Jun 18, 2023; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; A Milwaukee Brewers logo on a batting helmet in the dugout prior to the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Will Brewers Clinch Playoff Spot Vs. Cardinals? Magic Number Revealed

Originally posted on Milwaukee Brewers on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Sep 12, 2025 1:58 PM ET

The Milwaukee Brewers are extremely close to officially clinching a spot in the National League playoffs.

It's always an interesting time of the year to talk magic numbers and other things of that nature down the stretch. There are teams either barely holding on to a playoff spot or just on the outside looking in. For teams like that, it is more up in the air what will happen.

For a team like Brewers right now, it's pretty much a foregone conclusion that Milwaukee will be in the postseason field. For the Brewers to not make the postseason, they would pretty much need to lose every game the rest of the season and then a lot to go right for a few other teams in the National League. The Brewers will clinch a playoff spot officially soon and it is at least a cause for celebration.

One thing that could make things sweeter is that the Brewers have a chance to clinch a playoff spot against one of their biggest rivals. The Brewers are beginning a three-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday night. The Brewers enter the contest with a magic number set at two.

If you're unfamiliar with the term, here is the definition straight from MLB:

The Brewers have a chance to clinch a playoff spot vs. the Cardinals

"In baseball, the phrase 'magic number' is used to determine how close a team is to making the playoffs or winning the division. It becomes prominent every year in September as teams begin closing in on clinching," per the league website. "A team's magic number represents the combination of wins needed by that team and losses by its closest competitor to clinch a given goal. Every time a team wins, its magic number decreases by one. Similarly, every time that team's closest competitor for the division (or Wild Card) loses, the magic number also decreases by one.

"The exact formula is: Games remaining +1 - (Losses by second place team - losses by first place team). If a new second-place team emerges, the magic number adjusts to that new second place team. The second-place team (in terms of total losses) must always be used as the barometer for the first-place team's magic number."

If the Brewers win two games against the Cardinals, they will clinch a playoff spot no matter what else happens around the league based on this definition. It could happen quicker based on competition around the league as well. All in all, things are shaping up to potentially clinch a playoff spot against St. Louis.

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

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