Why Are the Brewers Rising and the Giants Fading?

The Giants and Brewers: A Tale of Two Teams

If you could take a look under the hoods of the San Francisco Giants and the Milwaukee Brewers, you'd find that these two teams have more in common than they might initially appear. However, as they prepare for a three-game series on Friday night, their paths have diverged significantly. The Brewers are currently the hottest team in baseball, boasting the best record in MLB, while the Giants have struggled to maintain consistency and are now in a slump.

The Brewers' success has been built on a 14-game winning streak that was finally broken on Sunday. This momentum has helped them rise to the top of the league standings. In contrast, the Giants, who started the season strong and were tied for first place in the NL West in mid-June, have fallen into a downward spiral, ending up in fourth place and losing relevance.

Willy Adames, who spent four years with the Brewers before joining the Giants, has observed the changes in the Giants' clubhouse. He noted that the Brewers’ chemistry is still strong, with players of all ages working together and supporting each other. "It's not just the stars like Yelich or Contreras, but also guys like Turang or Frelick. It's everyone," he said. This kind of unity and readiness to step up when needed was once a hallmark of the Giants, but it seems to have faded as the team struggles.

Both teams have strong pitching staffs, with ERAs and FIPs below 4.00. The Brewers have gained attention for their young talent, such as Jacob Misiorowski, while the Giants rely on All-Stars like Logan Webb, Robbie Ray, and Randy Rodriguez. Good pitching can make a difference in any game, but it’s not the only factor in a team’s success.

At the plate, both teams are known for their ability to draw walks, ranking among the top half-dozen in the league. However, neither team excels at making hard contact or hitting the ball with high exit velocities. Both teams tend to pop up frequently, though the Brewers hit more ground balls, while the Giants often get under pitches. As a result, both teams have low expected slugging percentages.

Despite this, the Brewers outscore the Giants by a run per game, thanks to big hits, lucky plays, and forced errors. The Brewers are also batting better with runners in scoring position, which is a key differentiator between the two teams.

Milwaukee's .322 weighted on-base average (wOBA) is among the best in the league, compared to the Giants' .301, which is near the bottom. The Brewers are not only getting on base but also moving runners into scoring position effectively. Their aggressive baserunning is a major part of this strategy. They lead MLB in runs scored on the bases, with players like Sal Frelick and Brice Turang contributing significantly.

Adames praised the Brewers' approach to baserunning, noting that they constantly put themselves in scoring position. "When you do that, it doesn't matter if you homer or not. You have a lot of chances to score when guys are in scoring position," he said. The Brewers' speed is evident in their ability to extend singles into doubles and doubles into triples. They rank among the fastest teams in the league, with several players averaging over 27.9 feet per second.

This speed has led to unexpected wins, such as a recent walk-off victory against the Reds. After two consecutive walks in the ninth inning, a ground ball from William Contreras led to an error that allowed the game-winning run to score.

Buster Posey had envisioned a similar approach for the Giants, emphasizing the need to create runs through pressure on the bases. However, the Giants have struggled with this, creating negative-6 runs on baserunning and tying for last in the league with just 56 steals. The coaching staff has cited a fear of making outs on the bases, which has further hindered their offensive efforts.

While the Brewers continue to thrive, the Giants are looking to turn things around. Adames expressed his happiness for the Brewers' success but acknowledged the challenges ahead for the Giants. "I'm happy for those guys, we'll see how it goes this weekend," he said.