2026 Milwaukee Brewers schedule puts an end to frustrating four-year streak

It feels strange to think ahead to next season amid the Milwaukee Brewers’ exciting stretch run, but the MLB schedule makers essentially forced us to do so by releasing the 2026 schedule this morning. While the Brewers remain laser-focused on tonight's tilt with Arizona, fans can look ahead to next season's matchups, which certainly come with their fair share of quirks.

That said, one annoying scheduling quirk is coming to an end for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2026. After four straight years of starting the season on the road, the Brewers will be home for Opening Day, playing against the Chicago White Sox on March 26. No more having to worry about the weather in New York or worrying about a wind chill below freezing. It might be cold in Milwaukee on March 26 next year, but beneath the comforts of their retractable roof in the climate-controlled ballpark that is American Family Field, the Brewers will assuredly be playing baseball.

However, the Brewers ending their streak of starting the season on the road is not the only notable development from today's schedule release. In fact, one team revealed, in true surprise fashion, where they will be playing some of their home games next season with today's schedule release.

Brewers release 2026 schedule, set to play Opening Day at home for first time since 2021

If you look closely at the Brewers’ schedule for next season, there are several decisions that may not look too crazy on paper, but become much more surprising when you think about what they will look like in real life. For example, as first pointed out by Adam McCalvy of MLB.com on the social media platform X, the Brewers have two separate West Coast road trips in three weeks at the end of July and beginning of August.

West Coast road trips are notoriously difficult as the time zone change can have a big impact on teams located in the central or eastern time zones. Not only that, but the Brewers don't have an off day between their first West Coast trip and the start of their next homestand, nor do they have one between that homestand and the start of their second West Coast road trip. That is a brutal stretch handed to the Brewers by the MLB schedule makers.

The next notable aspect of the Brewers' schedule is a seemingly inconspicuous three-game set against the Athletics in early June. The Athletics, who infamously moved out of the Oakland Coliseum at the end of last season, are waiting for their new stadium in Las Vegas to be built, which is scheduled to open in 2028. In the meantime, the A's are playing their home games in Sacramento at Sutter Health Park, which was once the home of the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats. However, as revealed by today's schedule release, the future Las Vegas Athletics will play two home series at Las Vegas Ballpark, the home of their Triple-A affiliate the Las Vegas Aviators, next season. One of those two series happens to be their matchup with the Brewers, meaning the Brew Crew will play regular season baseball in Vegas next year.

Another noteworthy quirk from today's schedule release is that the Brewers open up the season with four straight series against AL opponents. Following their opening series against the White Sox, they will stay home for three games against the Tampa Bay Rays, and then travel to Kansas City for three games with the Royals, followed by a three-game set with the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. The Brewers don't face their first NL opponent until April 10, when they take on the Washington Nationals at home. A few years ago, that would have been unheard of, but with MLB's new balanced schedule, anything is possible.

Finally, the Brewers will play 13 of their last 25 games against the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds. Presumably, the Brewers, Cubs, and Reds will have the best shot at winning the NL Central next season, so having that many games against each other during the final month of the season could prove to be significant.