Can the Brewers Translate Regular-Season Dominance to Postseason Glory?
The Milwaukee Brewers tied a modern-era record for the largest shutout victory, beating the Seattle Mariners 22-0. The 22 runs tied the Brewers franchise record for most runs scored in a game. The Brewers got contributions up and down the lineup playing small ball and with the long ball. With another dominant performance the Brewers remain baseball’s best regular season team. But October is approaching quickly, and that’s where Milwaukee has struggled.
The score is what will be remembered about this game; it is another accomplishment for a team that currently is the best in baseball. The Brewers are now 79-49, leading their division and have an astounding +159 run differential. This is currently better than the Dodgers and Braves; what the Brewers do not have is the postseason success of these teams. It has eluded Milwaukee and while this game is an incredible accomplishment it doesn’t help to ignore the Brewers postseason failures.
Over the last 5 postseasons the Brewers have gone 5-13 in the postseason. They have one series win in 2025 over the Cubs and were quickly dispatched by the Dodgers in a four-game sweep that saw them only score 4 runs and surrender 15. While this team has made its mark playing small ball, they hit three three-run home runs in this game. They will need a lot more of this if they are going to change their postseason fortunes. Producing runs is a good recipe for success in the regular season. The long ball becomes increasingly important in the playoffs, when the pitching is consistently better and producing runs becomes more difficult. Over the past 5 regular seasons 41.2% of runs have come via the long ball according to research using Stathead. During the same span, the figure rises to 48.1% in the postseason. Currently the Brewers have scored the third-most runs in the NL and have surrendered the fewest. The question remains; can they continue this into the playoffs?
Baseball, more than any sport, changes daily and one game does not change a team's outlook. The Mariners beat the Brewers the following night 7-5, as the game tends to go. Comparing this year's Brewers to past teams, they seem to have some distinct advantage over previous Brewers teams. At the top of the rotation is Jacob Misiorowski, who leads MLB in ERA, strikeouts and WHIP. Their bullpen is very steady led by Trevor Megill and their 3.37 bullpen ERA ranks third in all of baseball. Offensively this team is more balanced from a run production and home run standpoint.
Compared to last year's team the 2026 Brewers have some key differences. The starting rotation has dropped their ERA from 3.78 in 2025 to a league-leading 3.12 ERA in 2026. The offense is averaging 5.02 runs per game, an increase from 4.98 in 2025. They have hit an MLB- low 119 home runs in 2026, compared to 166 in 2025. This is still the main concern in Milwaukee.
Can this team finally have a breakout postseason and win the National League? The answer is yes. Paced by excellent pitching and a balanced lineup, they have what it takes to challenge the other top teams in the NL. They will need to avoid a postseason slump that has cost this team consistently in the playoffs. The main concern is the home run numbers. Their power production remains a concern, particularly in October, when a larger share of the runs historically come from home runs. Their pitching is elite and has been very consistent in 2026. If the Brewers can continue to score consistently, in different ways, this team is balanced and good enough to take down the Dodgers and Braves. The great news is we will find out soon enough as the season winds down and October is looming.
