This article is a part of Verducci’s View, a weekly baseball newsletter from Sports Illustrated senior writer Tom Verducci. Every Monday, Tom empties out his notebook over email and covers MLB’s hottest topics, provides in-depth analysis through both text and video breakdowns, looks forward to what’s worth watching during the week and more.

From 2015, the start of the Launch Angle Revolution, to 2026, average four-seam velocity increased from 94.3 mph to 96.3 mph. Four-seam usage increased from 30.1% to 32.9%. Batting average on the pitch plummeted from .234 to .209 and slug dropped from .428 to .341. And the average release height on the pitch dropped from 6.1 feet to 5.73 feet.

In short, pitching changed a lot. As fastballs kept getting faster and from lower release points, which increased the vertical attack angle, swinging up at the baseball grew more problematic. The high launch, pull-side air swing that analytics loves doesn’t work as well in today’s game.

The Brewers proved what does work in today’s game: flatter swings, deeper contact points and bat angles that can shoot fastballs the other way—yes, even on the ground. Launch angle is now old school. The Brewers are new school.

2026 Brewers’ Offensive Profile

Let’s compare teams still playing the launch angle game to the new school teams. Take the five teams who hit the ball in air to the pull side the most (Cubs, Twins, Astros, D-Backs and Rockies) and compare them to the five who go pull-side air the least (Brewers, A’s, Phillies, Rays, Cardinals):

One of my favorite lessons from the way Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy sees baseball is the value of the backside ground ball, anathema to the analytics revolution.

“Like golf, you need different clubs in your bag,” he says.

The average hitter bats more than 200 points higher on grounders to the opposite field rather than the pull side. Milwaukee hit an absurd .452 when they hit grounders the other way. Why wouldn’t that be part of your game?

Batting Average on Ground Balls by Direction, 2026

The Brewers had 119 groundball hits to the opposite field in the regular season. The Rays had the most (126). Both teams had more than twice as many such hits as the Yankees (58).

Breakdown of the Week: Explaining the Pratt Breakout

Brewers shortstop Cooper Pratt was one of the breakout stars of the postseason. Brought up to the majors in June with a reputation as a glove-first shortstop, Pratt proved to be a dynamic offensive player thanks to adjustments in his rookie season.

From his first two months in the big leagues to the World Series, Pratt gradually:

• Moved closer to the plate.
• Increased his bat speed.
• Let the ball travel deeper.
• Flattened his bat path.
• In his load, lowered his hands and moved his lead elbow and arm closer to his body.
• Raised his OPS 168 points.

It’s a great example of how player development continues in the big leagues. You can see a video breakdown of the changes here. And you can see the changes in metrics here:

Pratt Swing Metrics

By loading in a more connected position with his hands and arms, flattening his stroke and moving his contact point deeper, Pratt, at 22, became a tougher out amid the higher stakes and better pitching of the postseason.

The most obvious change is in his path to the baseball. Pratt became a tougher out by reducing his attack angle from 7° to 3°, one of the flattest in the postseason.

Flattest Attack Angle, Postseason (Min. 50 pitches)
1. Ben Williamson, Rays -1°
2. Steven Kwan, Guardians 0°
3. Yandy Diaz, Rays 2°
3. Chandler Simpson, Rays 2°
5. Cooper Pratt, Brewers 3°
5. Joey Ortiz, Brewers 3°

Emptying Out the Notebook

Two lingering lessons about the Brewers from Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, whose team was swept by them while attempting no stolen bases and hitting one home run. Asked why the Brewers were knocking in runners with hits and the Dodgers weren’t, Roberts said, “Their bat angle.” And when looking for a formula to beat Milwaukee, Roberts said, “We have to keep [Aaron] Ashby out of the game.” ... World Series MVP William Contreras is one year away from free agency, which in Milwaukee typically means the player is at risk of being traded. But according to one team source, the Brewers’ postseason run makes it more likely the team will try to sign Contreras to an extension.

Milwaukee closed out the year with 66 consecutive starts by pitchers in their 20s. It went 47–19 (.712) with its young guns ... Harvey Kuenn was 51 when he managed Milwaukee in the 1982 World Series. Murphy is 67. Both have career managerial winning percentages of .576 ... The final tally for most 100 mph pitches by one team in one year: 1) 2026 Brewers, 1,414; 2) 2026 Padres, 800; 3) 2018 Cardinals, 623. Milwaukee threw 77% more 100-mph pitches than any team in recorded history ... Blame the Brewers: postseason slugging this year (.336) was the lowest since pitch tracking began in 2008.