The Milwaukee Brewers secured the best record in Major League Baseball and a franchise-record 103 wins by scoring 832 runs—the second-most in the majors—while hitting just 154 home runs, a statistical combination not seen since the 1960 Chicago White Sox, according to data from Sportradar and reported by the Associated Press.
How did the Milwaukee Brewers win 103 games with the lowest launch angle in Major League Baseball?
While most modern baseball franchises focus on elevating the ball to hit home runs, the Milwaukee Brewers took a completely different approach under manager Pat Murphy, posting MLB’s lowest launch angle at 9.2 degrees. The team emphasized high-contact hitting, low strikeouts, patience at the plate, and aggressive baserunning to manufacture runs.
“Home runs come and they’ll help you win games,” Brewers second baseman Brice Turang said, according to the Associated Press. “And so do stolen bases. So do walks, playing defense. All that matters as well.”
Sportradar notes that Milwaukee is the first club since the 1960 Chicago White Sox to finish a Major League Baseball season among the top three teams in runs scored while ranking in the bottom three for home runs. The Brewers led the majors in batting average at .258 and on-base percentage at .341, while also swinging at the lowest percentage of pitches outside the strike zone of any team.
Why are other playoff teams adopting a similar low-power strategy?
The Brewers are not alone in finding success without relying on elite home-run power. Out of the five teams that hit the fewest home runs in the majors during the regular season, three reached the postseason. The Boston Red Sox hit 153 homers to rank 26th, and the Cleveland Guardians hit 162 to rank 27th.
Sportradar records indicate that never before in a non-pandemic year have the Major League Baseball playoffs included three of the bottom five home-run-hitting teams. Brewers outfielder Sal Frelick pointed out a shift in how hitters are valued.
“You see the clock kind of turning, where teams don’t want nine guys who are going to try up and hit a homer with a 40% strikeout rate,” Frelick said, as reported by the Associated Press. “You don’t want that anymore. You want nine guys who, with a runner on third and less than two outs, you know a ball’s going to go in play.”
How do the Brewers use baserunning and plate discipline to frustrate opposing pitchers?
Milwaukee complements its contact-heavy hitting approach with relentless speed on the bases, swiping 162 bases during the regular season to rank fifth in Major League Baseball. Lead hitting coach Eric Theisen explained that the team’s ability to grind out long at-bats wears down opposing pitchers over the course of a game.
“These guys know at the very least we can make it difficult on him beyond just their at-bat,” Theisen said, according to the Associated Press. “The more difficult your at-bat is on that guy on the mound, the better the situation the next guy steps into.”
Manager Pat Murphy enforces a strict discipline regarding swing selection, benching players who chase pitches out of the zone. This philosophy was highlighted when Murphy removed catcher William Contreras from a game for not running hard enough to third base on a grounder. New York Yankees third baseman Ryan McMahon observed the distinct roster construction after playing the Brewers in May, noting that Milwaukee targets high-contact, low-strikeout players who work walks.
When do the Milwaukee Brewers begin their postseason schedule?
The Milwaukee Brewers host the San Diego Padres in Game 1 of the National League Division Series on Saturday at American Family Field.
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