3 keys for the Brewers to maintain their NL Central lead down the stretch

Less than two months ago, it was unfathomable to imagine the Milwaukee Brewers with a nine-game lead in the NL Central before the end of August, but here we are on the morning of August 17, and that's exactly where the Brewers sit. What's even more impressive is that the Brewers have grown their lead in the division during a period when the second-place Chicago Cubs have not played bad baseball. They haven't been great, but the Brewers’ division lead is certainly more due to them playing exceptional baseball and less from what's happening on the North Side of Chicago.

But the season is far from over, as anyone in the Brewers' clubhouse will tell. The Crew's guard is not going anywhere as 40 games remain in the regular season. While it would seem as though a nine-game lead in the division is safe, crazier things have happened. Here are three keys that the Brewers need to execute over the rest of their season to ensure that they don't put their NL Central crown in jeopardy.

1. Staying healthy is key to keeping up the division lead

The Brewers don't need to win every game for the rest of the season, but they do need to ensure that they avoid any major losing spells. While it may feel strange to even mention losing with this team, winning a major league baseball game is not as easy as the Brewers are making it seem.

One key to avoiding a prolonged period of losing that would cause the Brewers division lead to dwindle is avoiding major injuries to their key players. Yes, the Brewers have sustained and overcome injuries to Jackson Chourio, Rhys Hoskins, Sal Frelick, and Jacob Misiorowski over the last month, but those are all temporary injuries, and their effect on team morale is not the same as losing a player for the rest of the season.

The Brewers have been dealt late-season injury news in most of their recent winning campaigns. Starting with Christian Yelich's knee injury in 2019, the Brewers lost Devin Williams to a hand injury in 2021, Brandon Woodruff to a shoulder injury in 2023, and Yelich again in 2024 after he underwent season-ending back surgery.

Ensuring that his players each have plenty of rest, especially during a grueling 19 games in 18 days stretch, will be key for Pat Murphy down the stretch. It's a delicate line between keeping his players locked in and giving them the time off that they need. Luckily, as Chourio and Hoskins return and the roster expands in September, the Brewers should have plenty of depth to give their everyday guys some time off, without sacrificing their chance of winning games day in and day out.

2. Responsible bullpen management to avoid overworking relievers

The Brewers should absolutely be trying to win every game, and it's that mentality that every game matters that has led Murphy and his crew to success this year. However, it has also led to some of Milwaukee's relievers pitching well beyond their career high for innings in a single season. Relievers like Abner Uribe and Grant Anderson have already surpassed their career high, while others like Jared Koenig and Nick Mears are on pace to set new records.

With so much work throughout the season, it's fair to wonder whether or not fatigue will start to set in for the Brewers' talented group of relief pitchers. The additions of Aaron Ashby and DL Hall, both of whom are capable of covering multiple innings, have been huge for the Brewers, but even those two are due for some rest over the next 40 games.

To avoid overworking their bullpen before the postseason begins, the Brewers must get creative with how they use their relievers over the next few weeks. Whether it’s mixing in a few of the relievers currently pitching in Triple-A, calling up some of the minor league starting pitchers to cover multiple innings in relief, or relying on longer outings from the big league starting staff, the workload of certain relievers needs to decrease at least somewhat over the rest of the regular season.

It's not a game or two that will threaten the Brewers’ chances of winning the division or earning the top seed in the National League; it's a prolonged spell of losing. That can be avoided by giving the necessary rest to certain relief pitchers when the opportunities present themselves.

3. Don't change their offensive approach

There's been a lot of talk about the necessity of power in the playoffs. The rhetoric that a team needs to have a high slugging percentage to win in October is based on the recent teams that have been successful in the playoffs and how they went about winning games with extra base hits. However, that doesn't inevitably imply that a team can't win by simply putting the ball in play and getting on base.

What's exciting about the Brewers is that they aren't necessarily the ones who determine their type of offensive output on any given day; a lot of it is based on what the opposing pitcher gives them that day. Whereas a team like the New York Yankees, who are built around hitting home runs, feels very one-dimensional, the Brewers offense can win in various ways. And it all starts with their approach.

The Brewers have emphasized plate discipline with their hitters this season. It's easiest to see with their recent trade acquisitions. Andrew Vaughn and Brandon Lockridge, the teams' two major offensive additions of the summer, have been significantly better in terms of plate discipline since joining the Brewers' organization. By not chasing pitches off the plate, Milwaukee's hitters are forcing opposing pitchers to fill up the zone against them, which is when they capitalize with homers like they have been during their recent hot streak.

In other words, the second the Brewers start trying to hit home runs is the second that their approach collapses. Rather, they need to keep focusing on finding ways to put the ball in play, put pressure on the defense, and capitalize when pitchers make mistakes. It's an approach that has led them to the best record in baseball, and it's one that can lead them to success in October, so long as they continue to execute it.