Brewers End 44-Year Title Drought, Earn Praise From MLB Legends
The Milwaukee Brewers are World Series champions for the first time in franchise history, capping a 2026 season in which they led Major League Baseball with 103 wins. The team went 11-2 in the postseason, defeating the San Diego Padres in the NLDS and sweeping the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS before winning it all.
Milwaukee's run was built on pitching, defense and situational hitting rather than a single standout star. FOX Sports analysts Derek Jeter, David Ortiz and Alex Rodriguez praised the team's balance and fundamentals during the network's World Series coverage. Jeter called the Brewers "one of the best overall teams we've seen in a long time," noting their willingness to play contact-oriented baseball in an era dominated by home runs and strikeouts. Ortiz pointed to Milwaukee's execution on the bases, defense and pitching depth, crediting manager Pat Murphy for keeping the roster consistent throughout the year. Rodriguez highlighted the team's youth, noting that nine or 10 regulars are under 28 but "play like veterans." how to bet on pickleball
The Brewers won the NL Central for a fourth consecutive season and closed the year on a dominant stretch, holding opponents to fewer than five runs and 10 hits while recording at least five strikeouts in each of their final 18 games spanning the regular season and playoffs. Right-hander Jacob Misiorowski, considered a strong candidate for the NL Cy Young Award, threw 5.2 innings in Game 5 of the World Series before exiting with what appeared to be a cramp. Catcher William Contreras was named World Series MVP after hitting .381 and going 8-for-21 in the series, while also throwing out four would-be base stealers and winning 10 Automated Ball-Strike challenges behind the plate.
The title marks Milwaukee's first since the franchise's founding, ending decades of postseason near-misses. With a young core already in place, the Brewers enter the offseason as the team to beat heading into 2027.
