On 20th birthday, Brewers’ Chorizo still struggles to cross finish line

With the MLB trade deadline approaching, Milwaukee Brewers fans are wondering who may join the Crew, but on this day in 2006 the Brewers made perhaps their most-important free-agent signing of the past 20 years.  

Not Mike Cameron or Lorenzo Cain − the Chorizo.  

On July 29, 2006, the Brewers added a new runner to the famous in-game sausage race in honor of the team’s Latino fanbase. It was Cerveceros day at American Family Field − then Miller Park − back then. Cerveceros is Spanish for beer-maker, aka a Brewer. Chorizo finished third in that first race, which would be its only one of the 2006 season. After its debut, Chorizo was sent down to the minors for “seasoning,” according to the Brewers, and returned on opening day 2007.

“This really began as a grassroots email and letter-writing campaign,” current Brewers president of business operations, Rich Schlesinger, said at the time. “At first, it was a few letters a week, and, to use a food analogy, it mushroomed to something much larger. We started taking it seriously.” 

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This season, Chorizo is at the bottom of the pack in competition on the field, however, and is tied with Hot Dog for last place at seven wins, which is a better showing than previous years. Chorizo has been in last place overall for the past three seasons and has been near the bottom for the other two of the past five.  

Its worst performance came in 2021, when it logged only eight wins for the entire season − so if it gets one more win this season, it will at least tie that. In 2022, Chorizo narrowly avoided last place by winning 14 races, a four-win lead over Hot Dog.  

Chorizo’s five-year doldrums aren’t necessarily the fault of the racer inside, however, as part of the issue lies in the way the costume is built: namely the large foam sombrero on top.  

While other racers can lean their costumes forward to gain speed, Chorizo can’t because it most likely would topple over, in part because of the heavier sombrero.  

And removing the sombrero is not an option. For one, it would require a costly remake of the costume and, more importantly, it’s what makes Chorizo who it is.

So, the next time you watch the sausage race and make fun of Chorizo for falling woefully behind, remember that it probably can’t help it.  

Happy birthday Chorizo, here’s hoping you can catch a break one of these days.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: On 20th birthday, Brewers’ Chorizo still struggles to cross finish line