Doubters, beware: Why Brewers and Guardians keep d...
Key takeaways
- This is true not because these are two franchises that, back in the 1970s, believed it would be a good idea to host a 10-cent beer night (It was not).
- By comparing opening over/under figures for wins from the betting markets to the actual results, we can get a glimpse of how teams perform against expectation.
- Average games won vs. preseason over/under win total, 2016 to present:
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images Bradford Doolittle Jun 17, 2026, 07:00 AM ETClose MLB writer and analyst for ESPN.com Former NBA writer and analyst for ESPN.com Been with ESPN since 2013Multiple Authors Email Print Open Extended Reactions The Milwaukee Brewers and Cleveland Guardians are in the midst of a three-game clash that might cause a rift in the space-time continuum. That's because in many ways, the two perennial contenders in their respective Central divisions are each other's doppelgänger.
This is true not because these are two franchises that, back in the 1970s, believed it would be a good idea to host a 10-cent beer night (It was not). It's true because they are perennial winners who enter each season criminally underrated.
By comparing opening over/under figures for wins from the betting markets to the actual results, we can get a glimpse of how teams perform against expectation. Here are the top-five overachievers from 2016 to the present, a period that coincides with Cleveland's 2016 World Series appearance and the first full season Craig Counsell managed the Brewers, more or less kicking off an era of Milwaukee teams as we've come to know them: