ESPN’s early 2026 power rankings should have Brewers fans upset

The Milwaukee Brewers have been something of a quiet superpower this decade, consistently winning the NL Central with 90+ wins but never amounting to much once October rolls along.

That narrative finally began to shift this year, when the Crew toppled the division rival Chicago Cubs in the NLDS to reach their first Championship Series since 2018. Though they were swept by the eventual champions, it was pretty clear that the Brewers had established themselves as one of the premier franchises in the sport this year.

Unfortunately, ESPN doesn't seem to agree.

Brewers land behind Cubs at No. 7 on ESPN's 2025-26 offseason power rankings

In ESPN's "way-too-early power rankings" piece published just after the World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays were rightfully handed the top two spots on the board. After a fiercely competitive championship set, there's not much question that they were the best teams in the league in 2025.

After them came the Seattle Mariners, which is fair considering they were one historic George Springer home run away from winning the ALCS and making their first-ever World Series.

As the last LCS participant, you'd expect to find the Brewers in the fourth spot, especially considering they won a league-best 97 games during the regular season. Instead, it was the New York Yankees, whom the Blue Jays smoked in the ALDS, that were awarded that placement.

Following them was... the Boston Red Sox? The team the Yankees beat in the Wild Card Round? Really?

Well, surely the Brewers will be at No. 6, as the clear-cut second-best team in the National League this season, right?

Nope! Instead, it's the Cubs, whom the Brewers beat in the NLDS and in the NL Central race. It's only after them that you'll find Milwaukee, sitting seventh in the rankings.

There's obviously a lot to say about this whole ordeal — the Brewers' section even begins with the statement, "This ranking isn't meant as an insult..." — but, in fairness, writer David Schoenfield does cite the Freddy Peralta rumors as a reason to be worried about the team in 2026.

Still, the Cubs are facing the same dilemma with Kyle Tucker (not to mention Shota Imanaga, whom they shockingly just let go). They were worse than the Brewers this season, and they have the same problems to deal with. How on earth is Milwaukee below them in the power rankings?

In truth, these way-too-early rankings from any outlet are simply guesses. There's an entire offseason ahead that will change the landscape of the next campaign. Hopefully, as the 2026 season nears, the Brewers will be given more respect from the national media.