinel archives)

Geoff Jenkins (outfield) and Richie Sexson (first base), 2003
(Benny Sieu / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Dan Kolb (relief pitcher), 2004
(Brian Bahr, Getty Images)

Carlos Lee (outfield), 2005
(Jonathan Daniel, Getty Images)

Derrick Turnbow (relief pitcher), 2006
(Al Bello, Getty Images)

Chris Capuano (starting pitcher), 2006
(Jack Orton, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Carlos Lee (outfield), 2006
(Rick Wood, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Ben Sheets (starting pitcher), 2007
(BENNY SIEU, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Francisco Cordero (relief pitcher), 2007
(RICK WOOD, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Prince Fielder (first base), 2007
(Harry E. Walker, MCT)

JJ Hardy (shortstop), 2007
(Charles Auer, Now Newspapers archive)

Ben Sheets (starting pitcher), 2008
(Rick Wood, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Ryan Braun (outfield), 2008
(Nick Laham, Getty Images)

Corey Hart (outfield), 2008
(BENNY SIEU, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Trevor Hoffman (relief pitcher), 2009
(Tom Lynn, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Ryan Braun (outfield), 2009
(BENNY SIEU, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Prince Fielder (first base), 2009
(Tom Lynn, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Yovani Gallardo (starting pitcher), 2010
(Benny Sieu, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Corey Hart (outfield), 2010
(Tom Lynn, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Ryan Braun (outfield), 2010
(Rick Wood, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Prince Fielder (first base), 2011
(Tom Lynn, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Ryan Braun (outfield), 2011
(Rick Wood, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Rickie Weeks (second base), 2011
(Tom Lynn, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Jean Segura (shortstop), 2013
(Mark Hirsch, Getty Images)

Carlos Gómez (outfield), 2013
(Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports)

Francisco Rodríguez (relief pitcher), 2014
(Mark Hoffman, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Jonathan Lucroy (catcher), 2014
(Mark Hoffman, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Carlos Gómez (outfield) and Aramis Ramírez (third base), 2014
(Elsa, Getty Images)

Francisco Rodriguez (relief pitcher), 2015
(Hannah Foslien, Getty)

Ryan Braun (outfield), 2015
(Rob Carr, Getty)

Jonathan Lucroy (catcher), 2016
(Tommy Gilligan, USA TODAY Sports)

Corey Knebel (relief pitcher), 2017
(Jerry Lai, USA TODAY Sports)

Jeremy Jeffress (relief pitcher), 2018
(Benny Sieu, USA TODAY Sports)

Josh Hader (relief pitcher), 2018
(Patrick Gorski, USA TODAY Sports)

Jesús Aguilar (first base), 2018
(Geoff Burke, USA TODAY Sports)

Lorenzo Cain (outfield) and Christian Yelich (outfield), 2018
(Benny Sieu, USA TODAY Sports)

Brandon Woodruff (starting pitcher), 2019
(Logan Riely, Getty Images)

Mike Moustakas (third base), 2019
(Michael Reaves, Getty Images)

Josh Hader (relief pitcher) and Yasmani Grandal (catcher), 2019
(Michael McLoone, USA TODAY Sports)

Christian Yelich (outfield), 2019
(Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Josh Hader (relief pitcher), 2021
(Mark Hoffman / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Omar Narváez (catcher), 2021
(Benny Sieu, USA TODAY Sports)

Freddy Peralta (starting pitcher), 2021
(Getty Images)

Brandon Woodruff (starting pitcher), 2021
(Michael McLoone, USA TODAY Sports)

Corbin Burnes (starting pitcher), 2021
(Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports)

Corbin Burnes (starting pitcher), 2022
(MARK HOFFMAN/MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL)

Devin Williams (relief pitcher), 2022
(MARK HOFFMAN/MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL)

Josh Hader (relief pitcher), 2022
(John Fisher, Getty Images)

Devin Williams (relief pitcher), 2023
(Stacy Revere, Getty Images)

Corbin Burnes (starting pitcher), 2023
(Ebony Cox / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

William Contreras (catcher), 2024

(Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Christian Yelich (outfield), 2024

(Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Jacob Misiorowski (starting pitcher), 2025

(Jeff Hanisch, Imagn Images)

Freddy Peralta (starting pitcher), 2025

(Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Trevor Megill (relief pitcher), 2025

(Jeff Hanisch, Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images)

Then, it happened again for Ryan Braun (14 years), who made six all-star teams with the Brewers from 2007 to 2020, but it wasn't always a sure thing that he'd retire a Brewer.

It was well-documented in 2016 that Braun nearly got traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers, a team that played close to his hometown in Granada Hills.

"The organization was always great with me, always forthcoming," Braun said, speaking June 22 in a call to promote the Brewers' upcoming alumni game , featuring Braun and many additional ex-Brewers. "There were a couple moments with David Stearns and Matt Arnold [where I almost got traded], and they were honest with me in their trade discussions, telling me it was at least a possibility. They kept me in the loop and communicated with me."

Milwaukee Brewers' Ryan Braun celebrates after hitting a walk-off grand slam home run in the 10th inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Miller Park Thursday, September 25, 2008.

The Brewers had discussions with the Dodgers in a deal that would have possibly sent Yasiel Puig , Brandon McCarthy and other prospects to Milwaukee in 2016, when Milwaukee was rebuilding early in Stearns' tenure. It was a deal that didn't get across the finish line, though Braun was again the subject of at least some trade speculation again after the season.

Braun was 32 at the time, and his career numbers took a downturn from there, although he was still very much a contributor to the 2018 team that reached Game 7 of the National League Championship Series against the Dodgers, a game in which Puig hit a massive three-run homer that helped send the Dodgers to the World Series.

Braun noted the special connection that came with a career as a one-team athlete. Two of his three children were born in Milwaukee, and the third would have been were it not for the COVID-19 pandemic keeping his family at their home in Florida.

"I'm a big believer that everything happens the way that it should and the universe puts people where they're supposed to be," he said, "and I'm grateful that I'm one of the fortunate few to have spent my full career in one city."

Braun is the only ex-Brewer on the list for the alumni game who spent his entire career in Milwaukee. The three-inning showcase will follow a regularly scheduled game July 24 against Colorado .

"I expect it to be competitive," Braun said. "It was very much that way last year [with the alumni home-run derby ]. Any time you step back between the lines, guys get competitive. I've already gotten some texts from some guys, 'Are the pitchers actually throwing offspeed pitches; is this a real game?' And to the best of my knowledge, yes."

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: After long career in Milwaukee, Ryan Braun was nearly traded, too

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F1 São Paulo GP 2026 – Practice 1

Remember them? Every Milwaukee Brewers all-star since 2000

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