Brewers bump? Every team to oust Milwaukee from the playoffs has reached the World Series. The New York Mets are heading to the NLDS after a thrilling ninth-inning comeback, ignited by Pete Alonso’s decisive three-run home run that eliminated the Milwaukee Brewers.
The Mets’ journey to the postseason has been nothing short of remarkable, especially considering their rough start to the season. Historically speaking, New York now finds itself in a favorable position to contend for the World Series, thanks to a bizarre trend tied to the Brewers’ playoff misfortunes.
The pattern is striking: in the ten instances that the Brewers have participated in the playoffs, nine occurred during seasons with a division series in the MLB format. Remarkably, every team that has defeated Milwaukee has advanced to at least the World Series, if not claimed the championship title.
Here’s a detailed look at how those victorious teams performed, according to FOX Sports Research:
1981 New York Yankees: Defeated Brewers in ALDS, reached World Series
While the division series was not officially established until 1994, MLB introduced it in 1981 to differentiate between the East and West division winners of the split season, which had been disrupted by a players’ union strike. The Yankees, who won the first half of the AL East, triumphed over the second-half division-winning Brewers in a thrilling 3-2 ALDS matchup during Milwaukee’s inaugural playoff appearance. The Yankees then swept the Oakland A’s in the ALCS before falling to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series.
1982 St. Louis Cardinals: Defeated Brewers in World Series
This encounter is noteworthy as it marked the Brewers’ sole World Series appearance. As American League champions, they faced their National League Central rivals, the Cardinals. St. Louis secured victory in a dramatic Game 7, highlighted by standout performances from Hall of Famers Ozzie Smith and Bruce Sutter, along with series MVP Darrell Porter.
2008 Philadelphia Phillies: Defeated Brewers in NLDS, won World Series
The Brewers made their return to the postseason in 2008, largely due to the remarkable performance of CC Sabathia, a trade deadline acquisition who led Milwaukee to a wild-card spot with an impressive 11-2 record and a 1.65 ERA. However, they faced a formidable Philadelphia Phillies team that eliminated them in four games during the NLDS. The Phillies continued their success, defeating the Dodgers in the NLCS and ultimately winning the World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays.
2011 St. Louis Cardinals: Defeated Brewers in NLCS, won World Series
The Brewers advanced to the NLCS after overcoming the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2011 NLDS, only to be stopped by the Cardinals in six games. St. Louis then triumphed over the Texas Rangers in a thrilling seven-game World Series, led by rookie David Freese.
2018 Los Angeles Dodgers: Defeated Brewers in NLCS, reached World Series
In a tightly contested Game 7 of the NLCS, the Dodgers edged out the Brewers, denying the 96-win Milwaukee team a chance to compete in the World Series. Los Angeles then faced the Boston Red Sox in the World Series, suffering defeat in five games.
2019 Washington Nationals: Defeated Brewers in wild-card game, won World Series
The Brewers appeared set for a rematch with the Dodgers, who had previously ended their season in 2018. However, a costly error by outfielder Trent Grisham allowed the Nationals to seize victory in the wild-card game. Washington then shocked the baseball world by eliminating the Dodgers in the NLDS and sweeping the Cardinals in the NLCS, ultimately defeating the Houston Astros in a thrilling seven-game World Series.
2020 Los Angeles Dodgers: Defeated Brewers in wild-card series, won World Series
In a unique playoff format, the 29-31 Brewers were the last team to qualify for the postseason. They faced a dominant Dodgers squad and were eliminated in a best-of-three series. The Dodgers went on to sweep the San Diego Padres in the NLDS, defeat the Atlanta Braves in the NLCS, and capture the World Series title against the Tampa Bay Rays.
2021 Atlanta Braves: Defeated Brewers in NLDS, won World Series
The Braves, often considered the underdogs in the NL playoff picture, stunned the Brewers in the NLDS and continued their momentum by defeating the Dodgers before clinching the World Series title against the Houston Astros.
2023 Arizona Diamondbacks: Defeated Brewers in wild-card series, reached World Series
The Diamondbacks, the last team to enter the playoffs, faced a resilient Brewers squad. Despite being down in both games, Arizona made a comeback to win both contests. They then eliminated the NL West-winning Dodgers in the NLDS and faced the Phillies in the NLCS, ultimately losing to the Texas Rangers in the World Series.
2024 New York Mets: Defeated Brewers in wild-card series*
The Mets’ playoff journey began with an incredible comeback against the Atlanta Braves in a weather-delayed doubleheader, securing their spot in the postseason. As they prepare for their upcoming NLDS against the Philadelphia Phillies, scheduled for Saturday at 4:08 p.m. Eastern Time on FOX, the question remains: can they continue their momentum and advance to the World Series?
