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The Milwaukee Brewers need four more victories to secure the first World Series championship in franchise history. As the stronger team in their matchup against the Tampa Bay Rays and significantly better rested, the Brewers are widely expected to achieve that goal. That accomplishment alone would be remarkable, but it would also place Milwaukee in an even more exclusive group of World Series champions: those that dominated the regular season and then went on to win the title.
In the current era of expanded playoffs, MLB frequently crowns a champion that was not the best team from April through September. The sport's inherent unpredictability, amplified by the small sample size of postseason games, often leads to unexpected outcomes. For example, the 2017 Dodgers lost 16 of 17 games at one point yet won 104 games and the pennant; the 2006 Cardinals won only 83 games in the regular season before capturing the championship; and the 1988 Mets went 10-1 against the Dodgers in the regular season but lost to them in a seven-game NLCS. These are just a few of many instances.
Consequently, in MLB, the best regular-season team hoists the trophy less often than in the NFL, NBA, and NHL. The 162-game regular season, with its relentless breadth and daily grind, is a true test and, ideally, the sport's defining feature. Earning the most wins over those six months is a significant achievement—by any sensible measure, more meaningful than winning 11 or 13 games in October. If common sense prevailed, MLB would award some form of hardware to the team with the best regular-season record to recognize this hard-won accomplishment.
The current collective bargaining agreement between players and clubs states: "During the term of this Agreement, each Club shall be scheduled to play 162 games during each championship season." The regular season is officially termed the "championship season," yet it is not treated as such culturally; instead, it serves as a qualifier and seeding mechanism for October. In the absence of proper recognition for excellence over 162 games, attention turns to the Brewers and the select company they may soon join.
This year's World Series will be the 122nd between National and American League clubs. Of the 121 played to date, only 29 World Series winners have also posted the best regular-season record and the best regular-season run differential (runs scored minus runs allowed). The Brewers, with an MLB-best 103 wins and an MLB-best +214 run differential, are positioned to become the 30th team to claim what is termed the Team Triple Crown. A club achieves the Team Triple Crown by winning the World Series in the same year it leads the league in both regular-season record and run differential, with no ties permitted—a Team Triple Crown winner must stand alone in all categories.
Key Analysis
The list of MLB Team Triple Crown winners includes the 2024 Los Angeles Dodgers (98-64, +156), the 2016 Chicago Cubs (103-58, +252), the 1998 New York Yankees (114-48, +309), and the 1986 New York Mets (108-54, +205), among others. The Yankees have the most Team Triple Crowns with 12, including four consecutive in the 1930s. Winning the Team Triple Crown is more impressive than ever in the expansion era, especially since 1995 with the addition of the Division Series round. Only three teams—the 1998 Yankees, 2016 Cubs, and 2024 Dodgers—have achieved the feat since the Division Series was instituted. It is extremely difficult to accomplish today, but the Brewers are tantalizingly close. For Milwaukee, a World Series crown would be truly earned in every sense, and the team is on the verge of joining company more exclusive than might be expected.
Originally reported by cbssports.