MILWAUKEE — The Dodgers have played eight postseason games this year. They have won seven. On their current course, they appear set to cruise to a second consecutive National League pennant.
Not so fast, says Brewers manager Pat Murphy.
“I don’t think it’s over,” Murphy said in the aftermath of Milwaukee’s 5-1 loss to the Dodgers in NL Championship Series Game 2. “I don’t know why. I admire this team. I’ve said it all along: I like who they are. I know where they came from. And I don’t think they’ll be surprised if they come back and play really well.”
Murphy understands the math working against him. In series using the current 2-3-2 format, clubs that won Games 1 and 2 on the road have prevailed in the series 88.9% of the time. And the Dodgers aren’t just any opponent; they’re the defending World Series champs.
But the Brewers were baseball’s most successful regular-season team in 2025. If anyone has a chance to put the Dodgers on the wrong side of history, it’s them, beginning with Game 3 on Thursday at Dodger Stadium.
“We’re here up 2-0 in the NLCS, but the goal is to win a World Series and not to win two games on the road,” Dodgers postseason veteran Kiké Hernández said. “As long as we’re still playing the Milwaukee Brewers, we’re going to focus on them. … We haven’t really accomplished anything yet.”
Here’s everything you need to know for Game 3:
When is the game and how can I watch it?
Game 3 of the NLCS will be played Thursday at Dodger Stadium, with a first pitch scheduled for 6:08 p.m. ET/5:08 p.m. CT/3:08 p.m. PT. It will be broadcast on TBS, truTV and HBO Max.
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?
Brewers: TBD
At this point of the postseason, it’s major breaking news when the Brewers are able to name a starting pitcher with much notice before a game. They were once again listing “to be determined” as the workhorse pick for Game 3, as of Tuesday evening. As usual there are a couple different ways they could go. Veteran, postseason-tested left-hander Jose Quintana is the obvious choice to pick up multiple innings, but he has not started a game since suffering a calf injury on Sept. 14 and he threw only 49 pitches in his only appearance in the NLDS against the Cubs in relief. The Brewers used an opener in Game 1 and could do so again ahead of Quintana if they choose, but would that make sense against the Dodgers’ lefties at the top of the order? The wild card is right-hander Jacob Misiorowski, who will be on four days’ rest for Game 3 after throwing four innings of the Brewers’ NLDS clincher against the Cubs.
Dodgers: RHP Tyler Glasnow (4-3, 3.19 ERA)
For Glasnow, who grew up a Dodgers fan, his start in Game 4 of the NLDS was something he had dreamed of since he was young. He pitched six scoreless innings against the Phillies before the Dodgers punched their ticket to the NLCS on a wild walk-off error. After missing nearly three months of the regular season due to inflammation in his throwing shoulder, Glasnow returned in July and made his first two starts against the Brewers. He held them to two runs (one earned) across 11 innings, although the Dodgers lost both games.
What might the starting lineups look like?
Brewers: Left-hander Blake Snell and right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto each mowed through Milwaukee’s lineup, covering 17 of the first 18 innings of this series and allowing one run between them. The Brewers have only five hits and two runs total in the series, and all four of their plate appearances with runners in scoring position came against relievers Roki Sasaki and Blake Treinen in the ninth inning of Game 1.
Dodgers: With Quintana a possibility to factor into the Brewers’ pitching plans, the Dodgers could gear their lineup toward facing a left-hander. That would shift Teoscar Hernández up to the No. 3 spot and move Freddie Freeman to cleanup. It could also mean that Max Muncy comes off the bench, although the third baseman might start regardless if the Brewers use an opener.
How will the bullpens line up after the starter?
Brewers: The Dodgers have seen all of the Brewers’ pitchers except for Quintana and Misiorowski. Left-hander Aaron Ashby and right-hander Abner Uribe have each pitched in both games. Going back to Game 5 of the NLDS against the Cubs, Uribe pitched three times in four days, including a pair of outings that spanned multiple innings, although he threw only 11 pitches against the Dodgers in Game 2.
Dodgers: Following Yamamoto’s complete game and a series off-day, the Dodgers’ bullpen should be reset. Sasaki has emerged as the team’s top option in save situations, although he hit his first bump in the road in Game 1 at American Family Field. He and Treinen are the only L.A. relievers the Brewers have seen this series. Alex Vesia and Emmet Sheehan should factor into leverage situations.
Any injuries of note?
Brewers: Chourio’s right hamstring was a worry in the NLDS, but he appears close to full strength now.
Dodgers: Smith, who is dealing with a hairline fracture in his right hand, returned to the starting lineup during the NLDS and should be able to start behind the plate going forward. Edman will have to continue to manage his right ankle, which landed him on the IL twice earlier this year. Reliever Tanner Scott, who struggled in leverage in the regular season, is ineligible for the NLCS after being removed from the NLDS roster due to an injury but could return if the Dodgers advance.
Who is hot and who is not?
Brewers: Yelich hasn’t driven in a run in 15 consecutive postseason games dating to his home run off Walker Buehler in the first inning of 2018 NLCS Game 7. He’s 0-for-7 in this NLCS and 0-for-17 with 11 groundouts and five strikeouts since his double leading off NLDS Game 3 against the Cubs. … Chourio’s home run in Game 2 was his fourth career postseason home run, tying the Brewers’ franchise record. He has a .973 OPS in this year’s postseason. … Jake Bauers has a 1.319 OPS in this postseason, going 3-for-8 with two extra-base hits.
Dodgers: Teoscar Hernández, Edman and Kiké Hernández all recorded two hits in Game 2, continuing a strong start to the NLCS for each of them. Meanwhile, Ohtani and Pages each picked up a run-scoring knock, which the Dodgers hope can spark something for both slumping hitters.
Anything else fans might want to know?
• This is the second season in which the road team went up 2-0 in both LCS in the same year, joining 1970, the second year of LCS play, when the round was best-of-five.
• The Dodgers have tied for the second-fewest hits allowed in the first two games of a postseason series:
