The Milwaukee Brewers have the Dodgers in trouble, and David Hamilton has played a real part in it.
Milwaukee took Game 2 of the NLCS on October 12, beating Los Angeles 7-4 and moving ahead 0-2 in the series. William Contreras was the headline performer, and for good reason: he went 3-for-4 with a home run, a walk, three runs and three RBI.
But Hamilton was right there behind him, making his mark with two hits, three runs and two stolen bases. He scored the Brewers’ winning run and later came around again for their first insurance run.
That kind of impact is exactly what the Brewers have gotten from Hamilton all season. He was a regular in their lineup and put together numbers that looked a lot like the best version of his career with Boston: .245/.314/.336 with 13 doubles, three triples, four home runs and 26 RBI in 121 games.
His calling card, though, stayed the same. Hamilton finished with 30 stolen bases.
Before this postseason run, Hamilton’s Red Sox resume was defined by speed more than power. In parts of three seasons in Boston, he hit .222/.283/.359 and swiped 57 bags in 204 games.
The glove never quite matched the legs - he was one out above average in 2025 and 11 outs below average in 2026 - and the hard contact just wasn’t there. Boston needed more from a middle-infield bat than Hamilton could give.
Still, on a team built for October, that baserunning value matters. Hamilton has become exactly the kind of nuisance that can tilt a playoff game without ever needing to carry the box score with a huge swing.
The Red Sox, for their part, may have found a different answer in Caleb Durbin. He went through a remarkable midseason surge this year before a finger injury slowed him in September, and his defense at third base has put him on track for the American League Gold Glove.
Even so, it can still sting for Boston when a former player shows up in a huge spot and looks better than he ever did in a Red Sox uniform. Hamilton has added his name to that familiar list, with Nathaniel Lowe and Dustin May trying to join it this postseason.
In Other News...
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Penas recent season only strengthens the case for why he would fit Bostons search for more production. He would bring proven power to a lineup that needs it, along with the kind of established resume that can matter when a team is trying to move from simply competitive to dangerous. Whether the Astros would even consider dealing him is another question, but the fit on Bostons side is easy to see. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Offseason Gamble Produced One Huge Win And One Costly Miss
The Red Sox went into the offseason leaning on trades to reshape the roster for 2026, and one of those swings delivered exactly what they hoped for. Contreras arrived in the deal that sent Hunter Dobbins and pitching prospects away, and he immediately became more than just a new name on the roster, putting together a strong season, setting career highs and bringing a steadying presence to the clubhouse.
The other move told a different story. Bostons deal for Oviedo never really took off in 2026, with his role limited enough that the return felt thin compared with the cost. He remains under team control for 2027, which at least gives the Red Sox another chance to get value from the transaction, but the clock is already ticking before he reaches free agency after that. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Suddenly Face A Real Jarren Duran Trade Question
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For the Red Sox, the question is less about whether Duran still has value and more about what kind of value they think he brings compared with the return. Kerkering would fit a very different need, and the idea underscores how Bostons outfield picture could remain part of the roster conversation rather than a settled piece. It is only a hypothetical for now, but it is the sort of discussion that tends to stick when a players name starts showing up in trade talk. [Read more 🡒]