Cooper Pratt didn’t need to hit a home run to help the Milwaukee Brewers secure their first-ever World Series title. The 22-year-old rookie contributed two runs with an RBI single and a sacrifice fly, playing a key role as Milwaukee beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 in Game 5. Remarkably, the Brewers didn’t hit a single homer in that decisive game.
Throughout their championship run, Milwaukee managed only 13 home runs in the entire postseason, including just three across the five-game World Series. Instead of relying on power hitting, the Brewers focused on timely hitting, aggressive baserunning, and manufacturing runs without waiting for a ball to clear the fences.
Their success stands in stark contrast to the Chicago White Sox, whose offense leaned more heavily on home runs but produced fewer runs overall during the regular season. While Chicago ranked fifth in MLB with 211 home runs, Milwaukee was near the bottom at 28th with 154 homers. Yet, Milwaukee still scored more runs (832) than Chicago (776), boasting 103 wins and a World Series championship, while the White Sox finished 84-78 and bowed out in the American League Division Series.
Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy acknowledged that his team’s strategy involved more than just swinging for home runs. “We’re choosing hard,” Murphy told MLB.com in September. “We’re certainly trying to hit home runs.”
The statistics underscore the contrasting styles: Milwaukee hit .258 compared to Chicago’s .236, amassed 140 more hits, and drew 79 more walks. The Brewers also stole 162 bases, far outpacing Chicago’s 93, and struck out 111 fewer times. These factors helped Milwaukee score 56 more runs, despite hitting significantly fewer homers. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, only 32.1% of Milwaukee’s regular-season runs came from home runs—the lowest percentage in MLB.
Brewers second baseman Brice Turang highlighted that success wasn’t just about one offensive method. “Home runs come, and they’ll help you win games,” Turang told The Associated Press. “And so do stolen bases. So do walks, playing defense. All that matters as well.”
Chicago’s power numbers were impressive, with three players surpassing 30 home runs: Munetaka Murakami (35), Miguel Vargas (33), and Colson Montgomery (31), who together accounted for nearly half of the team’s home runs. However, their batting averages showed some weaknesses. Montgomery hit just .197 and struck out 227 times; Murakami batted .207 with 196 strikeouts but offset some struggles with 92 walks and a .347 on-base percentage. Between them, Montgomery and Murakami combined for 423 strikeouts. Montgomery admitted to difficulties with situational hitting in an August interview, saying, “I should be driving in more runs or just a little better situational hitting… But I don’t know. It’s just baseball, you know?”
Vargas offered a more balanced approach, batting .250 with 93 RBIs, 101 walks, a .363 on-base percentage, and 22 stolen bases, showing that power and versatility could coexist. Chicago players Chase Meidroth and Sam Antonacci demonstrated a contact-first style, with Meidroth batting .276 and Antonacci hitting .277 with a .370 OBP and 20 steals, striking out only 82 times in 480 at-bats.
Meanwhile, Milwaukee’s offense revolved around a varied skill set. Jake Bauers led the team with 26 home runs while batting .266 with a .389 on-base percentage. Jackson Chourio added 25 homers, a .291 average, and 23 stolen bases. Turang contributed 21 homers, 100 RBIs, and 90 walks, and William Contreras hit .270 with 18 homers and 94 RBIs.
Former White Sox first baseman Andrew Vaughn provided an interesting contrast, hitting .306 with a .390 OBP for Milwaukee despite only six home runs in 104 games. The Brewers weren’t playing traditional small ball but combined walks, doubles, steals, and consistent contact to produce runs. Murphy explained that Milwaukee’s philosophy wasn’t about avoiding home runs but finding ways to score regardless of how the ball was hit. “It’s offense. It’s a commitment to offense,” he said in October. “Our relentless way helped us score runs because guys are interested and they know how to win baseball games.”
This versatility proved crucial in October. Chicago hit .211 over seven postseason games, with 48 hits and 28 runs, managing only four home runs but striking out 96 times. Milwaukee, meanwhile, batted .272 through 11 postseason games, collecting 100 hits and scoring 52 runs. The Brewers scored 25 runs in the World Series despite only three home runs.
Although Chicago’s offense was by no means poor—they ranked high in runs scored during the regular season—other factors contributed to their early exit. Milwaukee’s pitching was also superior, allowing 618 runs with a 3.51 ERA compared to Chicago’s 720 runs allowed and 4.12 ERA.
As the White Sox look toward 2027, their challenge may not be adding more power—Murakami, Vargas, and Montgomery have proven their home run abilities—but rather developing an offense that can sustain rallies, get runners on base ahead of power hitters, and produce runs when home runs are scarce. Milwaukee’s championship showed that while home runs remain valuable, building a championship offense doesn’t depend solely on them.
In Murphy’s words, when asked if Milwaukee’s approach could succeed in October, the answer was clear: “They’re built to win games. What’s the difference?”
Fan Take: This story reminds baseball fans that winning isn’t just about knocking the ball out of the park—it’s about diverse strategies that capitalize on contact hitting, baserunning, and plate discipline. Milwaukee’s success could inspire teams to embrace more balanced offenses, potentially changing how the game is played and valued at all levels.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
