The Milwaukee Brewers have locked up the postseason’s top spot for the second year in a row, and that means October runs through American Family Field.
Milwaukee clinched home-field advantage throughout the playoffs on Thursday night after the San Diego Padres beat the Los Angeles Dodgers. With three games left, the Brewers held a 3.0-game lead over Los Angeles, and because they own the tiebreaker from winning the season series, the No. 1 seed in the National League is theirs. They also secured home-field advantage all the way through the World Series by finishing with a better record than any American League club.
That’s a huge result for Pat Murphy’s team. The Brewers won’t have to deal with the best-of-three Wild Card Series, which starts the postseason on Tuesday, September 29 and runs through Thursday for all four series, if needed. Milwaukee instead waits for the winner of the No. 4 and No. 5 seeds in the National League Division Series, which begins Saturday, October 3.
That matchup is still unresolved, but the most likely pool of opponents includes the Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, and Philadelphia Phillies, with Philadelphia the only one of the three that has not yet officially clinched a playoff berth. From Milwaukee’s perspective, the ideal setup is a three-game Wild Card Series between those clubs, giving the Brewers’ eventual opponent less rest and less pitching before Game 1 in Milwaukee.
The Brewers are guaranteed to host Games 1 and 2 of the NLDS at American Family Field. If they move on to the National League Championship Series for the second straight season, Game 1 would also be at home, on Sunday, October 11.
2026 NLCS schedule (if Brewers advance):
Game 1: Sunday, October 11 at American Family Field
Game 2: Monday, October 12 at American Family Field
Game 3: Wednesday. October 14, location TBD
Game 4: Thursday, October 15, location TBD
Game 5 (if necessary): Friday, October 16, location TBD
Game 6 (if necessary): Sunday, October 18 at American Family Field
Game 7 (if necessary): Monday, October 19 at American Family Field
If Milwaukee goes all the way to the World Series for the first time since the 1982 season, Game 1 would be played at American Family Field on Friday, October 23. That would mark the first World Series game in Milwaukee since October 17, 1982, when the Brewers beat the St. Louis Cardinals at County Stadium in Game 5 of the 1982 Fall Classic.
2026 World Series schedule (if Brewers advance):
Game 1: Friday, October 23 at American Family Field
Game 2: Saturday, October 24 at American Family Field
Game 3: Monday, October 26, location TBD
Game 4: Tuesday, October 27, location TBD
Game 5 (if necessary): Wednesday, October 28, location TBD
Game 6 (if necessary): Friday, October 30 at American Family Field
Game 7 (if necessary): Saturday, October 31 at American Family Field
Milwaukee has been better at home this season, which only adds to the value of this setup. With five days between the final regular-season game and its first playoff game, plus the top seed in the National League, the Brewers are in position to open October on their own terms.
In Other News...
Pat Murphy Sent A Clear Brewers Message During A Historic Win
The Brewers reached a milestone no one in franchise history had seen before, claiming their 100th win while locking up the No. 1 seed in the National League playoffs. In a season built on consistency and accountability, the moment was as much about the teams identity as the record itself, with Milwaukee continuing to show that the standard does not change just because the wins keep piling up.
Pat Murphy reinforced that point during the game by benching William Contreras in the eighth inning after he did not run out a ground ball, a move that fit the way the Brewers have operated all season. Contreras has been swinging the bat well lately, but Milwaukee has made it clear that every player is held to the same expectations, and on a night meant for celebration, Murphy still found a way to send a message about how the team plans to keep handling business. [Read more 🡒]
Brewers Farm System Depth Is Suddenly Hard To Ignore
The Brewers are using their end-of-season minor league awards to shine a light on just how much talent has bubbled up through the system at once. The organization recently unveiled finalists for its Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Year honors, a new wrinkle for the club, and the list tells a clear story about the strength of the farm. Ten prospects made the cut, with seven position players and four pitchers represented across multiple levels.
Among the names drawing attention are Andrew Fischer and Blake Burke, part of a group that reflects the kind of depth Milwaukee has spent years trying to build. It is the sort of list that suggests the system is not leaning on just one or two headline prospects, but has real volume and balance throughout the pipeline, which is exactly the kind of development buzz a big-league club wants heading into the offseason. [Read more 🡒]
Brewers Are Trusting A Rookie Arm In A Spot That Matters
Shane Drohan has quietly worked his way into a meaningful place on the Brewers postseason plans, with Pat Murphy confirming the rookie will be on the clubs National League Division Series roster starting Oct. 3. Acquired from the Red Sox in the offseason, Drohan has spent his first year in Milwaukee moving between the rotation and the bullpen, a kind of flexibility that tends to matter more in October than it does in the grind of the regular season.
The Brewers have seen enough of that versatility to trust him in a spot where every inning can swing the tone of a series. Drohan has made 32 appearances and posted a 4.24 ERA, numbers that show both the learning curve and the value of having a young arm who can cover different roles when the matchup board starts getting thin. For a team building around flexibility, his inclusion is another sign that Milwaukee is willing to lean on a rookie if the situation calls for it. [Read more 🡒]