Brewers Have Bigger Goal in Sight After Clinching NL Central

The Milwaukee Brewers officially have won the National League Central. Now what?

Sep 15, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Jacob Misiorowski (32) delivers a pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Milwaukee Brewers officially have won the National League Central for the fourth straight year.

How about that? We're right in the middle of the golden age of Brewers baseball. The only thing that will take it to another level would be a World Series title. Milwaukee has accomplished everything else over these last few years. If you have been a fan of the Brewers for a long time, you know that this isn't normal. The Brewers have gone from a team that would consistently miss the playoffs, to the most consistent winner in the National League. It's been a special run and there's more to come.

The Brewers' magic number to clinch the top seed in the National League is down to just nine with 11 games left to be played. From here on out, every win by the Brewers will lower that number. Also, every loss by the Los Angeles Dodgers will lower it as well. The Dodgers have been among the hottest teams in baseball recently, but Milwaukee has been able to hold them off because it is also playing its best baseball right now.

The Brewers Have More To Clinch

Apr 22, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Milwaukee Brewers right fielder Sal Frelick (10) glove and hat sit on the Brewers dugout steps covered in infield dirt during their game against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Brewers have won six of their last seven games, including a three-game sweep over the Chicago Cubs from Sep. 7 through Sep. 9. Milwaukee now is 94-57 on the season and is just three wins away from tying the franchise record of 97, which was set last year. If the Brewers simply went 3-8 to finish off the season, they would tie the franchise record for wins. Four wins put them into new territory and six wins would give Milwaukee its first 100-win season in franchise history.

The clock is ticking on the regular season and everything is pointing up for the Brewers. They control their own destiny in the National League standings. If Milwaukee wins nine of its final 11 games, then it won't matter what the Dodgers do. In that scenario, the Brewers would clinch the No. 1 seed simply thanks to their own play on the field. The Brewers have played well enough all season to put themselves in this position in which they control their own destiny.

With the magic number for the No. 1 seed down to nine, the Brewers need a combination of wins, and losses by the Dodgers to clinch the top seed. If that's nine wins by the Brewers, great. If that means nine losses by the Dodgers, great. If it's a combination of wins by the Brewers and losses by the Dodgers, great.

The NL Central runs through Milwaukee and soon enough, the National League playoffs in general likely will as well.