It’s remarkable how the Milwaukee Brewers continue to quietly dominate the National League Central.
Despite trading away ace Corbin Burnes during the offseason and losing star outfielder Christian Yelich to a back injury last month, the Brewers remain firmly at the top of the division. With a 10-game lead, they boast the largest division margin in Major League Baseball by four full games.
One key player in the Brewers’ strong August performance has been starting pitcher Frankie Montas, who was acquired from the Cincinnati Reds at the trade deadline. Montas’s impact has not gone unnoticed within the baseball community.
Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller highlighted Montas as a crucial factor in Milwaukee’s recent success, stating, “Losing Christian Yelich to a season-ending back injury could have signaled the start of Milwaukee’s decline, but the Brewers have instead gone 15-10 since his last game, with William Contreras, Jackson Chourio, and trade-deadline acquisition Frankie Montas keeping them on track to become the first team to clinch a playoff spot.”
Montas, 31, has been an essential addition to a Brewers rotation plagued by injuries. At various points this season, the team has been without Brandon Woodruff, DL Hall, Wade Miley, and Robert Gasser. Even with others stepping up, Milwaukee would have struggled to cover innings without Montas.
In his four starts since joining the Brewers, Montas has posted a 2-0 record with a 2.57 ERA and a .210 opponent batting average. His most recent outing, a seven-inning, one-hit shutout against the division rival St. Louis Cardinals, was one of the best performances of his eight-year career.
Given that Montas is the only Brewers starter besides ace Freddy Peralta with postseason experience, there’s a strong possibility he could start Game 2 of whichever series Milwaukee plays first, whether it’s the three-game Wild Card round or the Division Series if they earn a bye.