MILWAUKEE-. The Brewers They have become accustomed to sealing passages of postseasonBut this celebration was different from the others, because it was unexpected.
“It’s like nobody thought we were going to be here today,” shortstop Willy Adames said Wednesday after Milwaukee won its third NL Central title in four years. “Now we’re here and I don’t know what everyone’s going to say after this.”
Milwaukee became the first Major League team to clinch a division championship. The Chicago Cubs fell at home 5-3 to the Oakland Athletics, losing the chance to catch the Brewers in the division.
The Brewers’ clubhouse emptied of players with one out left in the ninth inning in Chicago, a couple of hours before Milwaukee’s scheduled first pitch against Philadelphia. There was a somewhat muted cheer after that final out, as the Brewers secured themselves, as TV viewers, a string of division titles for the first time since 1981-82.
This marks the Brewers’ sixth postseason appearance in the past seven years, a remarkable accomplishment for a team that made the playoffs just a couple of times over a 35-season stretch from 1983-2017. But this playoff path has been a little different than the rest.
Later, the party began in earnest. Jake Bauers hit an RBI single to give Milwaukee a 2-1 victory over the Phillies. Blue and yellow streamers fell in the stands at American Family Field as the players gathered in center field.
Champagne was then served in the locker room. From there, the Brewers returned to the field and posed for a group photo, while being cheered by the crowd that remained in the stands.
Not everyone was allowed to drink. Venezuelan rookie Jackson Chourio is only 20 years old and is a minor under U.S. law.
“I think maybe I’ll have a Coke or something,” he said with a laugh.
While the Brewers have made a habit of exceeding expectations placed on them before each season, the odds were stacked against them more than usual this year.
Craig Counsell, the Brewers’ all-time winningest manager, left for the Cubs. Corbin Burnes, the 2021 NL Cy Young Award winner, was traded to the Baltimore Orioles.
Two-time All-Star right-hander Brandon Woodruff didn’t pitch at all this year as he recovers from shoulder surgery, and two-time reliever of the year Devin Williams missed the first half of the season with a stress fracture in his back. Star outfielder Christian Yelich and pitchers Wade Miley and Robert Gasser all suffered injuries that ended their seasons prematurely.
None of it mattered.
The Brewers took over the top spot in late April and never looked back, making good on comments Yelich made in spring training amid speculation Milwaukee would take a step back without Counsell.
“Even when we’ve been good the last few years, nobody picks us as good just because we’re the Brewers,” Yelich said at the time. “It is what it is. But I think we have a chance to really surprise some people with the talent that’s in this room.”
That’s exactly what they did.
