Too little too late for Milwaukee Brewers in NL Central

Let’s head back in time to August 13. The Milwaukee Brewers were able to gain a game in the standings on the Cardinals that day, helping to solidify a hold on one of the spots in the postseason.

Now let us go back to Monday. The Brewers defeated the Rockies 6-4 while the Cardinals were shut out 6-0 by the Nationals. This allowed the Brewers to pick up a game in the standings for the first time in 23 days.

Milwaukee Brewers finally get something in the standings

However, it is far too little too late. The Cardinals had been 17-4 since August 13. The Brewers? 9-12. That eight game difference is currently what is keeping the Brewers from the NL Central lead as they are currently 7.5 games out of first.

At this point, barring an unexpected collapse, that is not going to help much. The Cardinals essentially have the division locked up, especially as Albert Pujols has found the Fountain of Youth over the past few weeks. They are looking to send their trio of legends out on top and are not letting the foot off the accelerator at this point.

This game did matter for the Brewers in one aspect. They are just two games behind the Padres and Phillies for a Wild Card berth, a stunning development considering that the Padres made several major moves to bolster their playoff odds. Instead, only the Brewers’ own tailspin has kept them in the postseason.

With approximately a month left, it is possible that the Brewers could move into one of those final playoff berths. The Phillies are the Phillies after all, and the Padres have not exactly been on fire of late. However, if the goal is to win the division, that train has long since left the station.

The Milwaukee Brewers finally picked up a game in the NL Central. It is far too little and far too late at this point in the season.

• Published on 09/06/2022 at 9:00 AM EDT
• Last updated on 09/06/2022 at 9:00 AM EDT