Brewers will need to figure out the NL West, Barring a catastrophic upset of 2014 proportions

One division, so many talented teams.

Despite the rocky start to this week, the Milwaukee Brewers have had a strong 2024 season. They’ve maintained the lead in the NL Central for most of the year and currently enjoy an 8.5-game advantage over the Cardinals and Reds.

Unless there’s a major collapse like the one in 2014, the Brewers are poised for another postseason opportunity this year. With a more potent offense than in recent seasons, they have a good shot at advancing past the first round for the first time since 2018.

However, to achieve that, they’ll likely need to overcome a number of teams that have posed challenges for them.

If they want to go anywhere in the playoffs, the Brewers will need to figure out the NL West.

Teams in the NL West (except one) have been a challenge for many across Major League Baseball, and the Brewers have felt that pressure in the 2024 season.

The Dodgers, the standout team in the division, have had the upper hand against Milwaukee, with the Brewers managing only a 2-4 record in their five matchups. However, a win on Thursday could help them finish the four-game series on a positive note.

The situation hasn’t improved much against the Padres, as the Brewers wrapped up their season series with a disappointing 2-5 record, winning one game at home and another in San Diego.

At least they’ve managed to split their series with the Colorado Rockies, but that’s not a significant achievement given the Rockies’ status as the worst team in the National League.

While the Brewers haven’t faced the Giants or Diamondbacks this season, their past encounters were challenging; they finished 2-5 against San Francisco and 2-4 against Arizona, with another two losses to the Diamondbacks in an early playoff exit.

Regrettably, the path to the World Series is likely to involve at least one of those teams. The Dodgers lead the NL West, while the red-hot Padres and Diamondbacks hold the top two Wild Card spots, with the Giants just 4.5 games behind the third spot.

It’s unlikely all of these teams will make the playoffs, but it’s probable that more than one will—and they could pose a significant hurdle for the Brewers. Moving forward, the Crew needs to determine how to finally conquer these opponents.