The Braves and the Rangers had the 2 greatest division leads in baseball coming into Friday. This is smart: These are two of baseball’s finest groups, enjoying in divisions the place their rivals have been oddly disappointing — in fact they’ve massive leads.
But are you aware who had the third-largest division lead in baseball coming into the weekend? It was the Brewers! Even the oxygen within the Brewers’ personal division, the one they led by 2 1/2 video games coming into Friday, has been taken up by the joy of the younger Elly De La Cruz-led Cincinnati Reds and the mystifying efficiency of the preseason division favourite, the Cardinals.
It’s the Brewers, although, who run this division. According to FanGraphs, they’ve the third-best playoff odds within the National League, with a 71.7 p.c likelihood of successful their division. (That’s increased than any crew in baseball apart from the Braves.) The Brewers, quietly, even confusingly, simply hold successful. Even although they, like each different crew of their division apart from the Cubs, for some motive, have been outscored by their opponents.
How are the Brewers doing this? What have they found out that the remainder of the NL Central hasn’t? Here’s why the Brewers are poised, towards all odds, to win this division … and possibly lastly have that playoff breakthrough they’ve been ready for.
1. Don’t overcomplicate it: It’s Craig Counsell
Everything the Brewers do that 12 months, and have carried out for a number of years now, has to cease and begin with Counsell, who has established himself as some of the dependable, modern and downright substantial managers in baseball. It’s simple to overlook — as a result of Counsell has been right here for some time (he’s the longest-tenured supervisor within the NL and the third-longest tenured, behind Terry Francona and Kevin Cash, in all of baseball) — simply how awful the Brewers have been earlier than he acquired right here. Counsell had solely been retired as a participant for 3 years when Milwaukee employed him as its interim supervisor after firing Ron Roenicke, and the Brewers, after a fourth-place end in 2016, have been good yearly since. (Their solely dropping season was the pandemic-shortened 2020 marketing campaign, and so they nonetheless ended up making the playoffs that 12 months.)
Counsell has handled fixed turnover upon arriving, and he has navigated it with calm and competence. So a lot has gone sideways for thus many groups this 12 months, and the Brewers aren’t any totally different. But they’ve Counsell. So all of it feels a part of the pure course of issues, and thus they’ll be positive. Counsell is as regular as they arrive. The Brewers belief him, and thus so do you.
2. Christian Yelich is wanting like Christian Yelich once more
It’s not fairly MVP-level Christian Yelich: We’re not getting that man again once more. But this present model is the most effective we’ve seen since, and simply the most effective place participant on this crew, as soon as once more. His three-run homer Thursday towards the Phillies marked the end result of fairly a sizzling streak from him, and his offensive numbers ultimately look All-Star-worthy once more. His .856 OPS is the best since his second-place NL MVP end of 2019, and it’s truly above his general numbers in Miami. He’s hitting for energy — he already has as many homers as he did final 12 months — and he’s stealing bases at a clip that ought to eclipse his profession excessive. Perhaps most essential: He’s getting on base, at a .376 clip that, whereas not MVP-worthy, is actually what the Brewers had in thoughts after they signed him to that massive contract extension. The Brewers’ lineup has an entire bunch of holes in it, however Yelich is wanting just like the star they’ve been relying on.
3. The bullpen, once more
As shocking because the Josh Hader commerce was ultimately 12 months’s Trade Deadline, you would perceive, at the very least theoretically, what the Brewers had in thoughts. They had Devin Williams to switch Hader, they’d a bunch of different arms developing within the system, and hey, they’re the Brewers: They often determine this out. That commerce might have been disastrous for the 2022 season, however the bullpen appears very Brewers in 2023. Williams has been unbelievable, once more — you generally marvel how anybody ever hits that changeup, it’s virtually unfair — however he’s acquired loads of firm, from Hoby Milner to Bryse Wilson to Elvis Peguero to Joel Payamps, who has almost matched Williams’ numbers. It was that in the event you have been behind the Brewers heading into the seventh, you felt cooked. It appears like that once more.
4. They held down the fort till Corbin Burnes acquired going
One of probably the most shocking features of the Brewers’ success to this point this 12 months is that Burnes, their Cy Young winner, hadn’t been that nice. He gave up a complete of 10 runs in his first two begins of the season and had a 4.10 ERA as lately as June 30. That has circled, and quick. He has gained all 4 of his begins in July, giving up simply 4 earned runs in 27 innings, putting out 36 batters. He positive appears just like the ace once more, transferring ahead.
The rotation hasn’t been impeccable, however Freddy Peralta, Adrian Houser, Julio Teheran (of all individuals) and (earlier than he acquired damage) Wade Miley have saved the Brewers’ heads above water. This is a motive to be inspired concerning the Brewers transferring ahead: Burnes is again and, after lacking all the season different than simply two begins, Brandon Woodruff is about to return, too.
5. Some “help” from the division
Let’s face it: The NL Central is just not stuffed with juggernauts. If the Brewers have been within the NL East, they’d be 9 video games out. There’s just one different crew within the division over .500 — the Reds, and so they simply misplaced seven of 9, together with three to the Brewers. That’s one more reason the Brewers are in first. But you solely play the groups in your schedule, and also you’re solely judged towards different groups in your division.
One crew was going to take benefit, and that crew is the Brewers. With their rotation coming collectively, and a resourceful entrance workplace with clear holes to fill, the Brewers look to get higher, not worse. It was a wobbly first half for them. But right here they’re. When you see them in October — in a doubtlessly very advantageous place — don’t be stunned. They’re not going wherever.
Content Source: www.mlb.com