6 Stats that Prove the Brewers are off to a Good Start

[Kyle Ginsbach]

Don’t let the past week fool you. The Brewers are off to a strong start, and there are more than a few numbers we can use to back up that claim.

 

Image courtesy of © Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Don’t let the past week fool you. The Brewers are off to a strong start, and there are more than a few numbers we can use to back up that claim.

 

Team ERA: 3.60

Prior to the Brewers' series opener against the Dodgers at American Family Field, the pitching staff ranked seventh in all of Major League Baseball in ERA. Considering the facts that Brandon Woodruff has missed significant time; that Corbin Burnes is off to a slow start; and that the Brewers have already used 20 different pitchers, the staff is right where they need to be. It isn’t as if the Brewers aren’t facing quality competition either, as they've already faced seven of the top 15 teams in OPS.

19-15 Pythagorean W-L

As mentioned before, the Brewers haven’t been fully healthy, but they’re still performing at a high level. Their current Pythagorean projection matches their actual won-lost record, and puts them on a 90-win pace. If the Brewers are able to get healthy, they'll be on the right track.

64.8% Playoff Odds

The Brewers currently have the highest playoff odds of any team in the NL Central, and have risen from their 59.3-percent odds at the start of the season. More importantly, the division favorite Cardinals have seen their playoff chances dip to 20.1 percent.

124 Walks by Hitters

Patience is as important as ever, and the Brewers are taking their walks. They’ve already logged 124 free passes this year, putting them comfortably within the top third of the league. Seven Brewers have drawn double-digit walks so far, with Willy Adames leading the team with 19. Of the seven teams ahead of the Brewers in walks recorded, four of them lead their divisions, and only one has a losing record.

.299 BABIP

While there are many ways to interpret a team’s average on balls in play, the Brewers sitting in the middle of the pack are right where you want them to be. With a high BABIP, you could suggest the Brewers are getting lucky, and with a low BABIP, it could be theorized that the team isn’t making good contact. As of now, their BABIP suggests their production is sustainable.

23 DRS

Good defense hasn’t exactly been the signature of the Brewers in the past, but with an influx of young players, the Brewers have been the best in all of baseball. Their 23 Defensive Runs Saved leads baseball by a good margin, and it’s no secret why. Joey Wiemer, Brice Turang, and company have continued to play Gold Glove-caliber defense.

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[Harold Hutchison]

And it looks like Wiemer and Turang are starting to adjust to regular-season MLB pitching.