In a sport that features well-funded teams, such as the Dodgers, Yankees, Mets, Cubs, and Philadelphia Phillies, among others, fans nationwide should take note of and celebrate what the Milwaukee Brewers are accomplishing.
The team that plays in the smallest media market in the country has won 12 of 13 after having its 11-game winning streak snapped Tuesday night in a 1-0 loss to the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park. Then, the Brewers snapped back on Wednesday, beating the Mariners 10-2.
Not only is it good enough to be in first place in the NL Central, but it is also good enough to have the best record in baseball (61-41) heading to Friday’s home game versus the Marlins.
The Brewers are a team everybody should be talking about. And what they are doing isn’t the only topic. It’s how they’ve managed to do it after losing their president of baseball operations, David Stearns, and their manager, Craig Counsell. Kudos to their successors, Matt Arnold, senior vice president and general manager, and second-year manager Pat Murphy.
You think I’m done? I’m not. Milwaukee lost its two best players in Devin Williams (trade) and Willy Adames (free agency). Plus, they keep winning despite having some of their best players on the injury list, including Nestor Cortes, Rhys Hoskins, Sal Frelick, Robert Gasser, Connor Thomas, Carlos Rodriguez, Garrett Mitchell, J.B. Bukauskas, and Jake Bauers.
There’s even more to crow about? The Dodgers’ luxury-tax payment is higher than the Brewers’ payroll ($108 million)!
The Brewers are the National League’s version of the Tampa Bay Rays, likable and resourceful. Just like the Rays, it’s refreshing to witness team executives, the manager/coaches, and players build a culture of excellence. Players step up, and minor league call-ups step into the lineup. Everyone in the organization knows how to win. It’s a testament to the organization’s commitment and know-how.
Jacob Misiorowski (photo courtesy FourStatesHomepage.com)
The Brewers took off when they called up Jacob Misiorowski this season. The Brewers’ rookie keeps hitters guessing with his slider, fastball, and changeup, and 14 pitches he threw Tuesday night hit the 100 MPH mark. It’s no wonder he was selected for the All-Star Game despite only five starts, as he set a modern-era record for the most hitless innings (11) to start his career. The best way to describe Misiorowski is Paul Skenes 2.0.
When a prospect can shine like that, a team can feed off it and go through a run. That’s what the Brewers are doing. It reminded me of what the Twins did in 2006 when they won 42 of their 55 games in the summer. Francisco Liriano, 22 years old at the time, was called up and dominated until he suffered an arm injury that required Tommy John surgery.
Led by Christian Yelich, the Brewers also know how to hit. They are an efficient team, with a solid understanding of how to manufacture runs, thanks in part to speedy Jackson Chouri, who’s a threat anytime he gets on base. Plus, they not only put the ball in play consistently, but it’s the way they do it–targeting opponents’ fielding weaknesses, as they did in the Mariners’ series (spraying the ball around Seattle shortstop J.P. Crawford).
Bottom line is that the Brewers have the goods to win the NL Central. But how about the postseason? In 2024, the team was a strike away from advancing to the National League Division Series. But the Mets’ Pete Alonso hit a game-winning, three-run home run in the ninth inning, and that was that.
While the Brewers have the pitching to win in the postseason based on their 3.58 ERA with Brandon Woodruff and Freddy Peralta as a duo of aces, Misiorowski will likely be in the bullpen, and that will put the staff in a bind. Unless they hit homers, which is always a key postseason factor, Milwaukee may struggle to keep up with the likes of the Phillies, Dodgers, and Mets.
That said, wouldn’t it be a fantastic story if the Brewers were in the World Series and won it?! But no matter how things turn out this season, the Milwaukee Brewers are a team to watch and root for.
