The Dodgers are the reigning World Series champions and a team laden with stars. But in the span of nine games in July, the Brewers had their number.
The Brewers are aiming to return to the World Series for the second time in franchise history, and the first since 1982, when they lost to the Cardinals in seven games.
“I’m really just happy for the guys. They’re just a great group,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said amid Milwaukee’s celebration on Saturday. “A lot of people didn’t believe in them early on and they just continue to stay relentless. I’m very, very lucky to be around these people.
“They stayed with it. They’re a bunch of guys that never quit and you can call them the average joes, but I say they’re the above-average joes.”
Here’s everything you need to know for Game 1:
When is the game and how can I watch it
Game 1 is on Monday at American Family Field, with first pitch scheduled for 7:08 p.m. CT/5:08 p.m. PT 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?
The Dodgers have yet to announce their NLCS rotation, but given how they prefer to pitch Shohei Ohtani before an off-day when possible, left-hander Blake Snell seems likely to get the call for Game 1. The lefty has looked excellent in two starts this postseason, striking out 18 against five walks and allowing just two runs across 13 innings.
Snell missed four months of his first season with the Dodgers due to inflammation in his left shoulder, but he has delivered when healthy. The two-time Cy Young Award winner has gone 6-3 with a 2.92 ERA in his postseason career.
Brewers: Even coming off a first-round bye, the Brewers cobbled together two bullpen games in the best-of-five NLDS against the Cubs. That means a best-of-seven series will be a challenge, but they do have their top two starters ready to start on regular rest for Game 1 (Quinn Priester) and Game 2 (Freddy Peralta) if they choose to keep them that way. Jose Quintana returned from a right calf injury to pitch in Game 3 of the NLDS, and figures to start in the NLCS. The Brewers will have to get creative from there.
What might the starting lineups look like?
Dodgers: The top four of the lineup typically remains unchanged, regardless of the opposing starter. Will Smith is back to starting behind the plate. If the Brewers end up starting a right-hander, then Max Muncy should hold down third base, meaning Kiké Hernández would likely start in left field.
Brewers: If it’s Snell for the Dodgers, he would be the fifth left-handed starter to face the Brewers in their first six games of this postseason. Here’s the lineup Milwaukee used against a lefty opener (Drew Pomeranz) in Game 5:
How will the bullpens line up after the starter?
Dodgers: The bullpen should be reset for Game 1. Roki Sasaki has emerged as the top option to close out games and can go multiple innings if need be, but he has yet to pitch on back-to-back days. Emmet Sheehan and Alex Vesia also rank among the Dodgers’ most trusted leverage arms. While Blake Treinen was a key reliever last postseason, he’s had an up-and-down year and is not likely to be used in high leverage for now.
Brewers: Closer Abner Uribe recorded his first career multi-inning save in Game 5 against the Cubs, but it only required 22 pitches, so he should be ready to go along with the rest of the Brewers’ high-leverage options. Trevor Megill, Milwaukee’s All-Star closer at midseason before a flexor strain sidelined him for a month down the stretch, was electric as the opener in Game 5 and can slide in anywhere during the game. Lefties Jared Koenig and Aaron Ashby figure to be key against Ohtani, Freeman and L.A.’s other lefties, and rookies Jacob Misiorowski and Chad Patrick took massive steps forward in the NLDS. The Brewers’ other length options include lefty Robert Gasser, who was knocked around by Chicago in his only NLDS appearance, and righty Tobias Myers, who didn’t make the NLDS roster. Covering all of the innings in a best-of-seven series will be a real challenge.
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. 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.
Brewers: Brandon Woodruff missed the NLDS due to a lat injury and isn’t throwing yet, so he’s out for the NLCS. However, he will continue working his way back for a possible return in the World Series, should the Brewers advance. So much of the focus against the Cubs was the health of left fielder Chourio, who missed a month during the regular season with a right hamstring strain and then re-aggravated the injury in NLDS Game 1. But he was able to start all five games, and while he might not be 100 percent running the bases, he handled outfield duties ably.
Who is hot and who is not?
Dodgers: “October Kiké” has continued to make things happen, as he has gone 7-for-22 (.318), knocked in four runs and scored five. Betts has carried his hot end to the regular season into the postseason, going 10-for-26 (.385).
Meanwhile, Ohtani scuffled at the plate in the NLDS, going 1-for-18 (.056) with nine strikeouts. Pages is just 1-for-24 (.042) this postseason, though he put the ball in play that led to the Dodgers clinching an NLCS berth on a walk-off error.
Brewers: Second baseman Brice Turang, arguably the Brewers’ best hitter during the regular season, had two hits in his first 20 plate appearances in the NLDS before connecting for a huge insurance homer in the seventh inning of Game 5. The Brewers hope that swing is the start of something.
Catcher William Contreras hit .300/.333/.650 in the NLDS with a pair of tie-breaking home runs.
Anything else fans might want to know?
• The last time the Dodgers and Brewers faced off in the postseason was the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, when L.A. swept Milwaukee in the NL Wild Card Series. This is also a rematch of the 2018 NLCS, when the Dodgers outlasted the Brewers in seven games.
• The Dodgers are looking to become the first team to win back-to-back World Series since the Yankees, who won three in a row from 1998-2000.
• This will be the seventh postseason series between teams where one swept the season series. It last happened in 2015, when the Cubs, who went 7-0 against the Mets that year, lost to New York in the NLCS.
