The defending World Series champion Milwaukee Brewers face an early reality check heading into 2027 as one prominent analyst declines to rank them No. 1 despite their breakthrough title.
The Brewers captured their first World Series championship last month, defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 after a 103-59 regular-season mark that led Major League Baseball. They swept the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series en route to an 11-2 postseason record.
A young core powered the run. Pitcher Jacob Misiorowski, 24, posted a 1.80 ERA while leading the majors in strikeouts. Outfielder Jackson Chourio, 22, and shortstop Cooper Pratt, 22, contributed key hits in October. Catcher William Contreras, 28, earned World Series MVP honors after batting .381.
Former major leaguer Erik Kratz of Foul Territory still placed the Dodgers first in his early 2027 power rankings.
“It’s so hard to repeat as the number one team in back-to-back years,” Kratz said.
Kratz ranked the Brewers second, followed by the Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays, Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres, Cleveland Guardians, Chicago Cubs and Toronto Blue Jays.
His co-host A.J. Pierzynski took the opposite view. “You play to win the game, and they won the game,” Pierzynski said, installing the Brewers at No. 1 in his rankings.
ESPN, Sports Illustrated and other outlets also slotted Milwaukee first in way-too-early 2027 lists. Those rankings cited the club’s intact roster, limited free-agent losses and incoming prospects such as infielder Jesus Made and third baseman Andrew Fischer.
History supports Kratz’s caution. No team has repeated as World Series champion since the New York Yankees won three straight titles from 1998 to 2000. Of the 31 champions from 1995 through 2025, 24 posted a worse winning percentage the following season and 13 missed the playoffs entirely.
Teams that finished with the majors’ best regular-season record have won the World Series only eight times in the 31 seasons since 1995. The Brewers were one of those eight in 2026.
Milwaukee returns most of its roster. Key free agents include first baseman Jake Bauers, pitcher Brandon Woodruff and reliever JoJo Romero. The club holds a $20 million mutual option on pitcher Dustin May and a $14 million club option on Antonio Senzatela.
The Dodgers, by contrast, feature an older core built around Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. They finished 100-62 in 2026 and remain heavy favorites to retain or add pitching depth in free agency, including potentially Tarik Skubal.
The Brewers’ farm system ranks among the game’s best, and their organizational approach has produced sustained contention on a modest payroll. Still, the transition from champion to defending champion has tripped up stronger clubs.
Regression in one-run games, health and postseason variance all factor into the equation. The Brewers went 27-20 in one-run contests during the regular season and allowed a 1.91 ERA across the World Series.
Kratz’s ranking does not dismiss the club’s talent or the youth that fueled its title. It simply underscores that staying atop the sport for consecutive years has proven elusive for every team outside the late-1990s Yankees.
The offseason looms with a potential lockout after the collective bargaining agreement expires Dec. 1. Early free-agent activity could shift rosters before any work stoppage, but the Brewers enter the winter as the team to beat on paper and the one facing the toughest historical precedent.
