Milwaukee has won nine straight games to begin August and is 24-4 since July 6, good for a six-game lead in the National League Central over the Chicago Cubs. Even more impressive, they’ve been without rising stars like Jacob Misiorowski and Jackson Chourio of late due to injury.

Does that make the Brewers the World Series favorite? It’s not quite that simple. The FanDuel Sportsbook still puts the Los Angeles Dodgers (plus-270) and Philadelphia Phillies (plus-650) ahead of the Seattle Mariners and Brewers, both at plus-1000. That more so displays the up-and-down nature of baseball, the value of getting hot at the right time and how there’s still a long way to go, rather than a discredit to what Milwaukee has accomplished to this point.

That’s without mentioning the Toronto Blue Jays, who have the second-most wins in baseball, or the Detroit Tigers, who’ve held the best record for the longest time this season. It wouldn’t be wise to overlook the perennial power Houston Astros either, as they still lead the AL West after back-to-back series wins on the road. The Padres made several big moves at the deadline to threaten the Dodgers in the West, too.

So with just over six weeks left in the regular season, do the Brewers have what it takes to continue their incredible stretch? Or will talented yet slumping teams figure it out at the right time?

Here are the Fastball On SI MLB power rankings for Aug. 11.

(This poll takes into account votes from three Fastball On SI MLB writers: Brady Farkas, Jack Ankony and Teren Kowatsch . First-place votes are worth 30 points, and last-place votes are worth one point. Ties broken by highest vote or votes, followed by overall win percentage, then head-to-head record. Total points and first-place votes in parentheses.)

1. Milwaukee Brewers (90) (3)
2. Los Angeles Dodgers (84)
3. Philadelphia Phillies (83)
4. Toronto Blue Jays (83)
5. Detroit Tigers (74)
6. San Diego Padres (73)
7. Seattle Mariners (72)
8. Boston Red Sox (71)
9. Chicago Cubs (70)
10. Houston Astros (64)
11. New York Mets (58)
12. New York Yankees (58)
13. Cleveland Guardians (54)
14. Cincinnati Reds (53)
15. Texas Rangers (47)
16. San Francisco Giants (44)
17. St. Louis Cardinals (43)
18. Kansas City Royals (39)
19. Miami Marlins (35)
20. Arizona Diamondbacks (32)
21. Tampa Bay Rays (31)
22. Los Angeles Angels (27)
23. Minnesota Twins (26)
24. Baltimore Orioles (19)
25. Athletics (18)
26. Atlanta Braves (15)
27. Pittsburgh Pirates (10)
28. Chicago White Sox (10)
29. Washington Nationals (7)
30. Colorado Rockies (3)

Detroit Tigers outfielder Kerry Carpenter (30) celebrates with Gleyber Torres (25) and Colt Keith (33) against the Los Angeles Angels at Comerica Park. / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Here’s how each writer voted.

Jack Ankony

1. Milwaukee Brewers
2. Philadelphia Phillies
3. Los Angeles Dodgers
4. Toronto Blue Jays
5. San Diego Padres
6. Detroit Tigers
7. Chicago Cubs
8. Seattle Mariners
9. Boston Red Sox
10. Houston Astros
11. New York Yankees
12. Cincinnati Reds
13. Cleveland Guardians
14. New York Mets
15. Texas Rangers
16. San Francisco Giants
17. St. Louis Cardinals
18. Kansas City Royals
19. Tampa Bay Rays
20. Arizona Diamondbacks
21. Miami Marlins
22. Los Angeles Angels
23. Minnesota Twins
24. Baltimore Orioles
25. Atlanta Braves
26. The Athletics
27. Chicago White Sox
28. Pittsburgh Pirates
29. Washington Nationals
30. Colorado Rockies

Comments: Milwaukee is the clear-cut No. 1, with a perfect 9-0 record in August and several thrilling victories. Both New York teams, the Cubs and several others had been ahead of the Brewers in our rankings for most of the season, but the Mets have lost seven straight and the Yankees are 2-7 in August.

The Cubs are 4-5 in August as sluggers like Pete Crow-Armstrong, Kyle Tucker, Seiya Suzuki and Michael Busch have collectively cooled off at the same time, allowing Milwaukee to take a six-game lead. Both west division races are shaping up to have close finishes, with the Astros leading the Mariners by a half game and the Dodgers clinging onto a two-game lead over the Padres.

Brady Farkas

1. Milwaukee Brewers
2. Philadelphia Phillies
3. Los Angeles Dodgers
4. Toronto Blue Jays
5. San Diego Padres
6. Boston Red Sox
7. Chicago Cubs
8. Seattle Mariners
9. Detroit Tigers
10. New York Mets
11. Houston Astros
12. New York Yankees
13. Cleveland Guardians
14. Cincinnati Reds
15. Texas Rangers
16. St. Louis Cardinals
17. Kansas City Royals
18. San Francisco Giants
19. Miami Marlins
20. Tampa Bay Rays
21. Arizona Diamondbacks
22. Los Angeles Angels
23. Minnesota Twins
24. Baltimore Orioles
25. Athletics
26. Atlanta Braves
27. Chicago White Sox
28. Pittsburgh Pirates
29. Washington Nationals
30. Colorado Rockies

Comments: The Brewers are just flat-out better than everyone else, and they are doing this without Jacob Misiorowski and Jackson Chourio. The Mariners have won nine of 10, can they win their first division title since 2001? And can the Padres catch the Dodgers in the NL West? After taking two of three from the Red Sox, it’s looking possible.

Teren Kowatsch

1. Milwaukee Brewers
2. Toronto Blue Jays
3. Los Angeles Dodgers
4. Detroit Tigers
5. Seattle Mariners
6. Philadelphia Phillies
7. Boston Red Sox
8. Houston Astros
9. Chicago Cubs
10. San Diego Padres
11. New York Mets
12. New York Yankees
13. Cleveland Guardians
14. Cincinnati Reds
15. San Francisco Giants
16. Texas Rangers
17. St. Louis Cardinals
18. Miami Marlins
19. Kansas City Royals
20. Arizona Diamondbacks
21. Minnesota Twins
22. Los Angeles Angels
23. Tampa Bay Rays
24. The Athletics
25. Pittsburgh Pirates
26. Baltimore Orioles
27. Atlanta Braves
28. Washington Nationals
29. Chicago White Sox
30. Colorado Rockies

Comments: The MLB playoff picture is no closer to having a clearer picture now than it was at the trade deadline. The American League still has several teams firmly in Wild Card contention, as well as the National League, and every division has six games or less of separation between the first and second place teams. Some teams, like the Seattle Mariners and Milwaukee Brewers, have looked like legitimate world beaters since the deadline. The next week might be one of the most crucial of the season in terms of who can create separation and who doesn’t.

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