2026 MLB Playoff Contenders' Fatal Flaws: Brewers' Power, Cubs' — SkimNews
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- Milwaukee Brewers have clinched their fourth straight NL Central title and are on pace for 100 wins, but they rank tied for 28th in MLB in home runs, with only 32.6% of runs scored via the long ball; over the past 10 postseasons, the team with the fewest regular-season homers has gone 17-29 and failed to reach a World Series.
- Los Angeles Dodgers rank tied for 16th in runs since July 1, compounded by injuries to Shohei Ohtani (knee, won't return until five games remain), Freddie Freeman (playing through a sore knee), Andy Pages (fractured hand) and Will Smith (missed July-August); despite a rotation of Yamamoto, Skubal and Snell, the article characterizes this as the most flawed Dodgers team of their run.
- Atlanta Braves enter the postseason with essentially the same core that hit .186 and went 2-8 across their 2022-2024 October exits, and they rank 28th in walk rate and 29th in chase rate, with aggressive swingers like Michael Harris II, Ozzie Albies and Drake Baldwin vulnerable to quality pitching.
- Chicago Cubs closer Jacob Webb has blown four consecutive save opportunities, and the alternatives are shaky: Ryan Zeferjahan carries a 5.65 ERA since being acquired from the Angels, Ryan Rolison allows an OPS over .900 against right-handed batters, and last year's closer Daniel Palencia hasn't been trusted in high-leverage spots since returning from the IL.
- Philadelphia Phillies may open the playoffs without Jesus Luzardo (shoulder inflammation), who posted a 1.08 ERA over his past seven starts; if he can't return, rookie Andrew Painter slots into a four-man rotation, and Philadelphia has not yet clinched a playoff berth.
- San Diego Padres acquired Casey Mize and Robbie Ray at the deadline to bolster a rotation that ranks 29th in strikeout rate since August 1, but Mize has posted a 5.97 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 37⅔ innings and Ray has a 5.35 ERA with 24 walks in 33⅔ innings as a Padre.
Why it matters: Postseason series amplify regular-season weaknesses: the home-run rate rises every October compared to the regular season over the past 10 postseasons, meaning Milwaukee's power drought becomes more dangerous just when they need it most. The Dodgers' offensive injuries — Ohtani limited to five regular-season games, Freeman playing through a bad knee — strip the defending juggernaut of the depth that masked flaws in previous runs. And Chicago's closer-by-committee approach with no reliable ninth-inning arm leaves manager Craig Counsell with no margin in tight playoff games, making the Cubs a live upset threat only if their bullpen gets unexpectedly hot the way Texas's did in 2023.
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