The Brewers have a chance to keep this series on their side, even after Tuesday night’s Game 3 loss to the San Diego Padres.
Milwaukee is still one win from the NLCS, and that matters more than any panic setting in around a 2-1 series lead. The Brewers opened with two home wins, and even with the Padres clawing back into things, they still control the matchup. One more victory sends them to the NLCS for the second straight year.
Jen Lada of ESPN Milwaukee pushed that message as well, saying Brewers fans should not panic yet because there is no evidence the club can’t finish the job. That point lands for a simple reason: the Brewers have already shown they can handle this series, and one loss does not erase the first two games.
The road streak is the ugly part. Milwaukee has now dropped 12 straight postseason road games, a run that dates back to Game 4 of the 2018 NLCS against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
That number is hard to ignore, but it also doesn’t change the series math. The Brewers are still ahead.
Game 4 offers a chance to reset the tone, even with a bullpen game on deck. Milwaukee’s pitching staff has been solid all season, and there’s nothing in the series state that suggests the Brewers have suddenly lost momentum. Streaks end eventually, and the Brewers are still in position to make that happen.
If the road issues carry over and the series goes to Game 5, Milwaukee would still have a major weapon the Padres wouldn’t: Jacob Misiorowski. He struggled in Game 1, but he didn’t implode and managed to keep the Brewers in the game.
Given what he has done all season, the Brewers would like their chances with him on the mound. He has been the best starting pitcher in Major League Baseball all season long and is likely to win the Cy Young Award.
And if it does get that far, the Brewers would return to American Family Field with a chance to end it at home. That’s an edge San Diego wouldn’t have. Milwaukee has not had many problems at home, either, which only strengthens the case that the Brewers still hold the upper hand.
There’s also recent history working in their favor. Last year, the Brewers blew a 2-0 lead in the NLDS against the Chicago Cubs, then came home and won Game 5.
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William Contreras Just Put Brewers Fans On Notice About His Future
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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 🡒]