The Milwaukee Brewers remain in the NL playoff race but don’t have anything close to what they need to actually win a World Series. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
These three teams are alive in the NL playoff picture but have no shot at winning a World Series.
Some teams in the National League are mainstays. This year’s NL playoff picture includes several of them in contention.
We have the defending champion Atlanta Braves making a strong push. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Dodgers own the best record in baseball. Both of them surely have a shot at the World Series.
The same cannot be said about a few other teams. These three clubs right in the thick of the NL playoff picture will have to settle for an appearance, maybe a series win, and no championship.
1) NL playoff picture: The Milwaukee Brewers behave like they’re trying to lose
The Milwaukee Brewers may ultimately win the Josh Hader trade given how he has performed since getting dealt away. Still, their trade deadline strategy was curious at best. They didn’t push hard enough to fix their problems. Now giving way to the St. Louis Cardinals as the National League Central leaders, the Brewers’ only hope might be to capture a wild card spot.
The Brewers feel very much like one of those above-.500 teams without enough juice to go very far. Because the playoffs are expanded this year, they are far more alive. Some of the other teams in the NL playoff picture have problems of their own which can allow a hot Brewers squad to make a late season push.
A major issue for the Brewers is how reliant they are on their pitching. The hitting isn’t all that great outside of a few guys hitting for some unexpected power. Even that pitching we saw carry them to the postseason last year hasn’t been nearly as deep this year. Aside from Corbin Burnes, who from the starting staff would scare anyone?
They aren’t fooling anyone. The Brewers are tagging along for the ride but have no actual chance to win a World Series. The drought will continue into 2023.