Milwaukee Brewers eye first 100-win season against St. Louis Cardinals
As the regular season reaches its final series, the Milwaukee Brewers enter a series against the St. Louis Cardinals with 99 wins, eyeing their first 100-win campaign in franchise history.
Brewers Chase History and the Top Seed
Entering the final stretch, the Milwaukee Brewers sit at 99 wins following their action in Philadelphia. The club needs just one more victory to hit the historic 100-win threshold for the first time. Meanwhile, their magic number for the National League’s No. 1 overall seed sits at 2, requiring a combination of two wins and Los Angeles Dodgers losses over the remaining games.
Milwaukee’s well-rounded offense has powered this historic run. Jake Bauers, Jackson Chourio, and Brice Turang have all cleared the 20-homer mark this season. William Contreras sits just behind them with 18 home runs. As a collective unit, the Brewers’ offense boasts a .741 OPS—good for fourth in the league—alongside 810 runs scored, which ranks second overall. On the mound, the team features a 3.53 ERA, ranking second in the league, anchored by late-inning relievers Trevor Megill and Abner Uribe.
Health remains a fluid situation for the Brew Crew. The team is currently managing the absence of relievers Grant Anderson and Bryse Wilson, though both could be activated for the conclusion of their Philadelphia series. Meanwhile, Brian Fitzpatrick, Angel Zerpa, Quinn Priester, and starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff remain sidelined, with Woodruff facing only a slim chance of returning for the postseason.
Cardinals Look to Finish Strong Below .500
On the opposite side of the diamond, the St. Louis Cardinals arrive at 77-81. Despite mounting a strong start that defied low preseason expectations, the club cooled considerably over the final months. St. Louis is poised to finish just below the .500 mark, though they remain ahead of the last-place Cincinnati Reds in the NL Central standings.
Jordan Walker anchors the Cardinals’ lineup, wrapping up a stellar campaign likely to yield a top-five MVP finish. Walker is hitting .273 with 28 home runs, 100 RBIs, 94 runs scored, and 21 stolen bases. Teammate Alec Burleson has provided significant protection in the order, contributing 23 homers and a league-best 112 RBIs, while Iván Herrera, rookie standout JJ Wetherholt, and Nathan Church have all tallied double-digit home runs.
St. Louis deals with its own roster attrition heading into the weekend. Position players Blaze Jordan, Joshua Báez, and Everson Pereira are unavailable, though Pereira could potentially return after completing a rehab assignment with Triple-A Memphis. Pitchers Hunter Dobbins and Max Rajcic are finished for the year. Defensively and pitching-wise, the Cardinals staff holds a 4.26 team ERA, ranking 21st in the majors, though arm Gordon Graceffo has emerged as a bright spot with a 2.76 ERA over 78 1/3 innings.
Opening Matchup: Gasser vs. McGreevy
The series opener on Friday, September 25, at 6:40 p.m. features left-hander Robert Gasser taking the mound for Milwaukee against St. Louis right-hander Michael McGreevy. Gasser carries a 5-5 record, 4.01 ERA, and 4.32 FIP into the contest. He has built strong momentum over the last two months, positioning himself for a secure spot in the postseason rotation.
Gasser is coming off arguably the best performance of his young career, tossing seven scoreless innings in a 1-0 victory over the Baltimore Orioles while allowing just three hits and three walks with two strikeouts. The left-hander has limited opponents to one run or fewer in four of his last five outings, successfully dropping his season ERA from 4.79 down to 4.01. Historically, Gasser has fared well against St. Louis, making three career starts with a 2-1 record, a 2.16 ERA, and 10 strikeouts across 16 2/3 innings. McGreevy counters for the Cardinals holding a 7-9 record with a 3.84 ERA and 4.24 FIP.
As the final outs of the regular season draw near, both organizations face a transition from regular-season survival to postseason preparation and winter restructuring.