This Brewers Development Is Reason For Dodgers To Worry

The Milwaukee Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers are the only teams in baseball with at least 60 wins, and right now there is a sizable gap between those two teams and the other 28.

Last season, the two faced off in the National League Championship Series, and the Dodgers swept the Brewers. However, this year's Brewers team is better, and a recent development may have them ready to give the Dodgers a run for their money.

The payroll discrepancy between the two teams is a huge story. The Dodgers have a very aggressive front office, while the Brewers like to play it safe and avoid risks. Both teams have the pitching to make a run, but it was the offense that was the difference in last year's NLCS. This year was shaping up to be a similar story, except in the last month the Brewers have seemingly closed the gap.

The left side of the Brewers' infield was abysmal offensively until they called up Cooper Pratt, the Triple-A shortstop they signed to an extension before he ever played in a regular-season game. Until then, Joey Ortiz had handled a bulk of the work at shortstop and was slashing .207/.299/.262.

Looking for the perfect gift for a baseball player in your life? Check out our brand new baseball lifestyle brand!

Ortiz is a stellar defender, and Pratt's call-up moved him to third base to split time with David Hamilton. Hamilton strained his hamstring on July 6, and Ortiz has been the everyday third baseman, as he was in his first year with the Brewers.

Since Pratt's call-up, Ortiz is slashing .294/.330/.506 in 29 games. He has four home runs and has played outstanding defense. Meanwhile, Pratt is hitting .258 at shortstop, and all of a sudden the left side of the infield is not a problem for Milwaukee.

Do you have a take to get off your chest? Do you want to engage in a growing Dodgers community? Comment on our content alongside staff and fans alike!

If the Brewers had two automatic outs in the lineup, the Dodgers would likely end up sweeping them again. However, now it looks like the Dodgers may need to start worrying at least a little. The Brewers' rotation featuring Jacob Misiorowski, Kyle Harrison, Logan Henderson and Shane Drohan is no joke. Pair that with a lineup capable of putting pressure on pitchers all the way through, and the Dodgers' three-peat could actually be in danger.

Still, the Dodgers seem to have the better team on paper. Their lineup has elite players all the way through as well. All the Brewers have now is a slightly more even matchup. How aggressive the two teams are at the deadline could end up deciding who wins the National League.

More MLB: Yankees' Aaron Boone Clarifies Giancarlo Stanton's Return Status Amid Confusion