Milwaukee Brewers’ improved lineup could help them stop their recent history of playoff misfortune – Chicago Tribune

MILWAUKEE — Pitching generally has carried the Milwaukee Brewers as they’ve made their run of seven postseason appearances over the last eight years.

This year, they might have the type of offense that can produce more playoff success.

Milwaukee posted the best record in the major leagues this year while having the second-best earned run average. But the Brewers also scored 806 runs — their most since 1999 — to rank third in the majors.

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They’ve done it without hitting many homers and instead relying on plate discipline and speed. They will try to keep that going Saturday when they host the Chicago Cubs in Game 1 of an NL Division Series.

“You have good swing decisions, you make them throw strikes, you get free bases or you get pitches to hit,” second baseman Brice Turang said.

The Brewers swung at the fewest percentage of pitches outside the strike zone across the majors. Hitting coach Al LeBoeuf says the Brewers can preach that mentality up and down the lineup because 2018 NL MVP Christian Yelich believes in it.

“Christian understands the fact that’s the way we have to play,” LeBoeuf said. “He just passes the baton and spreads the message, ‘Hey, here’s the way we’ve got to play.’”

Manager Pat Murphy delivers his own pointed message.

“If you chase, you don’t play,” Murphy said. “The guys with the best ability to control the strike zone are going to play.”

That’s what the Brewers told first baseman Andrew Vaughn when they called him up from the minors after acquiring him from the Chicago White Sox. Vaughn had an .869 OPS in 64 games with Milwaukee, up from .531 in his 48 games with the White Sox.

“The message was control the strike zone, get on base and score runs,” Vaughn said. “Just be stubborn.”

The Brewers’ .332 on-base percentage was the second-highest in MLB.

They also wreak havoc once they reach base. Milwaukee’s 164 steals ranked second in the majors.

That explains how the Brewers scored so many runs despite hitting just 166 homers to rank 22nd. Murphy compares his hitters to woodpeckers because they keep pecking away throughout games.

“These guys are a handful,” Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona said. “When you play them, even when you beat them, you’re tired. They have a lot of ways to come at you.”

Outfielder Sal Frelick says he can tell how the Brewers’ speed bothers opposing defenses.

“It’s not even the actual stealing bases part. Just having the threat of it,” Frelick said. “Pitchers maybe have to slide-step, which makes them not throw as many strikes. And with a speedy guy on first, a hitter’s probably going to get more fastballs because (a pitcher) doesn’t want to throw curveballs in the dirt or offspeed pitches that you can steal on.”

Although Milwaukee didn’t have a single All-Star position player, several Brewers outperformed their career norms.

Frelick’s OPS is .756, up from .655 last season. Turang has seen his OPS soar from .585 in his 2023 rookie season to .794 this year.

As a longtime Brewers minor league coach in the majors for the first time this year, LeBoeuf has seen both Frelick and Turang develop. LeBoeuf noted Turang adjusted this swing to turn the barrel out in front, giving him more bat speed. He mentioned Frelick’s “tremendous hands” and improved bat-to-ball skills.

The Brewers got big contributions from a pair of rookies as well.

Caleb Durbin, acquired in the deal that sent two-time All-Star reliever Devin Williams to the New York Yankees, was hitting just .186 on May 23 but batted .277 the rest of the way. Isaac Collins had a .368 on-base percentage in 130 games.

It took a while for this lineup to get going.