Burnt Toast Sports – Brilliantly Stupid

The Brewers ended June with a 16-8 record and now find themselves just two games behind the Chicago Cubs. Not bad for a team that once had Tyler Alexander making emergency starts.

Sure, the month ended on a sour note—Sunday’s loss saw the Crew blow a two-run lead in the seventh inning. It was just the fourth time all season they’ve lost when leading after seven (now 40-4). The Rockies avoided what would’ve been their 11th sweep of the season. For a team that gets steamrolled regularly, Sunday’s comeback was basically their Catalina Wine Mixer.

The Brewers played prideful baseball—no pixie dust or parade needed. As we flip the calendar into the fourth full month of baseball, one thing is clear: the Brewers might actually be… pretty darn good. Here’s what we’ve learned, and what it might mean for July.

Let’s start with Chad Patrick, who pitched like a man desperate to avoid a return to Nashville. After a 32-pitch first inning Sunday, he allowed no runs through five innings of work, and stranded three Rockies runners on third. Patrick had been the Crew’s most consistent starter through his first 12 starts, posting a 2.73 ERA—just ahead of Freddy Peralta’s 2.77 during the same span. Chad had struggled in his previous three starts, posting a 7.80 ERA and allowing four or more earned runs in each outing. But Sunday marked a sharp turnaround, as he delivered his first scoreless start since May 26.

It was also Chad’s first scoreless outing since May 26. He later said his recent struggles were due to too much movement on his cutter, which was causing command issues. Chad Patrick blaming his dip in performance on generating too much movement is an ALPHA move— he basically said “ I crashed my Ferrari because it handles corners too well.”

July could mark a long-awaited healing arc. Brandon Woodruff (pending lightning strike) might return next week. Logan Henderson is knocking in Nashville. Blake Perkins began his rehab assignment, and Nestor Cortes pitched two simulated innings Friday. July promises roster moves, surprising send-downs, and likely some deadline trades. What it won’t bring? More Jake Bauers in left field.

Now for the part that feels risky to say: Yelich is so back. He’s batting .402 over his last 26 games, has homered twice to the opposite field this past weekend, and is riding a 12-game hitting streak. He won’t hit 2018-2019 Thanos mode again, but he’s clearly holding a few infinity stones.

The rotation remains an embarrassment of riches, filled with dudes who look more like finance bros than big-league starters. Whatever works.

Offensively, Joey Ortiz and Caleb Durbin have gotten hot at the same time. In the last 20 games, Ortiz is batting .309 with 3 homers and a .471 slug. Durbin our juggler, short, soft-contact king—has hit .319 with a .464 slug and 3 bombs of his own. Whether this convinces the front office to skip an infield upgrade remains to be seen. History says: probably.

And then there’s The Miz Factor. Enough said.

Some fans mentally checked out months ago, turning to a Bucks team held together by delusion, denial, and Kyle Kuzma. Now, as they return from NBA and NHL playoff land, they’re finding a Brewers squad that’s gone from “rebuild-mode maybe” to “darn good?” So what changed?

Here are some June trends to keep an eye on.

Lunar Alignment

Every Brewers win—except June 7 and 19—occurred on a waxing moon. Even stranger? They’re undefeated during new moons no moon, no problem. Look for big wins in July on the 2nd-9th, 24th, and 25th-31st. 

Prime Numbers

60% of Brewers wins came on prime-numbered days. Coincidence? Or have the Brewers tapped into a higher numerical consciousness? July has several prime-heavy stretches just like June. 

Musical Momentum

The Brewers are undefeated in games following a Saturday night performance of “Hot in Herre” by someone named Nelly. That’s a small sample size. But also, factual. 

Looking ahead to July, the Brewers face a pivotal stretch: just one series against an NL Central opponent—the Cubs—and six matchups with the Dodgers in a two-week span. With the All-Star break set for the 15th, this month could go a long way in defining the second half.