Is this the earliest the Brewers have clinched a playoff spot in franchise history?
This story was updated to correct a misspelling/typo.
The Milwaukee Brewers clinched a playoff berth Wednesday, Sept. 18, in Game 152, matching the earliest date on the calendar that the franchise has turned the feat.
With Chicago's 5-3 loss to Oakland at Wrigley Field, the Brewers were guaranteed no worse than a tie for the National League Central title, and the Brewers long ago secured the tiebreaker in that instance against the Cubs.
It's an early date to wrap up a playoff spot, and though it matches the earliest playoff clinch in franchise history (with the 2021 team), it's a little later in the season in terms of game played. That team was still eight days away from officially winning the National League Central, though it did gain the playoff berth by Game 154 on Sept. 18.
Here are the clinch dates:
1981: Oct. 3 (Game 108*)
On the penultimate day of the season, Rollie Fingers struck out Lou Whitaker of Detroit to wrap up the second-half title in a strike-divided season, landing Milwaukee its first-ever playoff berth.
* Game 52 of second half in strike-divided season
1982: Oct. 3 (Game 162)
On the last day of the season and after seeing a three-game lead in the American League East evaporate over the course of 24 hours, the Brewers got the last laugh against Baltimore with what became a lopsided 10-2 win late. The Brewers went on to reach the World Series.
2008: Sept. 28 (Game 162)
The unforgettable 3-1 win over Chicago featured the latest in a string of epic showings by starting pitcher CC Sabathia, Ryan Braun's two-run homer in the eighth and a Mets loss against the Marlins to give Milwaukee the NL wild card.
2011: Sept. 23 (Game 157)
An eighth-inning home run from Ryan Braun to tip the scales? Sounds familiar. The drama was slightly less than in 2008, but Braun was the man in the big moment again as the Brewers defeated the Marlins and the Cardinals lost to give Milwaukee the NL Central.
2018: Sept. 26 (Game 159)
Adolis García fell down rounding third for the Cardinals, turning into an easy out at the plate and helping the Brewers hold on for a 2-1 win that meant at least a playoff berth. It was the fourth straight win for Milwaukee in a winning streak that reached 12, including an unforgettable one-game playoff in Chicago for the division crown, a divisional-round playoff sweep and a Game 1 win in the NLCS.
2019: Sept. 25 (Game 158)
A 9-2 win over Cincinnati marked the sixth consecutive win for the Brewers (out of a run that reached seven), and the Brewers secured at least the wild card. They wound up losing the wild-card game in Washington in devastating fashion, but it was back-to-back playoff berths for the first time since 1981-82.
2020: Sept. 27 (Game 60**)
The Brewers lost, but so did the other teams necessary to get Milwaukee into the postseason with a losing record in the COVID-shortened season. The Brewers finished 29-31 and never had a winning record at any point, including in the postseason with a quick 2-0 exit.
** Season shortened to 60 games due to COVID-19
2021: Sept. 18 (Game 148)
There was no dramatic celebration when the Brewers (91-47) assured themselves of a playoff spot with a 6-4 win over the Cubs, and maybe there should have been. The division title was close at hand, with a magic number of three, and yet the Brewers wound up having to wait until Sept. 26 to get the job done because the Cardinals got suddenly white hot, winning 17 straight games while the Brewers lost their next five in a row.
2023: Sept. 22 (Game 154)
By far the best part of this 16-1 blowout win over Miami was how it ended, with Rowdy Tellez on the mound recording the final outs. The first baseman became the first regular position player in modern baseball history to secure the final outs as a pitcher in a playoff-clinching performance.
How does this clinch date compare to others in Major League Baseball history?
It's plenty early, but the Atlanta Braves just last year clinched a playoff spot by Sept. 10. Likewise, the Los Angeles Dodgers already knew by Sept. 10 in 2019 that they'd be heading to the postseason, and the 2017 Washington Nationals also knew on Sept. 10. Since 2012, 12 teams have clinched at earlier dates than Sept. 18.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Have the Brewers ever clinched a playoff spot sooner than in 2024?
