Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs postseason outlook

Brewers offensive explosion

The Milwaukee Brewers finished the regular season with 103 wins, eclipsing the previous franchise record of 97 wins established in 2025. Jackson Chourio became the first player in major-league history to record three hits in the first two innings of a postseason game during the NLDS Game 1 victory over the Cubs. The Brewers scored nine runs in the first two innings of that October 4 game, setting a new major-league record for runs in that specific postseason timeframe. Brice Turang concluded a season with 20 home runs and 100 RBIs. Freddy Peralta matched a franchise postseason record by recording nine strikeouts during the 9-3 blowout. Jacob Misiorowski ended his season with a scoreless outing, striking out five batters over 5 1/3 innings to reach 16 wins. Robert Gasser also delivered a strong performance, allowing one run while striking out nine batters in six innings. The Milwaukee Brewers’ offense produced nine runs in the first two innings against the Cubs, which ranks as the third-most in the first two innings of any postseason game in major-league history behind the Dodgers and Cardinals.

Cubs wildcard path

Chicago clinched the second Wild Card spot with an 89-73 record. Pete Crow-Armstrong completed a 40-homer, 40-steal season, although his offensive production fell from his early-season peak. He hit two home runs in the final series of the season to secure a 30-30 campaign. His performance regressed between July 25 and September 14 when he hit only .184 with a .521 OPS. The Cubs travel to San Diego to face the Padres in a best-of-three Wild Card Series. Alex Bregman slugged two home runs and a double during a four-hit weekend against Boston. Matthew Boyd pitched seven innings with one run allowed and six strikeouts. David Peterson tossed five scoreless innings with six strikeouts. Gavin Hollowell, Daniel Palencia, Colin Rea, Ryan Zeferjahn, and Jacob Webb combined for 9 2/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen. Seiya Suzuki added a home run to the Cubs’ late-season surge. You should note that PCA’s offensive production fell from his early-season peak. The Cubs’ late-season regression hit fans hard. Will the Cubs’ pitching staff hold up against the Padres’ offense in San Diego?

NL Central standings and roster limits

The NL Central standings show a wide gap between the top and the bottom. The Milwaukee Brewers won the division, while the Pittsburgh Pirates clinched a winning season of 82-80, their first since 2018. Paul Skenes finished a 200-strikeout campaign, allowing one run and striking out eight batters in his final outing. Brandon Lowe slugged two home runs for the Pirates. Konnor Griffin recorded eight hits, including a home run, to finish his rookie season. Jared Jones totaled 11 innings with no runs allowed and 14 strikeouts. The St. Louis Cardinals finished 77-85, eight games below .500. Alec Burleson capped his season with three home runs this week. Matthew Liberatore allowed one run and struck out six over 5 2/3 innings. The Cincinnati Reds ended with 75 wins and 87 losses. Elly De La Cruz slugged two home runs. Andrew Abbott went seven frames with two runs allowed and six strikeouts. MLB roster rules from the 2020 agreement dictate that teams expand from 26 to 28 players on September 1. This expansion includes a limit of 14 pitchers on the active roster. This rule prevents teams from using their entire 40-man roster, which was permitted before the 2020 changes.

The 2026 NL Central race concluded with the Brewers holding 103 wins and the Cubs holding 89 wins. The Pirates’ 82 wins mark their first winning season in eight years.