Brewers Must Fix These 2 Flaws To Return To The Postseason

Mireille Lambert

4 min read

Post on Apr 23, 2025

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Inconsistent Pitching Performance: A Major Hurdle

The Brewers' pitching staff, a cornerstone of any successful team, exhibited frustrating inconsistency throughout the season, preventing them from securing enough wins to reach the playoffs. This inconsistency manifested in two key areas: the starting rotation and the bullpen.

Starting Rotation Volatility

The Brewers' starting rotation lacked the dependable innings-eaters necessary to consistently put the team in a winning position. This led to several significant problems:

• Lack of reliable innings eaters: Too often, starters failed to go deep into games, placing undue strain on the bullpen.
• Injuries and inconsistency contributed to a high ERA: A combination of injuries and inconsistent performances resulted in a higher-than-desired earned run average (ERA), a critical statistic reflecting pitching effectiveness.
• Need to develop young pitchers and possibly acquire veteran talent: Developing young pitching talent is crucial for long-term success, but the Brewers may need to supplement this with the acquisition of experienced, reliable veteran pitchers through trades or free agency.
• Improved pitching coach guidance and strategy are essential: Refining pitching strategies and providing improved coaching guidance can significantly enhance pitcher performance and consistency.
• Focusing on improving command and control: Many games were lost due to walks and wild pitches. Improving command and control is paramount to improving the starting rotation's effectiveness and consistency.

Bullpen Instability

The bullpen's performance was equally erratic, fluctuating wildly from stellar outings to disastrous collapses. This volatility significantly impacted the team's chances of winning close games:

• High-leverage situations often resulted in blown saves: The bullpen struggled mightily in high-pressure situations, leading to numerous blown saves and lost games.
• Lack of a clearly defined ninth-inning closer created uncertainty: The uncertainty surrounding the closer role created unnecessary tension and negatively impacted the team's confidence.
• Addressing bullpen depth through trades or player development: Strengthening the bullpen requires addressing both depth and reliability, potentially through strategic trades or focusing on developing existing prospects.
• Implementing better bullpen management strategies: The Brewers need to implement better strategies for managing their bullpen resources, ensuring the right pitchers are used in the right situations.

Offensive Slumps and Lack of Power: A Recipe for Underachievement

The Brewers' offense, while capable of explosive bursts, suffered from significant inconsistencies and a lack of consistent power hitting, hindering their ability to consistently score runs and overcome deficits.

Inconsistent Hitting

The team’s overall hitting performance lacked consistency throughout the lineup. This inconsistency stemmed from:

• Too much reliance on a few key players: The Brewers were too dependent on a small number of players to carry the offensive load, leaving them vulnerable when those players struggled.
• Low batting averages and on-base percentages at times: Periods of low batting averages and on-base percentages severely limited their ability to generate runs.
• Addressing this requires improvements in batting practice and strategic adjustments at the plate: Improving batting technique, focusing on hitting approaches, and incorporating advanced hitting analytics can greatly enhance the team's overall offensive consistency.
• Need to cultivate a more aggressive approach: A more aggressive approach at the plate might help the Brewers overcome their passive tendencies.

Insufficient Power

The Brewers lacked the explosive power hitting necessary to overcome deficits and break open close games. This deficiency resulted from:

• Few players consistently hit home runs: A shortage of players capable of consistently hitting home runs severely limited their ability to generate runs in crucial moments.
• A lack of deep threat power hitters: The Brewers lacked that consistent deep threat power hitter to change the game with one swing.
• Exploring trade options for power hitters or developing prospects: Acquiring a power hitter through trades, or patiently developing power-hitting prospects, is essential to address this critical weakness.
• Improving hitting techniques to generate more power: Focusing on strength training and refining hitting techniques can help current players develop greater power.

Conclusion

The Milwaukee Brewers' failure to return to the postseason can be primarily attributed to two interconnected issues: inconsistent pitching and offensive shortcomings. Addressing these key areas—improving pitching consistency through both starting rotation and bullpen upgrades and bolstering offensive power—is crucial for a successful 2024 season and a return to playoff contention. To see the Brewers truly return to the postseason, these crucial issues need immediate attention. The team must focus on developing young talent, strategically acquiring players through trades and free agency, and implementing improved coaching strategies to overcome these weaknesses and become a serious contender. Let's discuss how the Brewers can successfully address these issues and return to postseason glory!