The Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers both clinched NLDS victories on Wednesday, setting up a rematch in the National League Championship Series. Although the Dodgers swept the Brewers in the 2025 NLCS, Milwaukee still played competitive baseball during the series. Shohei Ohtani had one of the best individual performances in MLB history in Game 4 of the series with 10 strikeouts on the mound and three home runs at the plate.
It's a new season, though. Ohtani was limited to 14 starts during the regular season due to injury and he isn't pitching this postseason. At the plate, Shohei has struggled in recent action.
The Dodgers still feature a deep roster without question. They have veterans who can step up and won't back down in the big moments. On the mound, Yoshinobu Yamamoto is establishing himself as one of the best postseason pitchers in the sport.
The MLB world may be expecting another Dodgers' World Series appearance. Sure, the Brewers had the best record in MLB during the regular season, but this LA ball club is unstoppable and inevitable, right? Well, maybe not.
Don't overlook the Brewers
Milwaukee has a complete baseball team. They have been known for pitching over the years, but their offense is quite good this season. Stars such as Jackson Chourio, William Contreras, Jake Bauers and Christian Yelich are prepared to lead the way from an offensive standpoint.
As far as the pitching is concerned, Jacob Misiorowski is likely going to win the NL Cy Young Award. He's arguably the best pitcher in the game. With Misiorowski, Logan Henderson, Dustin May and Robert Gasser all options to start games in the NLCS, Milwaukee's rotation will be able to compete against LA's. The Brewers may not have as many big names as the Dodgers, but their rotation is talented nonetheless.
Bullpens often define how well a team performs in the playoffs. Abner Uribe, Aaron Ashby and closer Trevor Megill all appeared in at least three games in the NLDS against the San Diego Padres and did not allow any runs. DL Hall and JoJo Romero are other reliable relievers in the bullpen.
Milwaukee's relief core may be what guides them to an upset over the Dodgers.
Prediction: Why Milwaukee will win NLCS
Predicting that any team will upset the Dodgers is risky. As mentioned, LA does feel unstoppable at times.
Article Continues BelowHowever, the Brewers are worthy of being considered a juggernaut. While the NLDS was competitive, Milwaukee found ways to win. The Brewers simply get the job done.
At the very least, the Brewers are going to give the Dodgers more trouble than they did last year. If Milwaukee can jump out to early leads, the pitching will take care of the rest. Of course, scoring early against stars such as Yamamoto, Tarik Skubal and Blake Snell will be easier said than done. The Brewers feature a strong enough offense to get runs on the board regardless of the competition, though.
It's time for the Brewers to end their postseason woes. Milwaukee has only reached the World Series once, something that occurred in 1982. The Brewers were defeated by the St. Louis Cardinals in the Fall Classic that year. They have not returned to the World Series since.
If Milwaukee can upset LA and book their ticket to the 2026 Fall Classic, the ball club will have a tremendous opportunity of winning its first World Series. While the American League teams should not be overlooked this year, they are less intimidating than the Dodgers. The Tampa Bay Rays already clinched an ALCS spot, while the Cleveland Guardians and Chicago White Sox are still playing their ALDS matchup.
For now, the Brewers' focus is on the NLCS against the Dodgers. Game 1 is scheduled for Sunday.