The National League’s two best teams in the regular season are the last two standing at the end. The 103-win Brewers against the 100-win Dodgers.
Who’s ready for a rematch of last year’s NLCS?
“Coming into the postseason, you had a feeling you were going to have to go through L.A.,” said Brewers designated hitter Christian Yelich. “They’re back-to-back champs, and they’re a great team. We have a lot of respect for those guys.
“At the same time, we feel like we can play with anybody when we play our game. When we play our brand of baseball, when we play clean and execute, we’re a really hard team to beat. We’re going to go in there and grind.”
For the Dodgers, this year’s NLCS is a chance to continue a bid for a third consecutive World Series title.
For the Brewers, it’s a chance at redemption. They have been to the League Championship Series five times in their franchise history, and this is the third in a row that pits them against the Dodgers. They lost a seven-game thriller in 2018, then got swept in four games last year, when Brewers hitters were shut down by the Dodgers’ superstar starting pitchers.
Will this year be different?
"In this sport, you can't carry previous postseasons into this postseason. Everything is a new chapter," said Dodgers utility man Kiké Hernández. "Every time you take the field in October, you get an opportunity to rewrite your story."
When is the game and how can I watch it?
Game 1 is on Sunday at American Family Field and will air nationally on FOX or FS1. Start time is still TBD.
All series are available in the US on MLB.TV with authentication to a participating Pay TV provider. Games also are available live internationally, although not in Canada. Sportsnet is MLB's exclusive English language broadcaster in Canada for every Postseason game, while TVA Sports will be covering the entire AL Postseason and the World Series in French and Broadcaster RDS will cover the entire NL Postseason in French.
Who are the starting pitchers?
Dodgers: TBD (likely LHP Tarik Skubal)
Key stat: 1.97 ERA in seven career postseason starts
Skubal showed exactly why the Dodgers swung big to acquire him from the Tigers ahead of the Trade Deadline in his NLDS Game 1 start, when he struck out seven across six innings of one-run ball against the Braves. Now, he's expected to take the hill as L.A. begins the next stage of its title defense.
Brewers: RHP Jacob Misiorowski
Key stats: MLB regular season leader in ERA (1.80), strikeouts (252), WHIP (0.80), opponents' average (.157)
Misiorowski’s first pitch of NLDS Game 1 was 104.8 mph, the fastest postseason pitch in the pitch tracking era, which dates back to 2008. But the Padres made him work, fouling off an incredible 30 pitches in the first four innings to knock Misiorowski out of the game by the fifth at 88 pitches. He was in the bullpen for Game 4 in San Diego, and even warmed up in the ninth, but was not needed, meaning he will be rested and ready for the Dodgers. In three career appearances against L.A. – two starts in the regular season and one relief outing in last year’s NLCS – Misiorowski has a 1.59 ERA and 27 strikeouts vs. three walks in 17 innings.
What might the starting lineups look like?
Dodgers: The Dodgers have dropped Shohei Ohtani in the lineup as his struggles from the end of the regular season have bled into the beginning of the postseason. Depending on which starter they face in Game 1, Roberts could shuffle his starting nine to optimize the platoon matchups.
1. Mookie Betts, SS
2. Freddie Freeman, 1B
3. Will Smith, C
4. Shohei Ohtani, DH
5. Teoscar Hernández, LF
6. Kiké Hernández, 3B
7. Kyle Tucker, RF
8. Andy Pages, CF
9. Tommy Edman, 2B
Brewers: The Brewers don’t hit many home runs, but they can hit home runs, and they can score in a lot of ways. During the regular season, they were second in the Majors in runs scored by hitting for average (.258, first in MLB), getting on base (.341, first), stealing bases (152, fifth), bunting (32 bunt hits, second) and generally refusing to swing the bat until they wanted to (lowest swing percentage in MLB and lowest chase percentage). Against the Padres in the NLDS, they came from behind in two of the three victories. Here’s how they lined them up when they faced a left-hander (Robbie Ray) in NLDS Game 1.
1. Jackson Chourio, LF
2. Brice Turang, 2B
3. William Contreras, C
4. Jake Bauers, 1B
5. Christian Yelich, DH
6. Cooper Pratt, SS
7. Luis Lara, RF
8. Garrett Mitchell, CF
9. Joey Ortiz, 3B
How will the bullpens line up after the starter?
Dodgers: Edwin Díaz saved the final two games of the NLDS and is firmly back in the closer's mix, with Tanner Scott also an option to lock down save situations. While the Dodgers only carried eight relievers in the NLDS, they may choose to add additional arms for coverage in this best-of-seven series.
Brewers: Brewers relievers covered 19 innings in four games against the Padres with a 0.47 ERA and a .169 opposing average, led by the late-inning trio of left-hander Aaron Ashby, right-hander Abner Uribe and righty closer Trevor Megill. Uribe pitched in all four games, and Ashby and Megill in three, so a couple days off will be appreciated.
Any injuries of note?
Dodgers: Ohtani (right biceps, left knee) and Freeman (right knee) are managing lingering injuries. Rojas exited Game 3 with lower back pain, and his availability for the beginning of the NLCS is uncertain. World Series hero Will Klein (right elbow discomfort) has faced hitters, but he has not pitched in a game since July 31 and is viewed as more of a depth option. Blake Treinen (right shoulder inflammation) is unlikely to pitch this postseason.
Brewers: None.
Who is hot and who is not?
Dodgers: Freeman (.267, two homers), Muncy (.250, three homers) and Tucker (.333) have been among L.A.'s most consistent hitters this postseason. Smith (.063) and Ohtani (.154) are looking to shake off slow starts at the plate.
Brewers: Contreras led the Majors with 24 RBIs in September, had a .933 OPS from Sept. 9 through the end of the regular season, and then stayed hot in the NLDS, slashing .375/.444/.750 with a pair of home runs against the Padres. The Brewers would love to get Turang going again. His .361 average and .475 on-base percentage led the Majors in September and his 1.077 OPS was in the top 10, but he went 2-for-16 in the NLDS.