Is this the World Series year for the Brewers?

Heading into Sunday’s series finale with the Rockies, I looked into how this Milwaukee Brewers squad stacks up with the franchise’s other contenders over the years.

What I found surprised me.

Let’s start with the offense. Of the 56 teams in franchise history, the 2024 Brewers rank 11th in runs/game on offense, with 4.86 runs also marking the highest total for any Brewers team since 2007 (4.94 runs). That’s impressive for a couple of reasons.

First, runs/game are down across the league. With the exception of 2022 (4.28 runs/game), the 2024 average of 4.43 runs/game is the lowest since 2015, which came in at 4.25 runs/game. The Brewers are nearly a ¹⁄₂ run above that 4.43 mark, putting them sixth in the league behind five other contenders (Diamondbacks, Yankees, Dodgers, Orioles, and Phillies).

Second, this Brewers offense wasn’t expected to be all that great. The team has ranked right around the league average offensively the last few years as they’ve been carried by the pitching staff — more on that later. With 20 games left, they’re just five homers and 38 runs away from surpassing their 2023 totals. The team slash line has also improved from .240/.319/.385 to .251/.330/.408.

Willy Adames (.253/.335/.473 with 30 homers) and William Contreras (.278/.358/.465 with 21 homers) are obviously a major part of this, but they were expected to be offensive leaders. New addition Rhys Hoskins has struggled outside of providing some power (.208/.292/.408 with 23 homers), but the Brewers have found success in unlikely places.

Rookie Jackson Chourio had a rough start but he’s turned it on since early June, as he’s now hitting .276/.331/.467 with 19 homers. In fact, one more homer from Chourio would give him a 20/20 season, and that would also mark the first time since 2019 that the Brewers have four hitters with 20-plus homer years. Fellow rookie Joey Ortiz has had an up-and-down season but he’s still hitting .243/.340/.401 with 10 homers.

Brice Turang looks like a different player from the one we saw last year, hitting .256/.318/.360 with seven homers and a better opposite-field approach. Blake Perkins, Garrett Mitchell, and even Sal Frelick have shown flashes of offensive prowess as well, which has been huge in the second-half absence of Christian Yelich, who himself had a sort of a renaissance when healthy (.315/.406/.504 with 11 homers in 73 games).

All in all, this is a fairly balanced attack, something that the Brewers haven’t seemed to have since they came oh so close to the World Series back in 2018.

As surprising as the offense has been, the pitching staff may be even more shocking.

With 3.89 runs allowed/game (3.50 ERA), the 2024 Brewers rank as the sixth-best pitching staff in franchise history, just behind the 2021 Brewers (3.85 runs/game, 3.45 ERA). That also eclipses the 2018 Brewers’ 4.04 runs/game (3.73 ERA) mark, meaning this Brewers squad ranks better on both sides of the ball. Milwaukee also ranks as the third-best pitching staff in terms of runs allowed this season, just behind the Mariners (3.76 runs) and Braves (3.82), who would both miss the playoffs if the season ended today.

Freddy Peralta is still the ace of this staff, even if his numbers may not reflect it. He has a 3.75 ERA and a team-high 175 strikeouts across 153 ²⁄₃ innings this season. Behind him, Colin Rea and Tobias Myers have surprised as strong candidates for postseason rotation spots. Rea has made 27 appearances (24 starts) with a 3.72 ERA and 122 strikeouts across 150 innings, while Myers has made 23 appearances (22 starts) with a 2.93 ERA and 112 strikeouts across 120 innings.

As just about everyone has talked about all season long, that’s a solid trio considering Corbin Burnes’ departure and Brandon Woodruff’s season-long absence.

And if the Brewers are looking for another couple of options in the playoff rotation, look no further than Aaron Civale, Frankie Montas, and DL Hall. Civale, who was acquired at the start of July, has made 10 starts for the Brewers with a 3.88 ERA and 50 strikeouts across 53 ¹⁄₃ innings. Montas, who was acquired in late July, has made seven starts with a 3.92 ERA and 42 strikeouts across 39 innings. Hall had a rough start to the season but he’s looked virtually unhittable since returning from injury. In three appearances (two starts), he’s allowed just three runs (one earned) with 20 strikeouts across 15 ²⁄₃ innings (0.57 ERA). As is the case with Bryse Wilson, Joe Ross, and new-look Aaron Ashby, Hall may be better suited as a long-relief option, but it’s clear that he’s a starting option if it becomes necessary.

Out of the bullpen, the Brewers (as usual) have had a few “nobodies” emerge as stars. Bryan Hudson, who I’d expect to be back from Triple-A Nashville for the playoffs, has a 1.73 ERA and 62 strikeouts across 62 ¹⁄₃ innings this year; Jared Koenig has a 2.29 ERA and 57 strikeouts across 55 innings; Trevor Megill has a 3.05 ERA and 42 strikeouts across 38 ¹⁄₃ innings (and he picked up 20 saves in the absence of Devin Williams); Joel Payamps has a 3.44 ERA and 48 strikeouts across 52 ¹⁄₃ innings; and Elvis Peguero has a 3.12 ERA and 45 strikeouts across 49 innings.

Beyond those guys, the aforementioned Ashby has, like Hall, looked unhittable since returning to the majors in a relief role. In five relief appearances, he’s spanned 11 innings, allowing no runs on just three hits and two walks with 13 strikeouts. Williams is obviously the cream of the crop when it comes to closers, and he’s looked great as of late, including striking out the side in Saturday night’s win over Colorado. Through 14 ²⁄₃ innings (15 appearances), Williams has a 1.84 ERA and 27 strikeouts.

The last thing I’ll mention here is the Brewers’ record against other potential playoff teams (I’ve included everyone within five games of a playoff spot). Those records are as follows (ordered by overall season record):

• Dodgers: 3-4 (32 RS, 35 RA)
• Phillies: 0-3 (2 RS, 7 RA) — three games remaining
• Yankees: 1-2 (15 RS, 36 RA)
• Orioles: 2-1 (26 RS, 12 RA)
• Guardians: 3-0 (9 RS, 4 RA)
• Padres: 2-5 (28 RS, 37 RA)
• Diamondbacks: 0-0 — seven games remaining
• Mets: 3-0 (14 RS, 8 RA) — three games remaining
• Royals: 1-2 (12 RS, 14 RA)
• Braves: 4-2 (45 RS, 26 RA)
• Astros: 1-2 (12 RS, 16 RA)
• Twins: 3-1 (22 RS, 20 RA)
• Red Sox: 2-1 (14 RS, 7 RA)
• Tigers: 2-1 (17 RS, 14 RA)
• Mariners: 2-1 (21 RS, 14 RA)

For those of you doing math at home, that’s a 29-25 record with 269 runs scored (4.98 runs/game) and 250 runs allowed (4.63 runs/game) with 13 games to go against playoff-contending opponents. Not bad if you ask me.

Verdict: On paper, this Brewers team is one of, if not the best squad in franchise history. The question is, can they put it all together when it matters most?

All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference.