With a payroll about $195 million less than Los Angeles Dodgers, the Milwaukee Brewers now appear to hold the record for largest payroll deficit overcome in Major League Baseball post-season history.
Add in luxury tax penalties imposed on the Dodgers in 2026, and the disparity rises to about $278 million. The Dodgers' luxury tax penalties alone add up to more than the Brewers' entire payroll.
That information not only underscores the David vs. Goliath storyline of the Brewers National League championship, it also hints at how no game lends itself more to statistical comparisons than baseball.
Celebrate Brewers' pennant with book, page print from the Journal Sentinel
More: Milwaukee deserves a World Series. Now, it finally gets its shot
More: Brewers announcer gives perfect Bob Uecker homage on final NLCS call
Thanks to mlb.com, espn.com and some of our own number crunching, here are some more statistics coming out of the Brewers sweep of the Dodgers.
- Over the four games, the Brewers had 128 at bats, 32 hits, a .250 batting average, and a .347 on-base percentage. Those are the exact same statistics as the Dodgers had when they won last year.
- The Brewers are the first team in MLB history to sweep an opponent in the NLCS that swept them in the previous year’s NLCS. It was the ultimate revenge sweep.
- This was first sweep in an MLB postseason series between two teams with at least 100 wins during the regular season.
- When the Brewers came back from 4-0 in game 4 to beat the Dodgers 6-4, Milwaukee completed the largest comeback to clinch a best-of-seven sweep in MLB history.
- Milwaukee is the first team in MLB history to sweep in a best-of-seven postseason series despite trailing in every game. Beyond that, the Brewers are the first team in MLB history with six comeback wins over its first eight games of a postseason. They now have a 40-37 record, including playoffs, when their opponent scores the first run.
- The Brewers are the first team in MLB history to have bullpen pitchers earn the win in all four games of a best-of-seven series sweep. All of the Brewers' wins this postseason have been credited to relief pitchers, which is unprecedented.
- Brewers relievers threw five perfect innings to close out Game 2, the most of any team's bullpen in a postseason game.
The opportunity for more post-season records begins with the first game of the World Series on Friday, Oct. 23, at American Family Field.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: With many records set by the Brewers, this was one for the books. Literally.
Our editors independently choose our recommendations. Some content is produced with paid support from a third party, however our editorial decisions remain independent. If you buy through our links, the USA TODAY Network may earn a commission. Prices and availability may change.