Milwaukee Brewers face Los Angeles Dodgers in NLCS with rested pitchers
Heading into the postseason, the Milwaukee Brewers are returning to the National League Championship Series with 103 regular-season wins and a starkly different outlook than the team that suffered a sweep against the Los Angeles Dodgers last year, tw.sports.yahoo.com reported.
Contrast in Rest and Relief
Last year’s matchup exposed the physical and mental fatigue of a club that labored through a grueling postseason path before running into a dominant Dodgers pitching staff. Pitching coach Chris Hook noted that the team simply ran out of energy after a taxing battle against the Chicago Cubs. This year tells a different story. Milwaukee dispatched the San Diego Padres in four games during the National League Division Series, securing three days of rest for key bullpen arms Aaron Ashby, Abner Uribe, and Trevor Megill before Game 1.
Brewers Start Rested Pitchers in Game 1 and 2
Pitching deployment dictated a reactive strategy for Milwaukee a year ago, forcing reliance on bullpen games and injured arms like Jose Quintana and Quinn Priester. The quick four-game elimination of San Diego allows the Brewers to hand the Game 1 ball to a well-rested Jacob Misiorowski, with Logan Henderson slated for Game 2. Henderson enters the series having never surrendered more than three runs in any of his 24 combined regular-season and postseason appearances, giving manager Pat Murphy a stable foundation.
Christian Yelich Ends Long Postseason RBI Drought
Christian Yelich enters the upcoming series following a productive division round against San Diego where he went 5-for-14 with a double, two walks, and a 0.900 OPS, ending a 19-game postseason RBI drought that dated back to 2018.
The Ohtani Factor
The Los Angeles side presents a distinct tactical challenge without Shohei Ohtani pitching. During the 2024 postseason, Ohtani delivered a six-inning, ten-strikeout shutout and hit three home runs in a single game. While Ohtani remains an offensive threat despite a quiet September and a sluggish division series against the Atlanta Braves where he collected two hits in 13 at-bats, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts expressed confidence in his eventual rebound. The 2026 National League Championship Series opens on October 12, with television coverage provided by Videoland Television Network.
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