The Milwaukee Brewers have once again defied the odds, clinching a playoff berth for the 2025 Major League Baseball postseason and etching another remarkable chapter into the franchise’s history. On Saturday night, as the Brewers stormed back from a daunting five-run deficit to edge the St. Louis Cardinals 9-8 in ten innings, the news broke: Milwaukee had become the first team in the majors to secure a postseason spot, thanks to the New York Mets’ narrow 3-2 loss to the Texas Rangers. In the locker room, the Brewers marked the occasion with a jubilant champagne toast, a moment that outfielder Christian Yelich called, “Hopefully, the first toast of many.”
For Brewers fans, this achievement is both familiar and astonishing. It’s the seventh time in the last eight seasons that Milwaukee has punched its ticket to October baseball, a feat made all the more impressive by the low expectations that surrounded the team back in April. “Who believed before the season that we were going to be over .500?” manager Pat Murphy mused. “You can’t find a prognosticator that said we were going to be over .500 before the season, not one.”
Indeed, the Brewers’ journey this year has been a study in resilience and surprise. Early projections pegged Milwaukee for a rebuilding year, especially after two-time NL Reliever of the Year Devin Williams was traded to the New York Yankees and star shortstop Willy Adames signed a blockbuster deal with the San Francisco Giants. Yet, here they are, leading the NL Central by 6.5 games over the Chicago Cubs, with their eyes set on a third straight division crown and perhaps the best record in all of baseball.
The path to this point wasn’t always smooth. On May 24, the Brewers were 25-28, trailing the Cubs by 6.5 games and facing questions about their direction. But something clicked. Since then, Milwaukee has rattled off a staggering 66-30 record, vaulting them to the top of the division and into the conversation for baseball’s elite. Along the way, they set a club record with a 14-game winning streak, a testament to the team’s depth and determination.
It’s not just the standings that tell the story. The Brewers have been a force on both sides of the ball, entering Saturday ranked second in the majors in runs scored and ERA. That potent combination has them threatening to surpass their best-ever regular-season finish of 96-66, set back in 2011. The only time Milwaukee has reached the World Series was in 1982, when the team was still in the American League and fell to the Cardinals in seven memorable games.
This year’s success is the product of savvy moves and breakout performances. One of the pivotal acquisitions was pitcher Quinn Priester, who began the season with the Boston Red Sox’s Triple-A affiliate. Since joining the Brewers, Priester has been lights out, posting a 13-2 record with a 3.25 ERA and stringing together 12 consecutive winning decisions. The Brewers have won each of the last 18 games he’s appeared in, a streak reminiscent of Gerrit Cole’s 16 straight wins in 2019, according to Sportradar.
First baseman Andrew Vaughn, acquired in a mid-June trade with the Chicago White Sox, has also delivered in a big way. After struggling in Chicago, Vaughn has found new life in Milwaukee, boasting an .860 OPS in 54 games. The infusion of talent hasn’t stopped there. Brice Turang earned NL Player of the Month honors for August, Isaac Collins has impressed as a 28-year-old rookie with a .370 on-base percentage, and William Contreras remains one of the league’s most productive catchers since the All-Star break.
Jackson Chourio has continued his ascent as one of baseball’s brightest young stars, and rookie Caleb Durbin, part of the return for Williams, has shored up the hot corner with steady play. On the mound, Freddy Peralta’s 30-inning scoreless streak was a highlight, while Christian Yelich is on pace for a 30-homer, 100-RBI campaign, proving he’s still a force in the lineup.
The Brewers’ rotation has been bolstered by the return of Brandon Woodruff, who missed the entire 2024 season with a shoulder injury but has quickly rounded into form. Meanwhile, fireballer Jacob Misiorowski turned heads after his mid-June call-up, earning an All-Star nod in his rookie campaign. In the bullpen, All-Star closer Trevor Megill and setup man Abner Uribe have formed one of the most formidable late-inning duos in the majors, slamming the door on opponents time and again.
What’s driven this unlikely run? According to Murphy, it’s a simple, relentless focus: “Win tonight.” He’s emphasized not looking too far ahead or dwelling on the past. “For these guys to pull it together and compete like that is special beyond belief,” Murphy said. “I can only tell you that’s just who they are, you know what I mean? They want to compete.”
As the Brewers chase their third straight NL Central title, they also hold a two-game edge over the NL East-leading Philadelphia Phillies for the best record in baseball—an advantage that could prove crucial for playoff seeding. Milwaukee owns the tiebreaker over both the Cubs and the Phillies, giving them a leg up if the race tightens in the season’s final weeks.
While the Brewers are riding high, the mood is markedly different in the opposing dugout. The St. Louis Cardinals, perennial contenders, are staring at the prospect of missing the postseason for the third consecutive year—a drought not seen since 1997-99. With their playoff hopes hanging by a thread and a mere 0.3% chance of sneaking into October, the Cardinals are left to find meaning in the closing days of the season.
For Cardinals fans, September has become a time for reflection rather than scoreboard watching. Some find solace in following the journeys of young players or veterans on the brink of retirement, savoring the small moments and the communal joy of baseball itself. “When the standings fade, the stories don’t,” one fan wrote, capturing the bittersweet atmosphere that has settled over St. Louis. The focus has shifted from chasing wins to cherishing the rhythm of the game, the crack of the bat, and the bonds forged in the bleachers.
As autumn approaches and the postseason looms, the Brewers are poised to make another run at history, fueled by belief, resilience, and an unyielding competitive spirit. For Milwaukee, the champagne is just the beginning. For St. Louis, the search for meaning continues, proving that in baseball, every season tells its own story—no matter what the standings say.
