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The Milwaukee Brewers are having a great season, currently sporting the best record in baseball. Although they are in the driver's seat to win the National League Central, there is still work to do. The Brew Crew still has to play out the final few weeks to win the NL Central. Additionally, the Brewers' division title hopes will hinge largely on several factors, including their battles on the Northside. The Brewers-Cubs rivalry will see new life, especially in the next week.
Milwaukee currently has amazing odds to win the NL Central. Overall, things look good for the Brew Crew right now. But things could always fall apart. To win the division, they must stay consistent. When the season began, the Cubs were the better team. Eventually, the Brewers began to overtake them.
The Brewers are on fire right now and have all the momentum. Yet, they must sustain it.
The division title winner will likely have a first-round bye. Assuming Milwaukee can claim the division, they will likely play the lowest seed remaining. However, they still have to hold off Chicago and not lose a step over the final few weeks.
The Brewers-Cubs rivalry will be a big factor
Thanks to a rain postponement earlier this season, Milwaukee will play a five-game series at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs. Significantly, the teams have split the eight games they have played against one another.
Those five games will be critical. Currently, Milwaukee is leading Chicago by 7 1/2 games in the NL Central. On the surface, it looks like they have this division in hand. But stranger things have happened in baseball, and no lead is safe. When the Brewers last played the Cubs, they took two of three games. However, they also lost two of three at home earlier this season.
The Brewers split the two games with the Cubs at Wrigley. Now, these teams will face off for five games next week. If the Cubs take four of these five games, it could turn what was once an insurmountable lead into a shorter lead. Therefore, the Brew Crew will need to beat the Cubs. What will it take?
The offense must stay hot
The Brewers need their offense to stay hot. Amazingly, the offense has been on fire, scoring 26 runs over its last two games. The Brewers have tallied 47 runs over five games, averaging a ridiculous 9.4 runs per game. While that is not sustainable, it certainly is feasible to replicate over the next few weeks.
Jackson Chourio is one Brewers player who can make a mark over the next few weeks. Although his hamstring injury is concerning, he is running at 75 percent right now and could be back to full speed in no time. When Chourio returns, he will certainly be a major player when Milwaukee attempts to cement its division title.
The Brewers' division title hopes will likely hinge on whether their offense can continue to churn out runs. Notably, Christian Yelich, William Contreras, and Brice Turang have done well, and will look to sustain their offensive production.
The Brewers' division title hopes hinge on the stretch run
The Brewers have had two hot streaks this season, but that means nothing if they cannot sustain the success down the stretch. While winning 12 games in a row looks nice right now, they need to ensure they can maintain that level of performance. The Brewers' division title hopes will likely come down to how the next few weeks go. If they stumble even a little bit, it will make September a lot more interesting.
When September rolls around, the Brewers will host the Philadelphia Phillies for a three-game series in what could be a playoff preview. Then, they will have a six-game road trip against the Pittsburgh Pirates and Texas Rangers. The Brewers will also have six games against the St. Louis Cardinals, sandwiched with a three-game series with the Los Angeles Angels. Finally, the Brew Crew end the season with a three-game series against the San Diego Padres and three games at home against the Cincinnati Reds.
While many of these games look good on paper, Milwaukee still must continue to win these games down the stretch and maintain its focus. They are clearly in the driver's seat, and the NL Central could be theirs. But first, they must overcome the Cubs in the big five-game series. Once that is over, they will also have a tough test with the San Francisco Giants and Toronto Blue Jays. This team is loaded all over, ranking in the top-five in many categories across the board. They must avoid critical mistakes down the stretch, and must continue playing good baseball.
