The Brewers got big moments all over the place in their NLDS win over the Padres, but Sal Frelick may have been the quietest difference-maker of the bunch.
Milwaukee’s 3-1 series victory was built on plenty of headline plays - Jackson Chourio piling up six RBI in four games, William Contreras collecting six hits and two homers, Aaron Ashby overpowering hitters out of the bullpen, and Garrett Mitchell flashing in Game 4. But Frelick carved out his own lane in the background, and by the end of the series, he had forced his way into the conversation for what comes next.
That’s especially notable because Frelick wasn’t in the Game 1 starting lineup at all. Pat Murphy kept him out of the opener, and the 26-year-old outfielder responded the way teams love when a player is left out: he came back ready to produce. In Games 2, 3 and 4, every time his name was called, he delivered.
Frelick picked up a hit in each of the three games he played against San Diego. He scored two runs, including the game-winning run in Game 2, and added two RBI, one of them a big insurance knock in the sixth inning of Milwaukee’s series-clinching Game 4 win. He also drew two walks, stole a base in Game 4 and struck out only once while handling right field without a mistake.
That kind of steady production doesn’t always grab the spotlight, but it matters. Frelick accounted for four of the Brewers’ 13 total runs in the series, and that’s the sort of contribution that can change how a manager draws up the next lineup card.
The real question now is what Murphy and his staff do with him moving forward, especially with the NLCS bringing a different kind of challenge. Frelick has made a strong case to start against right-handed pitchers, but Milwaukee has to decide what that means when left-handers are on the mound.
The Game 1 benching made sense in the moment because the Padres opened with southpaw Robbie Ray. Since the Brewers don’t feel comfortable using a hobbled Jake Bauers in right field the way they otherwise would against a left-handed starter, rookie Luis Lara got the nod instead. Lara is a switch-hitter, so the matchup fit the situation.
But the numbers against lefties during the regular season don’t separate Lara and Frelick by much, which makes the decision less obvious than it might seem.
2026 regular season vs. LHP:
Luis Lara: 68 AB, .235 AVG, .278 OBP, .309 SLG, 4 XBH, 4 BB, 12 K
Sal Frelick: 88 AB, .205 AVG, .268 OBP, .273 SLG, 4 XBH, 6 BB, 10 K
Neither line jumps off the page. If anything, they’re close enough that Milwaukee can’t just lean on the handedness matchup and call it a day. Frelick’s postseason experience and his ability to keep the line moving might be enough to keep him in the mix even when a lefty starts.
There’s also the broader package he brings every night. Frelick is a tough out, he can cause problems on the bases, he does the little things, and he plays clean defense. That blend of energy and reliability is a big reason he keeps finding ways to matter, even when he isn’t the name driving the biggest highlight.
He also got three at-bats against southpaws in the NLDS and went 0-for-3 with one walk, so Milwaukee still has real evidence to weigh. With southpaw Tarik Skubal expected to start Game 1 of the NLCS for the Dodgers, the Brewers won’t have long to sort it out.
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