It's been a rollercoaster ride of a season for the Milwaukee Brewers. Through injuries, bullpen questions, fluctuations in the batting order, back surgeries, and everything in between, this team has still managed to post a league-leading 95 wins, with a chance at 100 for the first time in franchise history. And while they deserve their flowers, Brewers fans have heard this story before... nothing is settled until the team steps up to the challenge of the MLB playoffs.
Some of those questions are still lingering over the Brewers' heads just a week and a half until the start of the postseason. So, with the remainder of their time, there are a handful of key topics and questions Pat Murphy and his squad need to hone in on to decide the future of the franchise.
1. Who can the Brewers trust to start at pitcher behind Misiorowski and Henderson?
What was once a surefire bullpen rotation in Milwaukee has become the talk of the town as nearly everyone, aside from presumptive Cy Young Award winner Jacob Misiorowski and Brewers dark horse MVP Logan Henderson, has dropped off in production late in the year.
Once the No. 2 in the rotation, Kyle Harrison is either playing hurt or has one of the worst cases of the yips we've ever seen, while the motley crew of Dustin May, Robert Gasser, and Shane Drohan remains a puzzle for Pat Murphy to solve. That, combined with the potential return of Brandon Woodruff, leaves Milwaukee with an unsolvable equation and 11 days to figure it out as best they can.
2. Can Milwaukee depend on its young talent in the MLB playoffs?
Part of what's made the Brewers such an appealing team to watch is their ability to infuse young talent into a winning product. From shortstop Cooper Pratt assuming a full-time starting role since June to outfielder Luis Lara making some awe-inspiring grabs and infusing some much-needed energy to Milwaukee's lineup, youth has been such a vital part of this team's success in 2026.
But young talent will either sink or swim when the lights get brightest, and the only way Milwaukee is going to find out is by putting these players in scenarios that will test them. The returns have been largely positive thus far, but there's still time to decide whether they have what it takes come October.
3. Do the Brewers have enough home run potential to win in the biggest moments?
Milwaukee seemed to solve its power problem without having to make significant adjustments to the lineup itself, but that doesn't mean they're out of the woods just yet. The Brewers' 147 home runs on the season are tied for the second-fewest of any team. Their patience at the plate and persistent contact hitting have made them a viable offensive team, but if they want to win big in the postseason, they probably need to hit a few more home runs in the process.
Thankfully, the momentum has shifted in their favor over the last several weeks, and finally, the Brewers seem like they can keep up in an offensive slugfest better than at any point in the year. But hot hitting can wear off quickly, so Milwaukee needs to find ways to keep its foot on the gas and keep smacking dingers to truly contend for a World Series title this year.
4. Does the Milwaukee Brewers' payroll matter as much as it used to?
All five of the National League teams that are projected to make the postseason bracket rank in the Top 10 in payroll this season, including the No. 1 (Dodgers), No. 5 (Phillies), and No. 6 (Braves) ranked franchises. Meanwhile, Milwaukee is ranked at the No. 19 spot in total payroll this season, following a similar trajectory to some of the American League franchises like the Rays, White Sox, and Guardians, who all rank even lower than the Brewers.
Payroll shouldn't determine a team's ability to contend for a championship, but it's hard to deny that it's been a significant factor in team-building and postseason contention over the last decade of professional baseball.
If this squad can't get over the hump, Brewers principal owner Mark Attanasio needs to take a long look in the mirror and ask himself how much a World Series is really worth, because there's a legitimate chance that the only thing standing between this Brewers squad and a title run is the dollar amount their owner is willing to commit.
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