Milwaukee clinched a fourth consecutive NL Central title, continuing their remarkable run despite a modest payroll.
The Milwaukee Brewers (1.84) claimed their fourth consecutive NL Central title on Tuesday night. A 5-1 win over Pittsburgh, combined with a Chicago Cubs defeat, sealed the division crown.
A Typical Brewers Victory
Ace Jacob Misiorowski tossed five scoreless innings against the Pirates (2.27) at PNC Park. He allowed just five hits and one walk while recording seven strikeouts. Joey Ortiz finished 3-for-4 with two runs batted in during the contest.
Twenty-one-year-old Luis Lara also contributed a pair of runs batted in. The victory featured no home runs and no errors on the final scoresheet. That approach has defined Milwaukee’s season, relying on singles and smart baseball.
“It’s just the boys grinding, them doing their jobs,” Misiorowski said afterwards.
Overcoming Significant Setbacks
Milwaukee’s season could easily have unravelled given their extensive injury problems. Outfielder Jackson Chourio fractured his hand during the World Baseball Classic. First baseman Andrew Vaughn and veteran Christian Yelich both followed him onto the injured list.
Pitcher Quinn Priester never made it out of spring training before season-ending surgery. Brandon Woodruff managed just nine starts before his surgically repaired shoulder gave out. The Brewers had also traded two-time All-Star Freddy Peralta to the Mets in January. Despite all that, Milwaukee sit with baseball’s best record at 94-57.
Winning Without Spending
Milwaukee’s payroll of around $140 million ranks nineteenth among all thirty major league teams. Every other National League playoff team sits inside the top ten for spending.
Yelich credited the organisational culture for their continued success despite those financial constraints: “I think we do a really good job of knowing how to win,” he said.
Pittsburgh manager Don Kelly acknowledged the wider admiration Milwaukee now commands: “Money doesn’t always buy wins or championships,” Kelly said.
Misiorowski suggested opponents no longer underestimate the Brewers as they once did: “I think we’ve gotten to a spot where they kind of see it,” he said.
The Bigger Goal Remains
Milwaukee lead the league in hits and on-base percentage this season. Their pitching staff boasts the best earned run average across the National League. Their plus-199 run differential also represents the best mark in baseball.
Six wins from eleven remaining games would deliver a first hundred-win season in franchise history. Milwaukee’s real target, though, remains their first World Series appearance since 1982. They were swept by the Dodgers (1.54) in last season’s National League Championship Series.
“This isn’t the end goal,” second baseman Bryce Turang said recently. “We all know what the end goal is, and that’s what we’re chasing,” he added.
