The Milwaukee Brewers became the first team to secure their spot in the MLB playoffs this season, an achievement that many analysts did not anticipate at the beginning of the year. The qualification was sealed after the New York Mets' 3-2 loss to the Texas Rangers, which guaranteed at least a National League wild card for the Milwaukee team.

To experience the excitement of MLB on Friday Night Baseball, subscribe here.

Far from being complacent, the team celebrated with spirit. That same night, they overcame a five-run deficit to beat the St. Louis Cardinals 9-8 in 10 innings. The locker room was filled with champagne toasts and optimism. “Hopefully this is the first of many toasts,” said outfielder Christian Yelich, convinced that the best is yet to come, as reported by AP.

The team has made seven postseason appearances in the last eight years, although it has not won a playoff series since 2018. Now, the Brewers have their sights set on their third consecutive NL Central title and the possibility of securing the best record in the entire league.

An unexpected season full of protagonists

What is striking is that this campaign was projected as one of transition. The departure of Devin Williams to the Yankees and the million-dollar contract of Willy Adames with the Giants seemed to weaken the roster. “Who believed before the season that we were going to be over .500? You can’t find a prognosticator who said we were going to be over .500 before the season, not one,” said manager Pat Murphy, recalling that expectations were low. However, after an uneven 25-28 start, the team took off with a 66-30 run that catapulted them to the top of the league. Hitting and pitching have combined successfully: they are second in runs scored and ERA, in addition to having signed a historic 14-game winning streak in the summer. Acquisitions have also made a difference. Quinn Priester, arrived from Boston, has a 13-2 record and has won 12 straight decisions. Andrew Vaughn,Acquired from the White Sox, he went from being inconsistent to solidifying his performance with an .860 OPS. Joining them are names like Brice Turang, Isaac Collins, William Contreras, and prospect Jackson Chourio, who brought youth and consistency.

Pitchers Freddy Peralta, Brandon Woodruff, and Trevor Megill also responded at key moments, while Yelich is on track for a 30-homer, 100-RBI season. All under Murphy's philosophy: think only about "winning tonight" without looking too far back or ahead.