Dodgers, Brewers, Phillies, and Braves' Fatal Flaws Before NL Playoffs

With the Major League Baseball postseason quickly approaching, there are arguably four contenders in the National League that stand out above all else: the Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves.

Now, of course, there will be six teams that make the playoffs out of the National League, not four. The other two teams that would be in the playoffs right now would be the San Diego Padres with the No. 3 Wild Card spot and the Chicago Cubs with the No. 2 Wild Card spot. The Padres would face the Braves and the Cubs would face the Phillies. Arguably, Philadelphia and Atlanta should be considered the favorites in those matchups, which is why Chicago and San Diego aren't included in the list of four.

Even though the Brewers, Dodgers, Braves and Phillies arguably all should be considered top contenders in the National League, that doesn't mean that they are without fault. Each of these four teams has a weakness of its own.

Milwaukee Brewers — Power

Apr 21, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; A Milwaukee Brewers hat and glove in the dugout during the seventh inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Milwaukee Brewers have the best record in baseball at 91-56, but they have hit the fewest homers in baseball with just 137. Milwaukee has shown over and over again that it can overcome pretty much anything in the regular season. But the playoffs are different. You need power because every single run is even more important than in the regular season. Each inning is heightened and a single swing can win — or lose — a game for a club. All it takes is one win to swing momentum. The Brewers lack game-changing power.

Los Angeles Dodgers — Shohei Ohtani's Health

Sep 8, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) and and pitcher Roki Sasaki (11) look on during the ninth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Shohei Ohtani is on the Injured List right now and is dealing with knee and bicep issues. He should be back before the regular season comes to an end, but his status is worth monitoring. Since Aug. 18, Ohtani has been clearly hurting and has slashed .130/.288/.241 with a .529 OPS, one home run, two RBIs, four stolen bases, and one double in 14 games played. If he does return, but looks like the guy who was struggling before landing on the Injured List, it's going to be hard for Los Angeles to get back to the World Series.

Atlanta Braves — Pitching Depth

Jun 12, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Spencer Strider (99) pitches in the first inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Chris Sale is an ageless wonder and has powered the Braves' rotation all year to this point. But Atlanta is thin on pitching in general. Guys like Bryce Elder, Spencer Strider, Joey Wentz, Spencer Schwellenbach, and Robert Suarez are all on the Injured List right now. The Braves need something to break in the right direction before the regular season comes to a close.

Philadelphia Phillies — Bullpen

Philadelphia Phillies hat — Jun 8, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; The glove and hat of Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Justin Crawford (2) in the dugout during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There is some serious talent in the Philadelphia Phillies' bullpen, like Jhoan Duran. He has a 1.82 ERA in 56 appearances. But the Phillies have the 19th-best bullpen ERA in the league at 4.24. The Phillies' rotation is very good and the lineup is full of stars. If there's a weakness, it's the bullpen.

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