The Brewers are swinging faster this year. That could help them in October

The Milwaukee Brewers have significantly increased their bat speed in 2026, recording their highest fast-swing rates since Statcast began tracking in 2023. Along with ranking among baseball's fastest-swinging teams, Milwaukee leads the majors in blasts per swing and ranks second in squared-up rate at 33.7 percent. This combination of bat speed and flush contact has boosted their hard-hit rate to 40.3 percent ahead of the postseason.

Lead hitting coach Eric Theisen credited the improvement to disciplined swing decisions rather than chasing raw speed. Milwaukee tied for the major league lead with 3.97 pitches seen per plate appearance while posting the lowest overall swing rate in baseball at 43.9 percent. Key contributors include Garrett Mitchell, Jake Bauers, Joey Ortiz, and Jackson Chourio, who have focused on attacking pitches in their preferred damage zones.