Brewers Must Use This Formula To Advance Deep Into Postseason

This is how the Brewers will ultimately get the most out of their roster in the postseason.

Milwaukee Brewers infielder Jackson Chourio (11) is seen during the Milwaukee Brewers open workout ahead of the National League Division Series on Tuesday September 30, 2025 at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. | Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Brewers won a franchise record 97 games during the regular season, which allowed them to win their fourth National League Central title in the last five years and clinch home field advantage through the entire postseason. They now await their opponent in the NLDS, which will be decided on Thursday when the Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres play Game 3 of the Wild Card Series.

The Brewers will have their hands full with either opponent, but they will have Freddy Peralta and Quinn Priester lined up for the first two games of the series at home, so they could have an advantage.

However, the Brewers have not made it past the NLDS since 2018, and Tyler Koerth of Reviewing the Brew outlined what Milwaukee needs to do to avoid an early exit.

How Brewers Can Avoid Early Playoff Exit

Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy is seen during the Milwaukee Brewers open workout ahead of the National League Division Series on Tuesday September 30, 2025 at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. | Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"The Brewers’ identity isn’t built around overwhelming power or chasing the long ball, which metrics suggest is necessary to win in October. It’s based on smart at-bats, situational hitting, aggressive baserunning, and airtight defense," Koerth wrote.

"Likewise, Murphy should continue to rely on a staff approach to navigate the pitching side of the postseason. Short but effective outings from starters should remain part of the strategy, as limiting starters to two times through the order has proven successful in the past, most notably in 2018, when no Brewers starter pitched beyond 5.2 innings in a playoff game. With a deep and now healthy bullpen at his disposal, Murphy shouldn’t hesitate to use any arm at any time. Flexibility and aggressive bullpen management have been a strength all season, and that shouldn’t change now."

This has been a sound strategy for the Brewers all season long, and deviating from it would not be a good idea, even against teams with different approaches to winning games. Facing either the Cubs or Padres will be a tough task, even for the team who won the most games in Major League Baseball this year, but that shouldn't stop them from sticking with their approach and using it to win ballgames in the postseason.

As the old saying goes, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Such is the case with the Brewers and how they need to attack the NLDS. Their approach has worked all season long, and there is no reason for them to deviate from it now.

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