The Brewers vs Orioles series beginning Friday, Sept. 18, in Baltimore carries real playoff weight for Milwaukee. The Brewers can clinch a first-round playoff bye before the three-game set ends, giving them a chance to lock in an important postseason advantage while still keeping an eye on the top overall seed in the National League.
Milwaukee enters the series with a two-game lead and a magic number of four to finish with a better record than the Atlanta Braves. The Brewers are also trying to stay ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers for the top overall seed in the National League, so every result in this series matters for the standings as well as the bracket.
Series opener sets the tone
Dustin May is scheduled to start the opener for the Brewers on Friday at 6:05 p.m. CT, while Cade Povich is slated to go for the Orioles. It is the kind of matchup that makes the first game of a series especially important, because Milwaukee could move one step closer to its postseason goal right away.
Robert Gasser is scheduled to start for the Brewers on Saturday, with the series continuing Sunday at 6:20 p.m. CT. That game is scheduled to air on Peacock, giving viewers another national window into a series that could shape the National League playoff picture.
Why Baltimore still matters
The Orioles are last in the American League East, but they are not out of the race. Baltimore remains within 2½ games of the final playoff spot, and it comes into this series after a three-game sweep in New York against the Mets. That makes this a matchup between a Brewers team trying to secure its place in the standings and an Orioles club still pushing to stay alive.
For Milwaukee, the task is straightforward. Win enough, and the bye is there. Keep climbing, and the top seed remains in reach. By the end of the weekend, the Brewers could know much more about how their October path will look.
