Brewers-Red Sox Debate Emerges: Which Team 'Better Positioned'?

Who is a more dangerous World Series threat, the Milwaukee Brewers or the Boston Red Sox?

It’s a random but increasingly important question in Major League Baseball these days, as Milwaukee and Boston entered the All-Star break as the two hottest teams in the bigs.

On a Monday episode of Pardon the Interruption, legendary hosts Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser debated the topic.

“Sox, Brew Crew … who looks better positioned at the start of the second half?” Wilbon asked Kornheiser.

“The Red Sox were facing a crisis because Rafael Devers did not want to be a teammate,” Kornheiser said. “This is the kind of situation that gets managers fired. It was resolved by sending Devers as far away as they could send him to San Francisco, and two things have happened since that happened. One is that Devers has been more or less a bust for the Giants. He has two home runs in 25 games, and he's batting .202 in San Francisco, which is no good.”

“And the second thing was that the Red Sox are (playing) significantly better,” Kornheiser continued. “They are very much in it from a wild-card position in the American League.”

Wilbon replied by arguing that Milwaukee is in a better position due to its starting rotation.

“Brewers are in (optimal) position because of starting pitching,” Wilbon said.

“When you got the Miz … Freddy Peralta and Quinn Priestster, who they lifted off the Red Sox, you got three (reliable) starters,” Wilbon continued. “Most teams are really challenged by (getting) the second starter. The Brewers go out there, and they throw these three dudes at you, and with the Miz coming at you maybe first to start (a playoff) series, Tony, it's difficult. The Cubs are gonna have to make a move. The Cardinals are gonna have to make a move.”

Wilbon’s point would have been even stronger if he had mentioned the return of Brandon Woodruff from injury or the consistent season that Jose Quintana has had so far in 2025.

In fact, the Brewers have six reliable starters with the imminent return of Nestor Cortés Jr. from injury, which might also create a logjam for Milwaukee.

The Brewers-Red Sox debate is a fun one, and who knows, these could be the last two teams standing in October.