How the Brewers went from afterthought to National League contender

The Milwaukee Brewers weren't expected to be in contention for a championship in 2024. They were barely considered a threat in their division. Now they're not just in the playoff picture, they're leading the biggest division in baseball. Milwaukee is in the fight for the best record in baseball.

The team deserves credit for exceeding expectations — some of the criticism comes from a relatively weak NL Central standing — but that shouldn't overshadow a stellar season that was driven by an offense that some have called a “breakthrough.”

The Brewers have performed well against division rivals and still boast solid records against championship teams, and they've worked to get to this point while dealing with a shaky rotation and the loss of arguably their best offensive player, Christian Yelich.

But their overall offensive prowess has elevated them from a potential disappointment to a serious championship contender. With impressive team building and some breaking young players, the Brewers are a team not to be overlooked as October approaches. Milwaukee is known for its solid defense and excellent pitching, but this year their offense has been a big factor in their quest for playoff success.

Yelich spoke about the team's expectations heading into the start of the season. According to MLB.com's Adam McAlvy:he said.

“We tried to communicate in spring training that we might surprise some people,” Yelich said. “We understand that the team, the names and the faces might be a little different than what you've been used to seeing for the last five or six years because we have a lot of young talent and we have some veteran players returning. In our eyes, we can still compete and we're still going to be a good team.”

Brice Turan's impressive start is emblematic of their style of play. He's a Gold Glove-caliber defender, a threat on the bases and can make plays with both the bat and the glove. He was highly anticipated by team officials during the preseason as a potential breakout season. Director Pat Murphy He made “breaking progress” and Turan lived up to those expectations.

By the end of June, Turan was hitting .292 and was an All-Star candidate. Turan went from being one of the worst hitters in baseball last year to being a key player in the lineup over the offseason. His excellent defense was valuable, but it was his improved offensive output, based on more consistent contact and better plate mechanics, that made him the cornerstone of the Brewers' rise.

As young players develop, they can face challenges. Turan struggled in late July and August, but the Brewers' depth proved more than enough to withstand the challenges. While Turan's form dipped and Yelich got injured, the rest of the lineup held up.

Jackson Chaulio's development has been the team's most nationally recognized story. His sensational season didn't come easily. Chaulio's struggles came early in the season, but were to be expected for a 20-year-old entering the season. By June 1, Chaulio looked underpowered, batting .210 with a 27% strikeout rate. With the Brewers increasingly in the spotlight, his development has been an exciting progression that fills the highlight reel.

He is almost certain to post a 20-20 season. Teammate Freddy Peralta Discussed Chorio's growing confidence.:

“He believes he's great, and I can tell,” Peralta says. “I always laugh when he does stuff like that because it always comes back to me.” [and says]”Do you know how good I am?” I don't even know what to say, I just smile. He believes it and that means a lot to us.

From the All-Star break through September, Chorio hit .335/.375/.576 (wRC+ 162) while playing as the team's catalyst. This is performance that even the Brewers could not have predicted when they extended Chorio's contract before he made his major league debut. The risk of giving Chorio an everyday job from the start of the season and the continued trust in Turan speak to the team's construction that was needed to get to this stage.

The Brewers have assembled a young roster that gives them the depth and talent they need to make a title run. Joey Ortiz, the key player in the Corbin Burnes trade, is another player with some uncertainty heading into the season. But he continues to thrive, with impressive defense and a mature approach at the plate, surprising for a player with so little major league experience. Garrett Mitchell, another keystone up-and-coming player, has yet to eclipse 100 total games in the majors. He missed most of this season with an injury but has improved in recent weeks.

Milwaukee's veteran lineup is the only one that has been recognized as a potential World Series contender. Willy Adames and William Contreras are the cornerstones of a lineup that doesn't rely too heavily on home runs. Both players rank among the best home run hitters at their respective positions. Contreras started at catcher in the All-Star Game, and Adames just hit a home run in five straight games.

Photo: Dylan Buell/Getty Images

The duo provided the consistent power and structure the rest of the lineup needed to thrive. Their presence, combined with the breakouts of players like Chaulio and Turan, gave the Brewers one of the most potent offensive forces in baseball. As a team, the Brewers struggled with a 92 wRC+ heading into the 2023 playoffs, which was the 22nd-best offense in baseball. A year later, they had risen to a 107 wRC+ by early September, good for ninth place.

The smart signing of Rhys Hoskins may have been one of the most underrated moves of the offseason. As a team desperate for power, the Brewers were hoping for a bounce-back season from Hoskins after he missed the entire 2023 season. While he hasn't produced at the same level he did in Philadelphia, he still hit 22 home runs, second-most on the team.

This roster is missing many of the top power sources from just a year ago, but they make up for that effectively with their production: A slew of young players have played their part in establishing themselves as one of the best hitting teams in baseball, but the reserve batsmen ensure they're not pushed to the limits of their offensive potential in any matchup.

In 2023, the Brewers had seven hitters who hit 10 or more home runs. That list included players who played key roles on this year's team, such as Yelich, Adames and Contreras. But who else? Only Rowdy Tellez, Joey Weimer, Carlos Santana and Tyrone Taylor reached that milestone. Those four players are no longer with the team.

The list of players who have hit 10 home runs this year also includes Hoskins, Chaulio and Jake Bauers. Just outside of that list is catcher Gary Sanchez, who has hit nine home runs. In the case of Bauers and Sanchez, they are not everyday players for the Brewers, but they have made an impact off the bench. For Bauers, this is his best season since 2018, when he was a rookie with the Tampa Bay Rays. For Sanchez, this is his best batting average since 2019, when he played for the New York Yankees.

Bowers Stated the importance Overall contributions from the lineup:

“We've got a lot of guys here that are committed to making the right play,” Bowers said, “and then we can put ourselves in situations to get the extra points and get the extra points when we need them. That's what we're doing and I think that's been our mindset all year.”

It will be a challenge for the Brewers to prove that hitting alone isn't the only path to victory, and if any team can do that, it's this Milwaukee lineup. Their ability to strike back with impact players anywhere in the order has made them one of the most consistent lineups in baseball this season.

Even the best teams in baseball, like the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees, struggle with underperforming lineups outside of their superstars. The Brewers, on the other hand, can field quality hitters at every position every day. And they're not just a defensive powerhouse. This team is racking up runs and is a threat to go on a winning streak in October.