The Brewers and Padres are trading more than pitches in this NLDS. They’re also swapping little October annoyances, and Petco Park got a taste of it on Monday.
While Milwaukee was going through its off-day workout at the ballpark, the speakers reportedly fed them elevator music - the same kind of low-key soundtrack the Brewers have used on visiting teams during batting practice at American Family Field over the last two postseason runs. It’s a small jab, but that’s the point. October has always had a little gamesmanship baked in, and Milwaukee has leaned into it before.
The Brewers have a history of trying to get into an opponent’s head within the rules. Back in the 2018 NLCS, they sent southpaw Wade Miley out for one batter before turning to right-hander Brandon Woodruff, a move aimed at throwing Dave Roberts’ Game 5 lineup off balance.
More recently, in the 2025 NLDS, they warmed Quinn Priester in the outfield ahead of Game 2 without any plan to actually use him. The playlist trick is just the latest wrinkle.
As Fox 5 San Diego sports anchor Julian Del Gaudio reported, the Padres answered that bit of October theater with one of their own.
“Padres staff playing elevator music with Milwaukee practicing on the field.
The game within the game. pic.twitter.com/qw5XWbKYb5
- Julian Del Gaudio (@JulianDelGaudio) October 6, 2026”
It’s the kind of thing that falls comfortably on the harmless side of postseason mind games. Nobody is going to blame a loss on background music. Still, it fits the tone of a series where both sides are clearly willing to add a little static around the baseball.
And whatever the soundtrack was, it didn’t slow Craig Stammen’s squad down in the first two games. The Padres came out hot against Milwaukee’s pair of Jacob Misiorowski and Logan Henderson, building early leads before the Brewers stormed back to win both games.
Now the series shifts to Game 3 in San Diego, where Milwaukee will try to tune out the noise and finish the sweep. With four days off waiting if they get it done, the Brewers have every reason to block out whatever’s playing over the speakers and bring the same edge they’ve shown all October.
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Chourio was back in the middle of it in Game 2, this time delivering the walk-off single that sent the Brewers home with another victory and a 2-0 lead in the NLDS. In a series already shaped by small details, the roof call from the opener suddenly looks like the kind of early warning that can take on outsized meaning once the games start tightening up. [Read more 🡒]