With a little more than 30 games left, Milwaukee looks built for another October run. The Brewers own the best record in baseball and appear headed for the postseason for the eighth time in the past nine seasons, a stretch that has become standard operating procedure for a club that is on track for its fourth straight division title.
The offense has held up its end even without much power. Milwaukee has hit the fewest home runs in the league, yet it still ranks fourth in runs scored. But the real engine behind this season has been the bullpen, and that unit may end up deciding how far the Brewers can go.
Milwaukee’s relief corps has been one of the best in the game, posting a 3.37 ERA, which ranks third in the league. And as the regular season winds down, three arms stand out as especially important: Aaron Ashby, Abner Uribe and JoJo Romero.
Ashby has been the workhorse of the group. He leads all Brewers pitchers in both appearances and wins, going 13-2 in 59 games.
The 28-year-old has logged 71 innings out of the bullpen, with one start mixed in, and has struck out 101 batters while putting up a 3.30 ERA. He has been Milwaukee’s most dependable reliever, and the value of those innings only grows now, when every fresh arm matters.
Uribe has been just as important when healthy, and maybe even more electric. The 26-year-old has a 2.05 ERA in 49 appearances and has emerged as one of the Brewers’ top setup options.
Right now, though, he’s on the 15-day injured list with a right forearm flexor strain. The good news for Milwaukee is that he is trending in the right direction and making progress in his recovery.
He leads the team with 18 holds, and the Brewers need him back in rhythm soon, both to help secure a top seed and to be ready for the playoffs.
Romero arrived at the deadline in the trade with the St. Louis Cardinals that sent a couple of prospects to St.
Louis and brought Milwaukee both Romero and Dustin May. The 29-year-old had been solid for the Cardinals, posting a 3.35 ERA in 44 appearances with 43 strikeouts.
He hasn’t pitched since July 12 after undergoing an appendectomy and landing on the 15-day injured list, but he is working back and is scheduled to throw a live BP today. A seven-year veteran, Romero gives the Brewers another experienced high-leverage arm, though he needs game reps soon to get ready for the stretch run.
If Milwaukee is going to avoid another postseason disappointment, the bullpen has to keep carrying its weight. Ashby, Uribe and Romero may end up being the relievers who shape the Brewers’ final push.
In Other News...
Brewers Teen Prospect Is Making Double-A Look Very Different
The Brewers Double-A affiliate keeps giving the organization another reason to pay attention to Biloxi, and the latest comes from one of its youngest regulars. After a recent move up from High-A Wisconsin, Pea delivered again with a solo home run and a two-hit night in Biloxis 4-2 win over Rocket City, adding to a stretch that has made the jump look remarkably smooth for a player still getting his footing at the level.
What makes Pea stand out is not just the production, but the context around it. He reached Double-A after earlier health setbacks this season, yet he has continued to hit well in a lineup already loaded with multiple top Brewers prospects, giving Biloxi a different kind of punch near the middle of the order. For Milwaukee, the encouraging part is obvious: a teenager adjusting quickly, holding his own, and looking anything but overmatched against older competition. [Read more 🡒]
Brewers Broadcast Crew Keeps Earning National Respect And Fans Will Debate It
Awful Announcings annual ranking of local MLB TV broadcast teams offered another reminder that the Brewers booth has built a national following beyond Milwaukee. Based on votes from more than 9,300 respondents, the crew finished ninth for the second straight year with a score of 2.60, a spot that keeps it in the upper tier of baseball broadcasts and gives fans plenty to argue about whenever these rankings come out.
The top of the list went to San Diego, whose booth earned a 3.07, but the Brewers placement still speaks to the staying power of a group that has become a regular presence in these conversations. There were also other teams with Wisconsin connections mentioned in the rankings, a small extra note for local fans who like to track how the states baseball voices stack up against the rest of the sport. [Read more 🡒]
Brewers Fan Favorite Just Floated A Wild October Idea
The Brewers are already in an enviable spot, sitting atop Major League Baseballs standings as they turn toward a key series against the Braves, but the conversation around Milwaukee keeps stretching beyond the next opponent. Former outfielder and longtime fan favorite Nyjer Morgan added to that buzz after a big Brewers win, using an appearance on ESPN Milwaukees "Kyle & Brust" show to voice confidence in a club he believes can chase its first championship.
Morgan also floated a more surprising October wrinkle, one that would push the Brewers roster conversation into prospect territory at exactly the time contenders usually get cautious. His idea centered on top prospect Jesus Made, a suggestion that speaks to how wide open Milwaukees path feels right now and how much attention the organization is drawing as the postseason approaches. [Read more 🡒]