4 things the Milwaukee Brewers can't afford to have go wrong the rest of the season

After struggling to gain any real momentum for most of the 2023 season, the Milwaukee Brewers have finally hit their stride. Winners of seven games straight, the Brewers have been able to hold off the resurgent Cubs and sport a relatively healthy four game lead in the National League Central. There is still a lot of baseball left, but things are definitely looking better than they were in the first half.

A lot has gone into this Brewers surge including Brandon Woodruff finally returning from the IL, but the bigger thing to think about is how Milwaukee can keep this momentum going into the playoffs. There are tighter division races right now (the AL West is going to be a bloodbath down to the final week), but a four game lead isn't a huge cushion to work with. To hold that lead and to have any chance of success in the playoffs, Milwaukee is going to have to have some things continue to break their way.

Here are 4 things the Brewers can't afford to have go wrong the rest of the season

Look, this is a pretty good Brewers team, but hardly a flawless one and that is how this season has played out. They have had to weather having a subpar offense as well as injuries to key players and they have done so successfully so far. Not every single thing on this list carries the same weight and if any team can potentially survive some of these not going to plan, it is probably the Brewers. However, if you are looking for key parts of the roster that will determine how far Milwaukee goes in 2023, then these are the areas you need to circle.

Let's take a look at four things the Brewers can't afford to have go wrong the rest of the 2023 season.

Christian Yelich has to continue to carry the Brewers' offense

While it is understandable in context, it is still pretty weird that a guy like Christian Yelich can put together such a strong season and get so little national recognition. Yelich has a MVP award and another top 2 finish after all. However, after a few seasons of injuries and subpar play, baseball fans at large have started to forget how good Yelich can be when he is fully healthy.

While he isn't quite putting up MVP level numbers in 2023, Christian has still been pretty awesome with a .282/.370/.448 stat line and 3.9 fWAR this season. For a Brewers team that has often been starved for offensive production especially with Willy Adames seemingly forgetting how to hit this year, Yelich's bounce back season has been invaluable. He might not be the hitter he was anymore, but he has still carried the offense in 2023 and the Brewers will need him to keep it up if they stand any chance of a meaningful playoff run this season.

Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff have to stay healthy and pitch well

During the first half of the 2023 season, Milwaukee seemed like a team that had lost its identity. With Brandon Woodruff on the injured list, the Brewers' starting pitching depth was tested to mixed results. Even more concerning was that Corbin Burnes wasn't dominating like we were used to seeing with a 3.94 ERA and 4.27 FIP before the All-Star break. For a team that was expected to have one of the best 1-2 rotation punches in baseball in those two guys, that is decidedly less than great news.

Fortunately, things have turned around in the second half. Woodruff is healthy again and while it took a couple starts for him to get his feet back under him, he has looked really good lately. Meanwhile, Burnes has also looked significantly better after the All-Star break with a 3.02 ERA and 3.45 FIP in 50.2 innings with a big jump in his strikeout rate as well.

It is not a coincidence that Milwaukee has found more success with these two guys healthy and pitching well. If they can both stay healthy and continue to pitch to their ability, this is a Brewers team that no team will want to face in a short series. However, if they fall off for whatever reason, Milwaukee could be in trouble.