Franchise royalty: Milwaukee Brewers all‑time postseason lineup
· Yahoo Sports
The Milwaukee Brewers have only made it to the World Series once, but plenty of great playoff heroes have worn the uniform over the years.
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Now, Milwaukee is back in the postseason after winning a franchise-record 103 games. They took home their fourth straight NL Central title, locked up the top seed in the National League and start the NLDS against San Diego on Saturday, Oct. 3, at 8:30 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1.
This is the team’s 12th trip to October and its eighth in the past nine years. The goal is simple, get back to the World Series for the first time since losing to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1982.
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Picking an all-time playoff lineup takes more than just looking at regular-season stats. You have to factor in clutch hits, big moments and team records. Some club legends barely got to play in October, while others logged fewer postseason games but came up huge when it mattered most.
This lineup brings together the best of both worlds, mixing classic franchise legends with stars from today’s team who have already stepped up under the bright lights.
Catcher: William Contreras
Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras (24) celebrates his two-RBI single during the sixth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)William Contreras gets the catcher spot in a very close call with Ted Simmons.
Contreras has hit .236/.288/.364 in 14 postseason games. He has two homers and five RBI. Those numbers do not stand out on their own, but his current form changes the argument.
Contreras led MLB with 24 RBI in September 2026. He also posted a .933 OPS from Sept. 9 onward. That late-season production matters for a lineup built around Milwaukee’s current October run.
Ted Simmons has a strong case because of his role on the 1982 pennant-winning team. He hit .186/.279/.356 with three homers and eight RBI in 17 playoff games. His OPS was .635 compared with Contreras’ .652.
Simmons also homered in the fifth inning of Game 1 of the 1982 World Series. Still, Contreras gets the spot because of his stronger October OPS and his excellent 2026 finish.
First base: Cecil Cooper
Cecil Cooper (15) is the only Brewer to hit three homers in a game and win the game with a walk-off blast. Credit: USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect (Reuters)Cecil Cooper gets first base because of his franchise résumé and one of the biggest hits in Brewers postseason history.
Cooper finished his Milwaukee career with 1,815 hits, 201 homers and 944 RBI. His .302/.339/.470 line also shows how productive he was over a long stretch.
Among Brewers first basemen, Cooper ranks first in games, runs, RBI and batting average. Only Prince Fielder has more home runs at the position.
His October numbers were not spectacular. Cooper hit .227 with a .558 OPS across 17 postseason games. He also hit .286 with one homer and six RBI in the 1982 World Series.
The biggest reason he makes the lineup came before that Series. Cooper delivered a go-ahead two-run single in the seventh inning of ALCS Game 5 against the California Angels. Milwaukee won 4-3 and advanced to the World Series.
That moment carries plenty of weight in an all-time October lineup.
Second base: Jim Gantner
Charlie Moore (22) and Jim Gantner (17) exchange high-fives afer scoring the tying and go-ahead runs in the seventh inning on Cecil Cooper’s single. Ted Simmons (middle) was up to bat next; Mandatory credit: The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel-USA TODAY NETWORK via Reuters Connect (Reuters)Jim Gantner enjoyed a 17-year career at second base for Milwaukee. While he played in only 16 postseason games, all in 1981 and 1982, Gantner found himself in the middle of big October moments.
The Brewers trailed the California Angels, 3-2, entering the bottom of the seventh inning in the decisive Game 5 of the 1982 ALCS. With one out, Charlie Moore and Gantner singled. Then, after a walk loaded the bases, Cooper brought Moore and Gantner home with a hit that gave Milwaukee a lead it would not surrender.
Gantner enjoyed a big 1982 World Series against the Cardinals. He hit .333 with four doubles, a triple and an OPS of .943. Not bad for No. 9 hitter who managed just 47 career home runs. Gantner doubled in a run during a six-run rally in Game 4 that send the Brewers to a victory that evened the series.
The Brewers’ current second baseman, Brice Turang, enters the postseason on fire. He led the team with 100 RBIs. His September was even better. He led the majors with a .361 batting average and a .475 OBP during the month. So he has a chance to seize this spot. But, for now, Gantner is Milwaukee’s best at the keystone.
Shortstop: Robin Yount
Former Milwaukee Brewer Robin Yount acknowledges the crowd while introduced during pregame ceremonies for the Milwaukee Brewers Wall of Honor on June 13, 2014, at Miller Park. Yount was among 36 players recognized for their service to the Brewers club. Credit: USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect (Reuters)Robin Yount takes shortstop. Yount is Milwaukee’s all-time leader in hits with 3,142. He also leads the franchise in RBI with 1,406. His 251 home runs rank second in club history.
His postseason production was even better. Yount played 17 playoff games and hit .344. He went 22-for-64 with a .419 OBP, .469 slugging percentage and .888 OPS.
The 1982 World Series remains the defining October stretch of his career. Yount hit .414 against St. Louis. He also hit one homer and drove in six runs.
One of his biggest records came during that Series. Yount remains the only player in World Series history with multiple four-hit games in the same Series.
Milwaukee has never had another shortstop combine that level of franchise production with that kind of October performance.
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Third base: Paul Molitor
Former MLB player Paul Molitor throws the ceremonial first pitch before game five of the NLDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Chicago Cubs at American Family Field. Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)Paul Molitor leads this all-time Brewers lineup.
Molitor ranks second in franchise history with 2,281 hits. He finished his Milwaukee career with a .303/.367/.444 line and 412 stolen bases.
His Brewers postseason numbers are even stronger. Molitor went 22-for-70 in 17 playoff games. That produced a .314/.368/.457 line and an .826 OPS. He added three homers, nine RBIs and two stolen bases.
The 1982 World Series gave him one of the most famous games in Brewers history. Molitor went 5-for-6 in Game 1, with all five hits coming as singles. Those five hits remain a World Series single-game record, tied with Albert Pujols in 2011.
He also hit .355 for the entire Series. Across his full career, Molitor owns a .368 postseason batting average, the highest in MLB history among players with at least 100 postseason at-bats. That figure includes his championship year of 1993 with Toronto.
Left field: Ryan Braun
Former Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Ryan Braun is introduced before an alumni game at American Family Field. Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)Ryan Braun takes left field after becoming one of the most productive hitters in Brewers history.
Braun is the franchise leader with 352 home runs. His career Milwaukee line was .296/.358/.532. He also became the club’s postseason hits leader during the 2018 NLDS.
Braun played 27 postseason games for Milwaukee. He went 35-for-106 with a .330/.368/.491 line. His October total included 11 doubles, two homers and 16 RBIs.
His 2011 postseason was especially strong. Braun hit .405 and led Milwaukee with 10 RBIs. He also reached base in the first inning of nine straight playoff games, an MLB postseason record at the time.
Braun does carry a major stain on his legacy. He admitted using performance-enhancing drugs in 2013 after previously denying it. That remains part of his baseball record.
His postseason production still gives him a clear place in this lineup. Braun holds Milwaukee’s franchise postseason RBIs record and remains one of the club’s biggest October hitters.
Center field: Lorenzo Cain
Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Lorenzo Cain (6) runs out an RBI single against the New York Mets during the fifth inning at Citi Field. Credit: USA TODAY Sports (Reuters)Center field is one of the harder spots to fill on this lineup. Lorenzo Cain gets the nod because of his defense, speed, and overall value during Milwaukee’s 2018 run.
Cain hit .308 with a .395 OBP and .417 slugging percentage that season. He added 10 homers, 38 RBI and 30 stolen bases. His work earned him seventh place in NL MVP voting. He later won a Gold Glove in 2019.
The October numbers were less impressive. Cain hit .244/.292/.333 across 10 playoff games in 2018. His biggest moments still came on the biggest stage.
Cain collected three hits in Game 1 of the NLCS against the Los Angeles Dodgers. That matched Milwaukee’s single-game LCS record. One game later, he robbed David Freese of a potential two-run homer.
Gorman Thomas was another option. He hit 208 home runs as a Brewer, but his playoff line was only .102/.169/.203 across 17 games. Cain’s defense, speed and ability to get on base give him the edge for this lineup.
Right field: Jackson Chourio
Milwaukee Brewers Jackson Chourio (11) reacts after striking out during the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)Jackson Chourio has already built an impressive October résumé despite being one of the youngest players here.
He has played 12 postseason games and owns a .341/.362/.682 line. That adds up to a 1.044 OPS. Chourio has also hit four homers and driven in 11 runs.
His October moments have come quickly. Chourio hit two homers in Game 2 of the 2024 wild-card round against the New York Mets. He added a three-run homer in Game 2 of the 2025 NLDS. A leadoff homer followed in Game 2 of the 2025 NLCS.
Another homer would give him sole possession of Milwaukee’s franchise postseason home run record. He is also only five RBI behind Ryan Braun’s franchise postseason record of 16. The stolen-base record is within five as well, with teammate Christian Yelich holding that mark.
Chourio has the best postseason OPS among the players in this lineup. The Brewers have also used him in left field. With Braun taking left here, Chourio moves to right field.
Designated hitter: Prince Fielder
Former Brewers player Prince Fielder (28), part of Team Gómez, participates in the 25 season Alumni Home Run Derby on Friday July 25, 2025 at American Family Field in Milwaukee, WI. Credit: USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect (Reuters)Prince Fielder takes the designated hitter role over Christian Yelich.
Fielder hit 230 home runs as a Brewer. That ranks third in franchise history. He also owns Milwaukee’s single-season home run and RBI records. At the time, he became the youngest NL player to reach 50 homers.
His October numbers were mixed. Fielder hit .192/.317/.500 in 15 postseason games. He still produced four homers and eight RBI. His .817 OPS also gives him a strong case for the DH role.
Fielder drew eight walks during those playoff games. Four were intentional. That shows how often opposing teams chose not to challenge him.
Entering the 2026 postseason, Yelich owns a lower postseason OPS of .664. Fielder’s .817 mark gives him the nod.
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Starting pitcher: Jacob Misiorowski
Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski throws during the first inning in the final start of what is like his Cy Young Award winning campaign against the Cardinals on Sunday, Sept. 27 at American Family Field. Credit: USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect (Reuters)Jacob Misiorowski earns the starting pitcher spot after a remarkable 2026 season.
The right-hander went 16-5 with a 1.80 ERA in 30 starts. He worked 174.2 innings and struck out 252 batters. His 0.80 WHIP was just as impressive. Opponents hit only .157 against him.
That .157 opponent average was listed as the lowest ever for a starting pitcher. It moved ahead of Pedro Martínez’s .167 mark from 2000. His WHIP also ranked behind only Martínez and Walter Johnson on MLB.com’s historical comparison.
Misiorowski already has October experience. He made three relief appearances in the 2025 postseason and posted a 1.50 ERA over 12 innings. He struck out 16 batters.
One of those outings came in NLCS Game 3. Misiorowski struck out nine without making a start. That made him only the third pitcher to record at least nine strikeouts in a postseason game as a reliever. He was the first to do it in 59 years.
There is one clear limitation. Misiorowski has never started a playoff game. All three of his postseason appearances came from the bullpen. Still, he enters Game 1 on five days’ rest after putting together one of the best seasons in Brewers history.
Mike Caldwell remains an important alternative. He threw a three-hit shutout in Game 1 of the 1982 World Series. He was also the only Brewer with more than one playoff win. Pete Vuckovich deserves mention as well. He won the AL Cy Young Award in 1982, though he didn’t win a postseason game for the Brewers.
Closer: Josh Hader
Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Josh Hader walks off the field after giving up a walk off home run to Minnesota Twins first baseman Jose Miranda (not pictured) in the ninth inning at Target Field. Credit: USA TODAY Sports (Reuters)Josh Hader gets the bullpen spot because few Brewers relievers have made a bigger postseason impact.
Hader finished his Milwaukee career with 125 saves. Only Dan Plesac had more, with 133. He also posted a 2.48 ERA and 0.88 WHIP as a Brewer. Opponents hit only .148 against him during that run. Hader struck out 541 batters and won NL Reliever of the Year three times.
His 2018 postseason was especially strong. Hader threw 10 scoreless innings across seven games and recorded 16 strikeouts. He also posted a 0.60 WHIP. Three of those scoreless innings came in NLCS Game 7.
Hader had a 1.88 postseason ERA through his 11 playoff appearances for Milwaukee. There were also some painful moments. The Nationals’ 2019 wild-card win included Juan Soto’s go-ahead single. Freddie Freeman then hit the go-ahead homer against him in Game 4 of the 2021 NLDS.
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