What do the Brewers need to do for you to feel happy about this season?

[Playing Catch]

On August 28th, the Brewers have the best record in baseball by 5 games. They are on-pace to win 100 games, which would be a franchise record.

If the Brewers go on to win the division and garner a top-2 seed, thus avoiding the wildcard round altogether, is that the equivalent of winning a playoff series? Do they have to do more than that for you to be satisfied with the 2025 Brewers? World Series or bust?

How are Brewerfanatics feeling as baseball enters the Pennant Race?

 

[bensheeps]

I need them to win a playoff series (and I don't count a "bye" through the wild card round as a win).

While I'll still be disappointed if they lose in the NLCS, after some time to reflect back, I think a playoff round win will bring a smile to my face when I remember back to the 2025 season.

[CheezWizHed]

Playoffs and win Central division = Happy

Losing first round of the playoffs = frustrated

Getting to the NLCS = ok finally back!

Getting to the WS = YES!!!

Winning the WS = LET'S GOOOOOO!!!!! 

[Playing Catch]

I think the fact they haven't won a playoff series since 2018, and that last season's loss was so brutal, our collective mindset is "gotta win a playoff series". Those emotions are still raw. But I think by the end of the season, if they get a bye in the first round, we'll see other "good" teams get beat and have to go home, while the Brewers would still be playing. I think we'd all feel pretty good about the season at that point, even if they lost a tough series.

With that said, I've ALWAYS felt that regular season success deserves a trophy and all of the pomp associated with such. I think if the Brewers finish the season with the best record in baseball, that would make me really happy, regardless of how their playoff series goes.

[formerlybis]

Honestly, it's mostly joy already, but the specter of entering the playoffs yet again without key pieces and then going out immediately would really send me into a tizzy. If they're relatively healthy and lose, it won't be as bad on my psyche.

I have always been of the belief that playoffs in every sport are much more a crapshoot than the regular season, so regular season accomplishments mean more to me than the average fan (I suspect) because of the long-term excellence it requires. But, the unluckiness of this franchise with playoff health annoys the heck out of me - maybe nobody comes into October 100%, but it sure seems like we've gotten the shorter end of that stick.

[Brian]

Being an OCD Brewer fan I'd love for them to win the WS.  Same for the Packers winning the Superbowl and the Bucks win the NBA Championship.  Brewers player health is an absolute must though.  Lets just have all WI pro teams win championships and be the sports capital of the USA!  

[Team Canada]

1 hour ago, Playing Catch said:

I think if the Brewers finish the season with the best record in baseball, that would make me really happy, regardless of how their playoff series goes.

Yeah, I think it's possible to hold both opinions at the same time. Let's assume they do finish with the best record in the MLB. In the long term, I think we'll all view this regular season as pretty incredible, especially the 14 game streak.

It will also be very disappointing (as it would be for any team with the best record in MLB) if we don't at least win one series. And it should be! As the best team, we should be better than every other team we play.

But, sample size, etc etc...

[wiguy94]

They've already made me feel happy about this season. Though if they choke a top 2 seed in the NL I might be less happy.

[BruisedCrew]

I think there is such a thing as a good season with a disappointing ending.

This season has been fun because of the lower expectations entering the season, and the winning streaks have been amazing.

But, in a sense the Brewers are victims of their own success. In 2008 just making the playoffs (despite a September collapse) was a big deal. 

Winning the division will always mean a season of good entertainment. But after being in the playoffs in 5 of the last 6 seasons that I count, losing in the first playoff series they play AGAIN would be a disappointment and take away some of the good feeling. 

Losing the division to the Cubs and then losing in the wild card round again would really leave a sour taste. So, first things first. Take the division.

 

[SeaBass]

Quote

They win the NL Central, bypassing the wildcard round, but LOSE their only playoff series

This is kind of where I'm at except I wouldn't have phrased it this way. I would have said "regardless of playoff results" instead.

I have a really hard time voting for an option that reads, to me, as, "Yes, I want them to win the NL Central and lose their only playoff series!! So hype for exactly that result! Whooo!"

[RWeeksFan23]

I'd need a world series win to feel happy about the season!

Playoff losses hurt, man. Regular season success means nothing if you don't finish off the job!

[FidoMcCokefiend]

While I'm an EKG during individual games and moments, the reality is watching the Brewers and baseball makes me happy. Even when I express frustration in the moment to moment rollercoaster, baseball is the best.

I want nothing more in my sports fandom than the Brewers to win the WS. Nothing even comes close. But, I'm very clear on the difficulty of that task even for the teams with limitless resources and money. It's incredibly difficult. Staking my "overall/life's" happiness on the Milwaukee Brewers winning the World Series would be ludicrous.  

That said, I can compartmentalize, and for my "Brewer fan" happiness this year, I want to win a playoff series. I'd rather be a Wild Card and win a playoff series vs win the division and lose their first playoff series. The regular season is fun and all, but the playoffs are what matters, and I want a Playoff Series win.  

[thebruce44]

3 hours ago, Brian said:

Being an OCD Brewer fan I'd love for them to win the WS.  Same for the Packers winning the Superbowl and the Bucks win the NBA Championship.  Brewers player health is an absolute must though.  Lets just have all WI pro teams win championships and be the sports capital of the USA!  

Sorry, but how does being OCD effect this? It seems like this is just what every fan would want.

[BrewerFan]

Nothing beyond what they've done.

 

I haven't had as much fun watching this team in a while... the way the Brewers have been playing has been INCREDIBLE. 

I'm not going to put this all on a couple games in Oct. If YOU do(you as in royal you) that's cool. But... this has been great. The season has been awesome and I can't let myself get SO emotionally invested in a handful of games that I let it ruin the whole year. 

 

I also am so excited for the future of this team that... it'll suck if the Brewers lose in the first round(which hopefully ends up being the Divisional Round) but yeah, all year, every game, it's been too much fun. 

[Dragonbait]

Being a child during the 80s and teen in the 90s, and suffering the early 00's, I truly appreciate success. 

 

While it was nice to be able to goto a game on the very cheap... (free tickets sometimes), winning is way more fun.

 

At some point, we'll break through and win the big one, hopefully this year. 

 

And wouldn't it be nice to have the best record in baseball, while the Yankees miss the playoffs?

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

Baseball is about the long-haul. Maybe it's self-defense, but I've come to view playoffs as bonus. Plus, I don't think this team can really hurt me anymore, after all the difficult October losses of this wonderful stretch of franchise success.

The one caveat to this is that finishing with a division title and a bye would be sullied quite a bit if we lose to the Cubs in the divisional round. THAT would probably be the last thing that could actually make me hurt emotionally as much as I have in previous Octobers.

And, of course, I say all this, but once those playoff games start, I'm going to desperately want to win them. I'll be able touch grass and my rational self, but the emotional heart wants what the emotional heart wants.

[AKCheesehead]

Well said, CHL.  Summed up my feelings exactly. 

 

The regular season is where the bulk of the joy of baseball is.  Which is why I always enjoyed following the Brewers throughout my life, even if I knew they had no shot at sniffing the postseason.  

[Baldkin]

This ******* team man. 

I know it's designed to break your heart. 

Last year broke me good. Lost my dad in August. Lost to the stupid Mets. 

This team has brought me so much joy, just don't lose to the Cubs. That's all I ask. 

 

[StearnsFTW]

On 8/28/2025 at 11:02 AM, CheezWizHed said:

Playoffs and win Central division = Happy

Losing first round of the playoffs = frustrated

Getting to the NLCS = ok finally back!

Getting to the WS = YES!!!

Winning the WS = LET'S GOOOOOO!!!!! 

Pretty much.

 

It's been so much fun this summer that I'm not even worried about it.

[SF70]

This season matters less with a powerhouse organization that’s going to produce just as good if not better teams every year for as far as my eyes can see.

Incredible time to be a Brewers fan.

[hoosier]

I feel a little bit divided on this one. On one hand, success in the postseason involves a lot of good fortune and can easily hinge on one or two things going right or breaking bad. You can certainly have a good or even great season that ends in disappointment. Last year's WC game 3 is a great example: it came down to just one pitch. This team has already vastly exceeded expectations--those of the pundits but also my own--and that alone is reason to feel good about this season, regardless of what October brings. On the other hand, I have been following this team since 1978 and have seen plenty of good teams come and go, and none of the really good ones have ended the season with a win in October. This team has come together unlike any other iteration I've ever seen, and a loss in October to end the season would be a big disappointment.  

[Austin Tatious]

I couldn’t be happier with this team and the way the organization is going.  This what I was waiting for, for years.  Playoff baseball will be about the right things clicking at the right time.  Whether that happens, I don’t know.  So I’m cautious about it.  

But on May 15, I couldn’t have computed the synergies that have come together.  If you plugged in our roster, the data, etc., I don’t think any human or AI could have calculated where we are.  

In the concern category, I’m probably worried about some of the arms being overtaxed.  A guy like Uribe is an example.  Can they all be fresh enough at playoff time?

Either way, I’m happy with this organization.  I’m process-oriented and our process sets us apart. 

[long ball]

Like many of the posters have already said, I’m happy with the season. I love the daily soap opera of the regular season. Tracking the probables, the daily bullpen usage, the slumps, the hit streaks, the standings, the roster moves, the optimism. When your favorite team wins as much as the brewers have this season, especially when most of us had lower expectations coming into the year, it’s hard for me to not be happy. The regular season is months of happiness. We’ve seen how fleeting the playoffs can be. 
 

I’m going to being devastated in any outcome that doesn’t result in a World Series win. That feeling will pass after a few days and I’ll finish watching out the rest of the playoffs even if the brewers aren’t playing. Then we get to come back here and debate on who needs to be added to the 40 man, whether they should trade peralta, whether they can re-sign woodruff, whether they should tender Vaughn a contract, etc. 

[82brewcrew82]

Winning it all....full stop.  I won't be upset if they don't but if the question is what is going to make me happy, winning it all is the only answer.  Anything between making the playoffs and that is meh.  Less than making the playoffs is a disappointment (which is obviously not going to happen this year).

[Brian]

As it sits on 9/3/2025