Brewers' hot start moves them into top teams in MLB power rankings

The Milwaukee Brewers were projected to be a . 500 team by one very notable analytics service, but if you've been following one of the best MLB organizations over the last decade, you already know they tend to make those projections laughable. PECOTA picked the Brewers to finish 81-81 before the 2026 season started.

After 10 games, though, they're 8-2 with a run differential of plus-30, behind only the Los Angeles Dodgers in the majors. And while much of the early buzz in baseball is about how good the Pittsburgh Pirates look, the Brewers continue to be the rock-solid example of how to assemble a competitive roster on a small-market budget. The Brewers rose significantly in the national power rankings this week and are quickly among those in the top group.

Here's an early summary of how a handful of national writers see the Brewers, with last week's ranking in parentheses: 3 (tie). The Athletic (4) Many Brewers are off to good starts offensively, but Brice Turang has continued where he left off for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, writes Johnny Flores Jr. "While much of the rest of Team USA has been stuck in a post-World Baseball Classic malaise, Brice Turang has hit the ground running, helping power the Brewers’ offense to its first-place standing in the NL Central.

New to 2026: power. It’s early, but through Sunday, Turang’s Average Exit Velocity (95. 8 mph) is in the 96th percentile, and his Squared-Up percentage (33.