The Milwaukee Brewers have put themselves in a strong spot with just 31 games left, and the path to the National League’s No. 1 seed is starting to look clear.
Milwaukee has won three of its last four, with two of those victories coming against the National League East-leading Atlanta Braves. That run has pushed the Brewers to 81-50, and they’re now on pace to top last year’s franchise-record 97 wins.
At the moment, the Brewers sit atop a four-team chase for the best record in the league and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Their magic number to clinch the No. 1 seed is 30. The Dodgers are the closest pursuer, sitting one game back, while the Braves are five games behind and the Cubs are 5 1/2 back.
The Dodgers remain the most realistic threat from outside Milwaukee, but the Brewers have also widened their gap on Atlanta. Milwaukee has a cushion in the overall National League standings and in the Central, where Chicago is still within reach. There are seven games left between the Brewers and Cubs before the regular season ends, so that race still has room to change.
For now, though, Milwaukee controls its own fate. If the Brewers keep playing the way they have lately, that may be enough to finish the job. They’ve been especially sharp against winning teams, going 43-22 against clubs above .500, a number that only strengthens their case.
Milwaukee also already owns the season series over the Dodgers, a detail that could matter in the final stretch. The Brewers currently hold an edge over the Cubs as well, though more meetings are still ahead.
With about five weeks left, the Brewers are firmly in the driver’s seat for the National League’s top spot.
In Other News...
Cubs Prospect Is Doing Something Rare The Organization Barely Sees
Josiah Hartshorn has spent this season turning heads across two levels of the Cubs farm system, showing the kind of power that usually belongs to much older players. The 19-year-old has hit his way from Class-A Myrtle Beach to High-A South Bend, posting a .936 OPS in more than 300 plate appearances and giving the organization a glimpse of a future outfielder with real middle-of-the-order upside.
For a club that is always trying to stock the next wave, Hartshorns season stands out because Chicago simply does not see teenage hitters do this very often. He is still likely a couple of years from the majors, but the path is getting more interesting by the week, especially with the possibility that he could one day pair with Pete Crow-Armstrong in a dynamic Cubs outfield. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Playoff Push Could Soon Get Two Pitching Reinforcements
The Cubs are getting closer to adding some much-needed pitching help as Ben Brown and Justin Steele both took encouraging steps forward in their recoveries. Brown and Steele recently threw live bullpen sessions and came away feeling great, a positive sign for a club trying to line up its arms for the stretch run.
Brown is expected to begin a rehab assignment soon if everything continues on the current path, while Steele is slated to throw live batting practice next and could follow with a rehab assignment of his own. For a team in the middle of a playoff push, the possibility of getting both pitchers back into the mix would give Chicago another layer of depth when every outing starts to matter more. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Open Huge Wild Card Series With One Big Lineup Question
The Cubs opened a three-game set against the Diamondbacks with both clubs still squarely in the Wild Card race, and there was at least one notable lineup wrinkle right away. Chicago entered with a two-game cushion over the Phillies for the top Wild Card spot, while Arizona came in chasing the Padres for the final berth, so every decision carries a little more weight than usual this late in the year.
Michael Conforto was back in the designated hitter spot for the Cubs for a second straight game, giving Chicago another look at a bat that has been part of the recent mix. On the other side, Ketel Marte remained on the injured list, leaving Arizona short one of its most important players and forcing former Cub Ildemaro Vargas to handle second base again as the Diamondbacks try to keep pace in a crowded chase. [Read more 🡒]