Dodgers' downfall could leave Cubs dealing with an even bigger Brewers problem

The good news? The Los Angeles Dodgers' quest for a three-peat is over. The bad news, especially for Chicago Cubs fans? The team that dethroned them in the National League is the Milwaukee Brewers.

The National League Central champions made quick work of the back-to-back reigning champs, completing a four-game NLCS sweep on Thursday night in Los Angeles, punching their ticket to the Fall Classic for the first time in 44 years. They'll face either the Cleveland Guardians or Tampa Bay Rays, who continue ALCS action on Friday night at Progressive Field.

Dave Roberts' Dodgers face some serious questions heading into the offseason. His team looked outmatched and, frankly, like it was running on fumes this week. Shohei Ohtani finally homered for the first time since August, but he was a non-factor for much of the playoffs. The lineup, as a whole, looked its age (and that's not a good thing). And, of course, so much hangs on what comes out of CBA discussions this winter.

But for the Brewers, things have never been better. Not only are they the toast of the Senior Circuit, but they're built for the long haul. Handcuffed by financial restraints unknown to teams like the Dodgers, they've become the industry standard in so many areas at the big-league level and have assembled a tremendous pipeline of talent in their farm system.

There's no end in sight for Milwaukee's dominance - and it's easy to suggest they could just be entering their peak years. And that's only going to turn up the heat on the Cubs.

Cubs head into 2027 knowing they're second fiddle in the NL Central

Despite having the Brewers eat their lunch annually for the better part of the last decade, the signing of Alex Bregman had Cubs fans believing the NL Central ran through the North Side in 2026. That proved to be fatally incorrect, with Chicago finishing a distant 14 games back of Milwaukee in the division 'race'.

Jed Hoyer is tasked with completely overhauling his pitching staff after injuries and poor showings from key contributors took things off the rails this year. It's unreasonable to expect Pete Crow-Armstrong to replicate his historic MVP performance in 2027and the team faces several key departures in free agency.

Milwaukee punching its World Series ticket makes one thing abundantly clear: the Cubs have a long way to go before they can consider themselves to be in the same class as the Brewers. And don't think for a moment the Dodgers are going to go away after falling short in their three-peat efforts. Because they won't.

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