Trying to Quantify How Deep the 2024 to 2026 Brewers Were Relative to the Rest of MLB

sveumrules · 2026-10-02T15:53:48Z

You don't need a fine tooth comb to sift out why the Brewers have won the most games in MLB over the last three regular seasons...they've allowed the fewest runs in MLB (3.90 RA/G) while scoring the third most (4.97 RS/G). When you outscore your opponents by over one run per game over the course of three seasons, you'll naturally win a lot of games.

Their pitchers have likewise tallied an MLB best 70.9 runs allowed based WAR (though their 52.7 FIP based WAR is only 6th) with some help from the position players saving them somewhere between 70 (FRV | 6th) and 138 (DRS | 3rd) runs along the way. With their -0.35 ERA/FIP differential second by fractions behind the Cubs at -0.36 over that stretch, I'm guessing it's closer to the latter. In addition to scoring and saving a lot of runs, the position players also tallied +42.6 BsR (1st) along with a 106 wRC+ (5th) and 82.4 WAR (5th).

Oh, you like contextual measures? The bullpen's +27.72 Win Probability Added is second in MLB while their 189.97 RE24 is first. The batters are first in all of PA, wRC+, and runs scored with RISP, plus second in Win Probability Added behind only the Dodgers.

Misio is likely to win the NL CY this year and is probably the closest thing we have to a superstar, while guys like Turang (12.9 WAR | 16th from 2024-26), Contreras (12.2 WAR | 20th), and Chourio (11.5 WAR | 24th) have been more down ballot MVP vote recipient level stars. Though Brice should land inside the Top Five at least this year with his 7.3 WAR at BRef second in the NL while his 5.9 WAR is 3rd at FanGraphs (plus the whole his team winning 103 games thing).

All that said, the depth of the team has always been kind of their calling card so I set out trying to quantify that somehow. On the hitting side I used 400 PA as the cutoff point. From Turang at the top down to guys like Blake Perkins (1.4 WAR), Gary Sanchez (1.2 WAR), and Rhys Hoskins (1.1 WAR) the Brewers had 15 total players take at least 400 PA over the last three years with all of them tallying at least one win. Here is how the other 29 teams fared in terms of (total players to reach 400 PA | how many had at least 1.0 WAR | how many had at least 3.0 WAR | how many had at least 4.5 WAR)

MIL (15 | 15 | 10 | 9)
CHC (13 | 12 | 9 | 8)
LAD (14 | 11 | 9 | 7)
NYY (16 | 13 | 8 | 7)
PHI (12 | 9 | 8 | 7)
TOR (12 | 12 | 9 | 6)
STL (16 | 11 | 8 | 6)
ATH (16 | 10 | 7 | 6)
ATL (14 | 10 | 7 | 6)
NYM (17 | 15 | 9 | 5)
BAL (18 | 13 | 8 | 5)
ARI (17 | 13 | 8 | 5)
DET (15 | 13 | 8 | 5)
HOU (13 | 11 | 8 | 5)
TEX (16 | 12 | 7 | 5)
SDP (13 | 12 | 7 | 5)
BOS (17 | 16 | 9 | 4)
SFG (16 | 13 | 9 | 4)
MIN (16 | 13 | 7 | 4)
MIA (18 | 12 | 6 | 4)
SEA (14 | 12 | 6 | 4)
WAS (14 | 6 | 4 | 4)
TBR (17 | 15 | 7 | 3)
CLE (16 | 14 | 4 | 3)
CHW (16 | 9 | 4 | 3)
PIT (17 | 7 | 4 | 3)
LAA (12 | 6 | 3 | 3)
CIN (18 | 10 | 4 | 2)
KCR (15 | 10 | 5 | 2)
COL (15 | 8 | 4 | 1)

Doing the same thing on the pitching side using a 70 IP minimum, runs allowed based WAR, and then cutoffs of 1.0 rWAR | 2.5 rWAR | 4.0 rWAR (slightly lower at the top end than the hitter ranges to account for WAR typically undervaluing relievers) and the Brewers had 24 pitchers with at least 70 IP, 20 of them at least 1.0 rWAR, 14 of them at least 2.5 rWAR, and seven at least 4.0 rWAR with Ashby (3.9 rWAR) just missing out. Here are how the other teams fared using the same criteria...

MIL (24 | 20 | 14 | 7)
BOS (21 | 15 | 11 | 7)
SDP (20 | 16 | 9 | 7)
CLE (18 | 12 | 10 | 7)
NYY (19 | 15 | 11 | 6)
ATL (19 | 15 | 8 | 6)
DET (17 | 13 | 8 | 6)
PHI (13 | 8 | 7 | 6)
SEA (12 | 9 | 7 | 6)
KCR (18 | 14 | 8 | 5)
PIT (17 | 12 | 8 | 5)
HOU (25 | 11 | 7 | 5)
CIN (16 | 10 | 6 | 5)
LAD (22 | 17 | 10 | 4)
TBR (22 | 17 | 8 | 4)
CHC (15 | 11 | 8 | 4)
STL (20 | 12 | 6 | 4)
ARI (16 | 11 | 6 | 4)
NYM (18 | 15 | 10 | 3)
TOR (21 | 14 | 5 | 3)
TEX (21 | 14 | 5 | 3)
MIN (18 | 7 | 5 | 3)
CHW (19 | 9 | 4 | 3)
MIA (20 | 12 | 7 | 2)
WAS (18 | 8 | 6 | 2)
BAL (21 | 13 | 4 | 2)
SFG (21 | 11 | 5 | 2)
LAA (17 | 8 | 5 | 1)
ATH (22 | 9 | 3 | 1)
COL (23 | 7 | 1 | 0)