The Milwaukee Brewers are moving on to the NLCS with one goal still in front of them: getting to the World Series for the first time since 1982. They punched their ticket by taking the NLDS over the San Diego Padres, finishing off the series with a 3-1 win that wrapped up well after midnight local time.
Now comes another familiar hurdle. Milwaukee is set to face the Los Angeles Dodgers for the third straight time in the NLCS, and Game 1 will be played Sunday at American Family Field. This time, the Brewers are handing the ball to Jacob Misiorowski.
Misiorowski has been named Milwaukee’s starter for the opener, and it’s an easy call for a team that wants its ace on the mound in the biggest spot. He delivered a massive regular season, leading MLB with a 1.80 ERA and topping the league with 252 strikeouts. He carried that form into October, though the Padres made him labor in Game 1 of the NLDS by fouling off 30 pitches through his first four innings.
The matchup with Los Angeles comes with a track record, too. Misiorowski has already faced the Dodgers three times in his career - two starts in the regular season and a relief outing in last year’s NLCS - and the results have been strong. Over those 17 innings, he posted a 1.59 ERA with 27 strikeouts and only three walks.
That’s part of why Milwaukee is comfortable putting this series in his hands. The Dodgers can stack one of the deepest lineups in baseball, but Misiorowski has already shown he can handle that stage without blinking.
The Brewers also set him up to be ready for this moment. He was available out of the bullpen in Wednesday’s NLDS Game 4 against San Diego and even warmed up in the ninth inning, but Milwaukee held him back with Sunday in mind. That means he’ll come into Game 1 with several days of rest.
For a Brewers club trying to bounce back after being swept by the Dodgers in last year’s NLCS, it’s a fitting way to open the series. Milwaukee gets another shot at Los Angeles, and it will start with one of the most electric young pitchers in the game taking the mound.
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William Contreras Just Put Brewers Fans On Notice About His Future
William Contreras has been at the center of Milwaukees NLDS push against the Padres, giving the Brewers the kind of middle-order production that can change a short series in a hurry. He delivered important home runs in Games 1 and 3, a reminder of just how much value he has brought since arriving in Milwaukee in 2022, when he quickly established himself as one of the clubs most durable everyday players with more than 140 games played each season.
For a Brewers team that has leaned on him heavily, the longer-view conversation now matters almost as much as the October at-bats. Contreras said in an interview that he will be a free agent after the 2027 season unless he signs an extension, and he acknowledged some uncertainty about whether his future will remain in Milwaukee. For a fan base that has grown used to seeing him in the lineup and in the middle of big moments, it is the kind of update that keeps the attention on what he does now while quietly raising the question of what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Pat Murphys Live Playoff Reaction Captured Brewers Fans Frustration
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For Milwaukee, it was the kind of play that summed up an inning, a game and maybe a series, all at once. The Brewers still had a chance to finish the sweep, but San Diego held on for a 4-3 win, and Murphys interrupted reaction only underscored how quickly the night swung away from Milwaukee. [Read more 🡒]
Pat Murphy's Game 4 Pitching Choice Could Decide The Brewers' Season
After dropping the first three games of the National League Division Series, the Brewers are staring at a Game 4 decision that could shape the tone of the rest of their October. Pat Murphy has not announced a starter yet, and the question around who gets the ball has become one of the most important calls left on Milwaukees board.
Robert Gasser and Chad Patrick are both in the mix, with Kyle Harrisons role still unclear after some uneven recent work. Gasser has trended up lately, while Patrick has been mostly effective aside from one rough outing late in the season, giving Murphy a pair of very different options as he tries to keep Milwaukee alive. [Read more 🡒]