What Is 2011 Milwaukee Brewers baseball team

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Last updated: April 15, 2026

Quick Answer: The 2011 Milwaukee Brewers won the National League Central with a record of 96–66, their best season in over two decades. They reached the NLCS but lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in six games.

Key Facts

The 2011 Milwaukee Brewers finished with a 96–66 regular-season record
They won the NL Central division by six games over the St. Louis Cardinals
Prince Fielder hit 38 home runs and drove in 120 runs that season
Ryan Braun won the NL MVP award in a narrow vote over Matt Kemp
The Brewers lost the NLCS to the eventual World Series champion Cardinals in six games

Overview

The 2011 Milwaukee Brewers represented one of the most successful seasons in franchise history, capturing their first division title since 1982. With a final record of 96 wins and 66 losses, the team dominated the National League Central, finishing six games ahead of the second-place St. Louis Cardinals.

Managed by Ken Macha, the Brewers featured a powerful offense led by Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder, both of whom posted MVP-caliber seasons. Their success culminated in a playoff appearance, marking the first time Milwaukee advanced past the Wild Card round since the franchise moved from the American League to the National League in 1998.

Regular-season record: The Brewers finished 96–66, the best win total in the National League and second-best in MLB behind the Phillies’ 102 wins.
Division title: They won the NL Central by six games, ending a 29-year division title drought that dated back to their 1982 AL East championship.
Home performance: Milwaukee went 57–24 at Miller Park, posting the best home record in the National League.
Offensive strength: The team ranked second in the NL with 730 runs scored, led by Ryan Braun’s .332 batting average and 33 home runs.
Postseason run: The Brewers defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NLDS before falling to the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS in six games.

Performance & Season Highlights

The 2011 season was defined by consistent offensive production, strong starting pitching, and a late-season surge that propelled the Brewers into the postseason spotlight. Key players delivered under pressure, and the team set several franchise records along the way.

Prince Fielder: Hit 38 home runs and drove in 120 runs, becoming the first Brewer to reach 120 RBIs in a season since 1980.
Ryan Braun: Won the NL MVP award by a narrow margin, finishing with a .332 average, 33 homers, and 111 RBIs in 150 games.
Yovani Gallardo: Led the rotation with 17 wins and a 3.52 ERA, making him the first Brewer to win 17+ games since 1987.
John Axford: Recorded 46 saves in 51 opportunities, earning an All-Star selection and setting a franchise single-season record.
September surge: The Brewers went 20–6 in September, the best monthly record in baseball, to secure the division crown.
Playoff milestone: Their NLDS victory over Arizona was the franchise’s first postseason series win since 1982, ending a long playoff drought.

Comparison at a Glance

How the 2011 Brewers compared to key competitors and franchise benchmarks:

Team/Season	Wins	Division Finish	Postseason Result	Key Stat
2011 Milwaukee Brewers	96	1st, NL Central	Lost NLCS	730 runs scored
2010 Milwaukee Brewers	81	3rd, NL Central	No playoffs	671 runs scored
2011 St. Louis Cardinals	90	2nd, NL Central	Won World Series	692 runs scored
2011 Philadelphia Phillies	102	1st, NL East	Lost NLDS	713 runs scored
1982 Milwaukee Brewers	95	1st, AL East	Lost World Series	725 runs scored

The 2011 Brewers outperformed their previous season by 15 wins and surpassed the 1982 team in victories. Despite falling short of a World Series, their offensive output and division dominance marked a franchise high point in the modern era. The Cardinals, whom they lost to in the NLCS, went on to win the World Series, adding irony to Milwaukee’s near-miss.

Why It Matters

The 2011 season remains a benchmark for the Brewers franchise, symbolizing both peak performance and the challenges of sustaining success in the postseason. It reshaped perceptions of the team and laid the foundation for future competitiveness.

Franchise milestone: First NL Central title and first postseason series win since joining the National League in 1998.
Player legacy: Ryan Braun’s MVP season solidified his status as the team’s cornerstone, despite later controversies.
Attendance boost: Miller Park saw over 3 million fans for the first time since 2007, reflecting renewed fan enthusiasm.
Front office impact: The success validated GM Doug Melvin’s strategy of building through power hitting and bullpen strength.
Long-term influence: The 2011 team set a standard that later squads, including the 2018 NL Central winners, aimed to match.
Cultural significance: The season reinvigorated baseball in Milwaukee, becoming a reference point for future campaigns.

The 2011 Milwaukee Brewers may not have won a championship, but their season remains one of the most memorable in team history, combining elite performance with emotional resonance for fans.