The Milwaukee Brewers are closing in on a milestone season, but the question hanging over them is a loud one: will their offense have enough punch when the games tighten up in October?
With eight regular-season games left, Milwaukee is one win away from tying its franchise record and still owns the best record in baseball. A first-round bye is very much in play, and a 100-win season is on the table. Even so, the same formula that has carried the Brewers through the regular season could become a problem once the playoffs begin.
The issue is power, or more accurately, the lack of it. ESPN’s David Schoenfield put the concern in plain terms on Friday: "Only 32.6% of Milwaukee's runs have been scored via the long ball, easily the lowest percentage in the majors, where the overall average for 2026 is 40.6%," ESPN's David Schoenfield wrote on Friday. "And here's the thing to worry about: Over the past 10 postseasons (leaving out 2020), the percentage of runs scored via the home run has gone up each year compared to the regular season.
"This means hitting home runs is even more important in the postseason. Perfectly executed small ball can certainly play a role at times, but it's more difficult to put together sustained rallies against better pitching without mixing in some power.
Over the past 10 postseasons, again excluding 2020, the playoff team with the fewest home runs in the regular season has gone 17-29 and failed to reach a World Series. This doesn't mean you should write off the Brewers."
And that’s the tension with this Milwaukee team. The Brewers have scored the second-most runs in the league despite living near the bottom of the power rankings. Their .259 batting average is second-best in baseball, and they’ve built a season around stringing together hits and manufacturing runs.
That approach showed up again Wednesday in a 5-4 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Milwaukee opened the second inning with four straight singles to push across two runs, then worked a similar rally in the seventh. Christian Yelich finished that one with a two-run double that helped seal the win.
The Brewers have made small ball work all year. The trouble is that October usually shrinks the margins, and rallies become harder to sustain against elite pitching without more damage in the middle of the order.
Milwaukee is not the only contender carrying a postseason concern. The Los Angeles Dodgers have also dealt with offensive struggles over the past few months, tying for 16th in runs scored since July 1.
The Brewers have been swinging it better lately, and that’s the trend they’ll want to keep riding into the playoffs.
In Other News...
Christian Yelich Keeps Giving Brewers Fans Another Reason To Love Him
Christian Yelich keeps finding ways to matter to the Brewers beyond what he does in the batters box. This week, he was named Milwaukees nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award for the second time in four seasons, a recognition that goes to players whose work in the community reflects the legacy of Clemente and his lifelong commitment to service.
Yelichs resume off the field has only deepened his standing with fans in Milwaukee, where he has backed military veterans, youth baseball and programs focused on childrens health and education. For a player already central to the Brewers identity, it is another reminder that his influence around the organization stretches well beyond the lineup card. [Read more 🡒]
Pat Murphy Sends A Clear Message With Brewers Lineup Choice
The Brewers are back in action this afternoon for the second game of their series against the Orioles, and Pat Murphys lineup gives a pretty clear read on where his priorities are in the middle of a long season. With left-hander Robert Gasser on the mound for Milwaukee and Trevor Rogers set to start for Baltimore, the Brewers are leaning into a different look than the one fans might expect, with several regulars getting the day off.
It is the kind of move that can say plenty without anyone needing to explain it, especially with first pitch set for 3:05 p.m. and the game available on Brewers.TV, WTMJ 620 and the Brewers Radio Network. For a club trying to balance the grind of the schedule with the demands of staying fresh, Murphys lineup choice suggests there is a bigger picture in mind, even if the immediate question is how the Brewers will piece together this one. [Read more 🡒]
Christian Yelich Is At The Center Of A Huge Brewers Debate
Christian Yelich has been at the heart of the Brewers rise for nearly a decade now, ever since Milwaukee landed him from Miami in a four-player trade on Jan. 25, 2018. The move changed the shape of the franchise almost immediately. Yelich became one of the teams defining players, won the National League MVP award in 2018, and helped lead Milwaukee to the playoffs eight times in nine seasons, giving the Brewers a steady centerpiece through a long stretch of contention.
Even with all that production, the conversation around Yelich is no longer just about what he has done in the past. Injuries have interrupted parts of his run, and that has made his place in the Brewers present and future a more complicated debate than it once seemed. For a team that has leaned on him so heavily, the question is how much more he can still provide, and how Milwaukee chooses to weigh the star power, the durability concerns and everything he has already meant to the organization. [Read more 🡒]