Sep 17, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; General view of batting helmets inside the Milwaukee Brewers dugout prior to the game against the Philadelphia Phillies at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Brewers Magic Number To Clinch NL Central Steady After Phillies Loss

Originally posted on Milwaukee Brewers on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Sep 2, 2025 12:09 PM ET

The Milwaukee Brewers are closing in on an official playoff spot.

Milwaukee is the best team in baseball and right now it's only a matter of time before a playoff spot is clinched. Even with a 10-8 loss on Monday against the Philadelphia Phillies, the Brewers have an 85-54 record right now and a 5 1/2-game lead over the Chicago Cubs for the top spot in the NL Central.

Chicago won on Monday over the Atlanta Braves to close the gap a bit, but Milwaukee is in the drivers seat with 23 games left in the regular season. The Cubs are running out of time to close the gap further.

Right now, the Brewers' magic number to clinch a playoff spot in general is at 10, while the magic number to clinch the top spot in the National League Central is 19. That is also their magic number to clinch the top spot in the National League overall, per PlayoffStatus.com.

Will the Brewers lock up the No. 1 seed in the NL?

The only other team that has reached 80 wins in the National League is the Philadelphia Phillies. The Detroit Tigers are the only other team outside of these two to reach the 80-win threshold as well.

In the National League, the Phillies are the closest to giving the Brewers a run for their money for the top overall seed in the National League at this point. The Brewers have two more games against the Phillies on Wednesday and Thursday and could significantly impact the Phillies' chances at the No. 1 seed with wins in both.

If the Brewers were to lose both, then the race would be real with a few weeks to go. As of right now, it seems significantly more likely than not that the Brewers will win the NL Central and earn the top overall seed in the NL. That's why the games are played, though. A lengthy losing streak could change things, but the Brewers just got back Jackson Chourio and Joey Ortiz and are trending upwards, even with the loss on Monday.

This article first appeared on Milwaukee Brewers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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