Jake Bauers grabbed the official NLCS MVP hardware after powering the Milwaukee Brewers past the Los Angeles Dodgers in a sweep, but Aaron Ashby carved out a postseason resume that was just as eye-catching. The left-hander logged the heaviest workload on the pitching staff in the series, throwing 6.2 innings, allowing only three baserunners, giving up no earned runs and collecting two saves.
Ashby’s impact came in multiple forms across his three appearances. He worked more than one inning each time he took the ball, including four scoreless 1-2-3 innings. His best test came in Game 4, where he kept his cool while working out of two separate jams and stranded the tying run at third base in consecutive innings, even though that runner reached third with only one out each time.
That outing also put Ashby in the record book. He became the first player since former Brewer Lance McCullers Jr. in 2017 to record a save of three innings or more in a clinching game. Since 2000, only one other pitcher has done it: Madison Bumgarner, who threw a five-inning save in Game 7 of the 2014 World Series.
Ashby’s postseason has only grown more impressive from there. Through six appearances in the Brewers’ first eight playoff games, he leads the team with 12.1 innings pitched and still hasn’t allowed an earned run. His postseason line also includes a 0.57 WHIP and a .105 batting average against.
The three-inning save in Game 4 of the NLCS was not even his first such workload this October. In Game 4 of the NLDS against the San Diego Padres, Ashby followed Robert Gasser and covered three innings before handing things over to Abner Uribe and Trevor Megill.
For Ashby, that kind of role is a shift from his background as a starter. Before this postseason, the last time he threw three innings or more in an MLB game was in August of 2025. During the regular season, he settled into a one- or two-inning relief role that let Milwaukee turn to him often; he appeared in 75 games, the most on the team, and finished with a 3.12 ERA.
With at least four games still left in the 2026 postseason, Ashby figures to stay right in the middle of Milwaukee’s pitching plans. A full week of rest should only help as the Brewers continue chasing their first championship in franchise history.
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Brewers Just Got A World Series Break They Desperately Needed
After sweeping the Dodgers to clinch a spot in the World Series for the first time in 44 years, Milwaukee can finally exhale for a moment. This has been a season built on pitching depth and relentless run prevention, with Jacob Misiorowski giving the staff an edge even if he has not been asked to go deep in October games.
The bigger benefit now may come from the calendar. A few extra days before the World Series should help a bullpen that has carried a heavy workload through the playoffs, with Abner Uribe, Aaron Ashby and Trevor Megill all taking on a lot of responsibility along the way. For a team that has leaned so hard on its arms, the pause could be just as valuable as any on-field adjustment. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Fans Have A Familiar Reason To Watch Milwaukee Now
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For White Sox fans, the familiarity only goes so far from here. Chicago now has Munetaka Murakami at first base, and the club is not expected to chase Vaughn once he reaches free agency, so the path back never really looks like its opening. In the meantime, his progress in Milwaukee stands as another reminder that a change of scenery can matter just as much as raw talent. [Read more 🡒]
Aaron Ashby Is Giving The Brewers An October Weapon Few Teams Ever Find
Aaron Ashby has turned into one of those October arms managers dream about but almost never find. The Brewers left-hander has delivered multiple scoreless, multi-inning relief outings in their postseason run, helping steady games in both the NLDS and the NLCS while pushing his name into a conversation usually reserved for elite playoff relievers. The company is notable too, with Ashby drawing comparisons to the kind of postseason weaponry associated with Bruce Sutter, Goose Gossage, Andrew Miller and Yusmeiro Petit.
For Milwaukee, the bigger point is what Ashby has meant in the moment: every time he has taken the ball this postseason, the Brewers have won. In an October shaped by thin margins and short benches, having a pitcher who can cover more than an inning and still miss bats has given the club a valuable edge, and it has raised the question of just how deep this run can go if he keeps being available in the biggest spots. [Read more 🡒]