Milwaukee Brewers
The Los Angeles Dodgers may have hit their ceiling, perhaps paving the way for the Milwaukee Brewers to take their place.
Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Jake Bauers (9) rounds the bases after hitting a two RBI home run during the seventh inning of Game 3 of baseball's National League Championship Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)Mark J. Terrill
Updated
Heading into the 2026 MLB season, the Los Angeles Dodgers were once again the overwhelming favorites to win the World Series. The team lost only a couple of key players, and added high-profile players like Kyle Tucker and Edwin Diaz. Everything looked ripe for a potential three-peat.
But once the postseason began, the Dodgers didn’t look quite right. They breezed by the Atlanta Braves, but question marks remained. Against the Milwaukee Brewers, the Dodgers’ flaws were exposed. A dominant sweep by the Brewers has analysts wondering if this could be the beginning of Los Angeles’ decline.
In reality, the only way the Dodgers won’t be a perennial contender is if MLB implements a salary cap or limits team spending within a new CBA - the current CBA expires on December 1, 2026. Even if that doesn’t happen, the Brewers might have already become “the new Dodgers”. Not because of their spending, but instead because of something else.
Dodgers fan caught on camera switching home run baseball after catch
Brewers, Dodgers, and Yankees considered a tier above all other MLB teams
Following the conclusion of the NLCS, Mike Axisa of CBS Sports has pondered the question of who will be MLB’s next superteam. In his eyes, the three Tier 1 “powerhouse” teams are the Dodgers, Brewers, and New York Yankees. Milwaukee has an advantage over the other two, though.
They have been baseball's best team the last two seasons and almost their entire core is either signed long-term or under team control with little service time. Milwaukee's farm system is also regarded as one of the game's best, if not the best.
While the Dodgers and Yankees could spend like no other teams, the Brewers have the pieces in place to contend for the foreseeable future. And if the new CBA levels the playing field in terms of big spending, Milwaukee could carve out an even bigger advantage over their competition.