No one thought the Milwaukee Brewers would still be playing. They traded away former Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff was unable to pitch due to shoulder surgery, they lost Christian Yelich to a back injury, and former manager Craig Counsell bounced to the Chicago Cubs. That didn’t stop the Brewers, though, from shocking baseball and capturing the NL Central crown. But will they do well in the playoffs and win the World Series for the first time since 1982? Nope!
Sorry, Brewers fans, but here are the top four reasons why your Brew Crew won’t be celebrating a championship.
Can the Brewers’ rotation push through in October?
Out are Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff. In are Freddy Peralta, Frankie Montas, and Tobias Myers. The Brewers’ rotation wasn’t its strong suit this season. Starters ranked eighth in the NL with a 4.06 ERA and they also gave up 124 home runs — third most in the league. The Brewers are going to have to hope their bullpen — one of the best in the majors — will carry the pitching staff throughout the playoffs. If not, it will be a long offseason in Milwaukee.
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Will 20-year-old Jackson Chourio handle the postseason pressure?
Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio is one of the most exciting young players in the game today. Before playing an MLB game, the 20-year-old signed an eight-year, $82 million deal with the Brew Crew — and he showed he was worth every penny so far. Chourio hit 21 home runs, stole 22 bases, scored 80 runs, knocked in 79, and had a .791 OPS with 3.8 WAR. He is a superstar-in-the-making, but will he be able to handle the pressure of postseason baseball at such a young age? The Brewers are going to count on Chourio in October. For the Brewers to succeed, he’s going to have to play the best baseball of his young career.
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Who will be providing the Brewers’ offense?
Jackson Chourio, William Contreras, and Willy Adames provided the offense for most of the season. Christian Yelich had a bit of a resurgence in 2024, making the All-Star team for the first time since 2019, but he was lost for the season with a back injury. The Brewers are going to need guys like Rhys Hoskins, Joey Ortiz, and Brice Turang if they have any chance at sniffing the World Series. If those guys go cold, say goodbye to the Brewers’ championship chances.
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Will Sal Frelick be able to contribute?
Right fielder Sal Frelick is on the postseason roster, but how much can the Brewers expect from him? Frelick suffered a deep bone bruise on his hip after crashing into a wall chasing down a foul ball last week. There were concerns he might be out for the playoffs, but he’s toughing it out. Frelick doesn’t bring much offensively, but he’s excellent in the field, providing Gold Glove-caliber defense. If Frelick goes down again at any point, you’re not replacing his glove. That will give Brewers’ decision-makers much consternation.
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