Hall of Famer drops bold take on Brewers after historic title win

Hall of Famer Johnny Bench has weighed in on the Milwaukee Brewers’ first World Series championship.

The Cincinnati Reds legend did not hold back.

“Who was the best team in baseball? There’s not a question, Milwaukee had it,” Bench said on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM.

The comment came just days after the Brewers clinched the title by defeating the Tampa Bay Rays four games to one.

Milwaukee entered the postseason with a 103-59 regular-season record, the best in the National League.

They won the NL Central crown by a comfortable margin.

In the National League Division Series, the Brewers eliminated the San Diego Padres in four games.

That set up a National League Championship Series matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Dodgers were the two-time defending World Series champions.

They also carried MLB’s highest payroll and a roster stacked with stars.

Milwaukee swept them in four games.

Pat Murphy’s team then carried that momentum into the World Series.

The Brewers took the first three games against the Rays.

Tampa Bay avoided the sweep by winning Game 4.

But Milwaukee closed out the championship in Game 5 at American Family Field.

Bench earned his place in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989.

He was part of the Cincinnati Reds’ championship runs in 1975 and 1976.

Those teams were known as the “Big Red Machine.”

Bench is widely regarded as one of the finest catchers of his generation.

He also became familiar to younger fans as the host of the children’s program “The Baseball Bunch.”

The Brewers had not appeared in a World Series since 1982.

That year, they lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games.

The franchise had never won a title in its 56-year history.

Bench’s assessment was brief but carried weight coming from a Hall of Famer.

He saw a team that dominated from start to finish.

Milwaukee’s 103 regular-season wins were the most in the National League.

The pitching staff posted a 3.41 ERA, third-best in the NL.

The offense scored 782 runs, fourth-most in the league.

Jackson Chourio led the team with a .291 batting average.

The 22-year-old outfielder also hit 25 home runs and stole 23 bases.

He tied for the team lead with nine RBIs in the postseason.

Chourio delivered a memorable walk-off hit against the Padres in the NLDS.

Jake Bauers earned NLCS MVP honors.

The first baseman hit .266 with 26 home runs and 94 RBIs during the regular season.

He finished third in on-base percentage (.389) among all MLB players.

In the postseason, he drew 10 walks and collected nine hits, including a home run.

Bauers was a journeyman before landing with the Brewers.

He was drafted by the San Diego Padres in 2013 and made his MLB debut with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2018.

He also played for the Cleveland Guardians, Seattle Mariners, and New York Yankees.

The Brewers acquired him before the 2024 season.

Relief pitcher Aaron Ashby threw 18 scoreless innings in the postseason.

He struck out 20 hitters and held opponents to a .089 batting average.

Ashby finished the regular season with a 13-3 record and a 3.12 ERA.

He was drafted by the Brewers in the fourth round of the 2018 MLB draft.

He made his MLB debut in 2021 as a starting pitcher before moving to the bullpen in 2024.

The championship run has already triggered changes off the field.

According to Ken Rosenthal, the Athletics hired Cam Castro, Milwaukee’s Senior Vice President of Player Development and Performance, as their new general manager.

Castro had been with the Brewers for seven years.

Soon after, Adam McCalvy reported that Brewers Assistant General Manager Matt Kleine was offered the GM role in Houston but turned it down.

Kleine has been with the organization for 20 years.

This pattern is not new for Milwaukee.

Former general manager David Stearns left for the New York Mets.

Former manager Craig Counsell left for the Chicago Cubs.

Both departures came before the championship season.

The Brewers have built a reputation for developing cost-controlled talent.

Other teams regularly try to poach their front office and player development staff.

This is the mark of a successful franchise in professional sports.

It happens in every major league and even in business.

Some organizations celebrate it because it allows people to grow their careers and increase their earning potential.