The Brewers are entering September in a familiar spot: on top of the standings, with the best run differential in baseball, and a race ahead that could shape the National League playoff picture.
Even after Monday night’s 17-3 loss to the Cubs, Milwaukee still owns the game’s best run differential at +163, according to MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy. The Dodgers sit next at +153, followed by the Cubs at +141, the Braves at +113 and the Yankees at +108.
That ugly loss did little to change the broader view of the Brewers’ position. They still lead the Cubs by 7.0 games in the division, hold a 2.5-game edge over the Dodgers for the No. 1 seed in the National League, and are up 3.0 games on the Braves for a first-round bye.
And that’s where September gets interesting. The standings matter, sure, but the schedule matters too, especially when teams are fighting for the same postseason real estate. For Milwaukee, Los Angeles and Atlanta, the road ahead could decide who gets to skip the Wild Card round and move straight into the NLDS.
Milwaukee’s remaining path is not a soft landing. The Brewers are in the middle of a 10-day stretch that includes seven games against the Cubs, who entered the night at 78-60 and own the top Wild Card spot in the National League.
In September alone, Milwaukee has six games left against Chicago, plus three against the Phillies and three against the Orioles. That combination gives the Brewers the 8th-hardest remaining schedule in baseball.
Atlanta’s slate looks even rougher. The Braves are set for matchups with the Rays, Cubs, Astros and Marlins, along with two key series against the Phillies.
The Braves opened September as one of the hottest teams in the league, winning seven straight before losing last night to the Giants. Philadelphia has been just as strong, which could make those NL East showdowns especially important for Milwaukee if the Braves are unable to take control of those series.
Los Angeles, on the other hand, drew one of the friendlier finishing schedules in the National League and the third-easiest in MLB. The Dodgers still have six games left with the Giants, seven with the Reds, and series against the Cardinals and Nationals. Their only remaining matchups against teams in the playoff mix are against the Padres, who have a narrow hold on the final Wild Card spot, and the Marlins, who are 4.0 games out at 69-69.
Of course, September rarely plays out the way a schedule chart suggests. Teams with nothing to lose can turn into a headache, and clubs under pressure don’t always handle it cleanly.
Form matters, too, not just record. But on paper, the final month clearly favors some teams more than others.
For now, though, the Brewers can at least take comfort in this: they’re heading into the final four weeks with the best record in baseball and a real shot to stay right where they are.
In Other News...
Former Brewers Reliever Gets Another Shot To Test Milwaukees Decision
Easton McGees path away from Milwaukee has already taken a few turns since the Brewers designated him for assignment and shipped him to Kansas City in July. He got a brief look with the Royals, then spent most of August in Triple-A, where the results were rough enough to push him back out of the spotlight for a while.
Now he is back on Kansas Citys major league roster as a September call-up, which gives him another chance to show he belongs in an MLB bullpen. For the Brewers, it is the kind of move that keeps a former arm on the radar and quietly reopens the question of whether the organization gave up on him too soon. [Read more 🡒]
Brewers May Have Found The Tweak Antonio Senzatela Needed
Antonio Senzatelas move to the Brewers has already come with a clearer role and a different pitch mix, but the early returns were uneven. After his transition from the Rockies rotation to the bullpen, he had found more success leaning on a cutter and four-seam fastball, yet Milwaukee initially had him working more with a sinker-cutter combination that did not produce the kind of results the club was hoping for.
The good news for the Brewers is that the answer may have been less about the pitch itself than where he was throwing it from. A later adjustment to Senzatelas position on the mound helped his sinker play better, giving Milwaukee a possible path to a more effective version of the right-hander as it continues to sort out how he fits into the staff. [Read more 🡒]
Brewers Deadline Gamble Is Turning Into An October Rotation Problem
When Milwaukee dealt for Dustin May at the deadline, the move was supposed to deepen a rotation the Brewers hoped would hold up into the stretch run. Instead, the right-hander has been searching for answers since arriving, and the early returns have been rough enough to change the tone around what was meant to be a stabilizing addition.
May has posted a 6.41 ERA in five appearances with Milwaukee, part of a season that has already been uneven overall. His 6-9 record and 4.69 ERA underscore why the Brewers were betting on upside when they brought him in, but the performance has not matched the ask, and it now looks unlikely the club will pick up his option for 2027. [Read more 🡒]