Brewers make MLB history after Friday night rout of NL Central rival Reds

Say what you will about their lack of home runs, the Milwaukee Brewers know how to score runs. Aiding their case for a deep postseason run, which starts with the fact that they continue to possess the best record in baseball despite the Los Angeles Dodgers' current eight-game winning streak, is the fact that the Brewers hold the best run differential in MLB. At +192, 19 runs better than the Dodgers, the Brewers' run differential communicates that Pat Murphy's squad isn't just squeaking by their opponents or eking out lucky wins; they are dominating the competition.

That run differential is undoubtedly aided by two blowout wins, both of which have come in the last month. The first was a record-breaking 22-0 win over the Seattle Mariners back on August 18. Boosted by a nine-run eighth inning during which they were facing Mariners' infielder Leo Rivas, the Brewers' offense exploded for 22 runs on 22 hits, with home runs from Christian Yelich, David Hamilton, Jake Bauers, and Luis Lara. The 22-run victory was the largest margin of victory in franchise history, and it was the largest shutout win in MLB history since 1888.

As rare as the Brewers' late-August win over the Mariners was, less than five weeks later, they nearly matched their impressive victory. Needing one more win to clinch a spot in the postseason for the eighth time in the last nine years, the Brewers scored 20 runs against the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night, while once again pitching a shutout. According to ESPN Insights, the 2026 Brewers are the first team in MLB history to have multiple 20-run shutouts in a single season.

Despite smaller margin of victory, Brewers' postseason clinching win over Reds was more impressive than August rout of Mariners

The Brewers scored only 20 runs last night compared to the 22 they scored back on August 18, but the way in which they did so was more impressive. For starters, the game carried more weight than the one they played back on August 18 against the Mariners. Yes, every game counts the same, but needing one more win to get over the hump of officially clinching a spot in the postseason, the Brewers' Friday night victory was an impressive display of undivided attention.

Additionally, how the Brewers reached their 20 runs last night was more impressive than the way in which they did so back in mid-August. Unsurprisingly, the Brewers faced position players in each of their two 20-run shutouts, but the score at the time the position player entered the game for their opposition differed. Against the Mariners, Rivas entered the game down 13-0, but last night, when Reds' back-up catcher Jose Trevino entered the game in the seventh inning, the Brewers were already winning 17-0. A three-run homer to William Contreras in the bottom of the eighth inning were the only runs that Trevino allowed last night. Therefore, take out the position player pitching aspect and the Brewers' offensive performance was more impressive last night than it was against the Mariners.

It's perhaps unimportant to debate whether a 22-0 win or a 20-0 victory is more impressive, but what isn't unimportant is the fact that the Brewers, who have constantly been ridiculed for their lack of power, have the ability to post eye-popping run totals at any given moment. Yes, the Brewers rank near the bottom of the league in home runs (though not in last place anymore after last night's game), but they still have home run threats throughout their lineup. In fact, since the start of August, the Brewers are far closer to the middle of the pack (17th in baseball) in home runs than they are to the bottom of the league. Pair that emerging home run potential with their consistent ability to manufacture runs, and there's certainly reason to believe this offense can be successful in October.

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