The Craig Counsell era in Milwaukee was, when looked at as a whole, a success. In nine seasons, Counsell took the Brewers to the postseason five times, including two NLDS appearances and once NLCS run in 2018. But he never coached a team as dynamic as the 2025 Brewers, who are barreling toward 100 wins under manager Pat Murphy.
And as Counsell's former team stomped his current team, the Chicago Cubs, extending the chasm in the NL Central to a season-high nine games, Counsell had to watch firsthand what makes his old team so dang good in 2025; a mix of contributions from everyone on the roster, clever front office moves and (to steal a football cliche) a "next man up" mentality.
In the series opener, the Brewers stomped the Cubs 7-0, getting big moments from Caleb Durbin, Joey Ortiz, Andrew Vaughn and, as always, Brice Turang. It was a perfect example of what the Brewers do best; grind you to a pulp with guys who just keep exceeding expectations.
Brewers and Cubs heading in different directions
If you blinked, you probably missed it. On July 1, the Cubs had a 2.5-game lead over the Brewers in the NL Central.
That was 49 days ago, and now the Brewers have a nine-game hold on the division, with a chance to create even more space as these teams continue their five-game set. It's a stunning turnaround for both teams; one just turned toward a World Series run while the other turned away from it.
No superstar, just a lot of good ballplayers for Brew Crew
Freddy Peralta (who just became the first player in baseball to reach 15 wins) has a WAR of 4.1, the best on the team. That's tied for No. 31 in baseball. Second baseman Brice Turang is second on the team with a 4.0 WAR and William Contreras is third with a 3.3. Those are all really good players — but they're not household names, and they're not near the top of the league in WAR, which goes to show just how balanced this Brew Crew is.
That balance is what has propelled this outrageous stretch of winning for the Brewers, and what might separate them from the Cubs at the end of the day. Who is the Cubs equivalent to Caleb Durbin, who has come on incredibly strong in the second half of the season? What about Andrew Vaughn, who was a scrap heap pickup and is OPS'ing .989 in Milwaukee?
Granted, it's not just the Cubs who are being left behind by the Brewers' ability to squeeze production from unlikely sources, it's the entire league.