Milwaukee Brewers achieving balance in their universe

Over their past 60 games, the Milwaukee Brewers have found perfect balance.

Back on June 26, the Milwaukee Brewers found themselves four games over .500 with a 42-38 record. At the time, the Brewers were in second place, just a game behind the Chicago Cubs. Given the St. Louis Cardinals slow start, and the Cubs pitching woes, it was a perfect opportunity for the Brewers to jump ahead in the standings and lay claim to the NL Central.

Instead, the Brewers have found perfect balance. They have been exactly .500 in their past 10 games. And the past 20 games, 30 games, 40 games, 50 games, and 60 games…

In that time, the Brewers have slipped from second in the standings to third. They are 6.5 games out of first in the Central, and four games out of the Wild Card, entering Saturday’s action with just 22 games left to play. While it is possible that the Brewers can get their way into the postseason, time is running out.

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The fact that the Brewers have been able to play .500 ball for the past two months is fairly remarkable. Jhoulys Chacin and Jeremy Jeffress, their top starter from last season and one of their key relievers, have been released. Corey Knebel never pitched for Milwaukee this year due to injury. Jimmy Nelson finally came back, but has not been the ace that he appeared to be developing prior to his shoulder injury in 2017. Even Josh Hader has looked mortal at times this season, plagued by the home run ball.

The Brewers expected more this season. After all, they were one game from the World Series last year, riding their solid offense and devastating bullpen to Game Seven of the NLCS. Expectations were that Milwaukee would once again reach the postseason, and perhaps even make that long awaited second trip to the Fall Classic.

Instead, the Brewers are likely to be home once again come October. There is still time for that to change, but Milwaukee will need to stop playing .500 ball. Considering how they have performed over the past two and a half months, and the holes in their pitching staff, that may be too much to ask.

The Milwaukee Brewers are in danger of missing the postseason. But at least they found balance in the baseball universe.