Why the Brewers can't afford a slow start to the 2026 season

A year ago, there initially was major concern surrounding the Milwaukee Brewers. Those worries emerged after just four games, when the team lost all of them and was blown out in three, including their home opener when pitching injuries forced Elvin Rodríguez to make a home Opening Day start.

Thankfully, the team didn’t press the panic button and responded with a 16–11 record in April. That rough four-game stretch still put them behind the eight ball, so to speak, in the standings. Even after going 15–13 in May, they found themselves 6.5 games back of the Chicago Cubs following a mid-June clash between the two clubs.

After posting records of 16–9 in June, 17–7 in July, and 21–9 in August, highlighted by two double-digit winning streaks and a franchise-record 14 consecutive victories, Milwaukee surged to the top of not only the National League standings but all of Major League Baseball. That run secured them the best record in baseball and a first-round bye in the playoffs.

Looking ahead to 2026, here's why the Brewers can't afford another slow start.

Why the Milwaukee Brewers can't afford a slow start to the 2026 season

The arrangement of the Brewers’ 2026 schedule is quite interesting. They play a very interleague-heavy slate in April, which is significant because interleague record serves as the third tiebreaker for playoff seeding in Major League Baseball in the event of a tie.

Of the teams Milwaukee faces early in the season, they will likely be favored in matchups against the Chicago White Sox, Tampa Bay Rays, Kansas City Royals, Washington Nationals, and Pittsburgh Pirates. Winning those series will be crucial, especially considering that the Chicago Cubs, whom many outside Milwaukee still view as the division favorites, face a gauntlet in April with series against the Cleveland Guardians, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, and two against the Philadelphia Phillies.

While it may seem odd to focus on what’s happening outside the Brewers’ schedule, it’s relevant because the second half of the season presents some challenges. Milwaukee has two separate West Coast road trips within a three-week span from July into early August. They then close the season with 13 of their final 25 games coming against the Cubs and the Cincinnati Reds.

If the Brewers can take advantage of their favorable matchups and interleague-heavy schedule in April, it could provide a valuable cushion that pays dividends later in the season. Getting out to a strong start would allow Milwaukee to build an early lead in the standings rather than spending months trying to erase a deficit, as they did a year ago.

With a demanding stretch of travel in mid-summer and a late-season slate loaded with division games, banking wins early could give the Brewers some breathing room and reduce the pressure during those more challenging portions of the schedule.