MLB Playoffs 2017: 5 reasons Milwaukee Brewers will make it

1. Seriously, why not?

Put quite simply, the Brewers were not supposed to be in this position until at least 2019 at the earliest. That’s how far away the completion of their rebuild seemed at the start of the year. They lost 89 games last year and 94 in 2015. Their best starting pitcher from 2016, Junior Guerra, has only started 13 games this season and has been relegated to the bullpen after struggling with injuries.

The Brewers are one of the youngest teams in the National League, and finishing a rebuild is a moving target. For example, no one expected the Houston Astros to contend in 2015. They were still thought to be a few years away. Predicting when young hitters and pitchers will have their “ah-ha” moment at the MLB level is next to impossible, especially when they make up most of a roster.

There have been so many times this year when the Brewers should have folded. They lost 11 of 14 games from July 16 to July 30, managed to win a few and then proceeded to lose six in a row to fall to an even .500 on the year. Since August 1, Milwaukee is 22-11 with only one losing streak. Their momentum has continued to build.

Young teams defy the conventional wisdom that there is no such thing as momentum in professional baseball. Without any expectations on Opening Day, the Brewers have played fast and loose all year, without any pressure to win. They are a fun team to watch, and adversity has not fazed them.