With just over 40 games left in the regular season, the No. 1 team in baseball isn’t the Dodgers, the Yankees, or even the Tigers—who led much of the year—it’s the Milwaukee Brewers. Sitting at 73–44 and riding a league-best nine-game winning streak, the Brewers hold a five-game lead over the second-place Philadelphia Phillies.
A major catalyst behind Milwaukee’s recent dominance is one of the best comeback stories in baseball: first baseman Andrew Vaughn.
Vaughn, the third overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft by the Chicago White Sox, debuted in 2021 with high expectations. But the breakout never seemed to come. Through 48 games with the White Sox this season, he was batting just .189 and looked like a player who might never fully reach his potential.
That changed in June, when the White Sox traded Vaughn to the Brewers. Since the move, he’s been a revelation. In just 24 games with Milwaukee, Vaughn is hitting .353 with 7 home runs and 28 RBIs—quickly becoming one of the most dangerous hitters in the National League.
In sports, a change of scenery can often make all the difference, and Vaughn is proving exactly that. Brewers manager Pat Murphy put it best: “Putting guys in environments and situations that can allow them to express themselves, and they can handle it, is the difference.”
Vaughn has not only emerged as a key contributor but also a fan favorite—drawing admiration from across the league as he lives up to, and maybe even exceeds, the expectations once placed on him.
But Vaughn isn’t doing it alone.
The Brewers’ offense is heating up at just the right time. Rookie Isaac Collins has surged into the NL Rookie of the Year conversation, while catcher William Contreras—who struggled early—has turned things around, hitting .301 with six home runs in the last 30 days, doubling his season total. Meanwhile, veteran Christian Yelich continues to deliver in clutch moments.
On the mound, Milwaukee boasts one of the strongest pitching staffs in baseball. Ace Freddy Peralta leads a rotation that features young phenom Jacob Misiorowski, who’s quickly becoming a dominant force with electric stuff that could soon earn him the top spot. Quinn Priester has been lights out, going 10–0 with a 2.45 ERA over his last 12 starts. And Brandon Woodruff, just back from injury, looks as sharp as ever.
The bullpen, which many feared would falter after the loss of All-Star closer Devin Williams, has been solidified by Trevor Megill. The hard-throwing righty has stepped up in a big way, notching 28 saves with a 2.20 ERA.
Despite skepticism at the trade deadline that the Brewers hadn’t done enough to bolster their roster, this team is thriving on all fronts. The bats are hot, the arms are sharp, and Milwaukee is proving night after night that they’re not just hot—they’re for real.
For now, the Brewers are the team to beat.