by Megan Garcia
The postseason history between the Dodgers and Brewers isn’t too far in the rearview mirror.
The Dodgers swept Milwaukee in the 2020 National League Wild Card Series. They also beat Milwaukee in a seven-game battle for the pennant in 2018.
Now the next chapter between the two franchises begins on Monday at American Family Field in the National League Championship Series. The winner in the best-of-seven series will advance to the World Series.
The season series between the Dodgers and Brewers was settled in two weeks in July. The Dodgers were in one of their toughest stretches of the season, at the time, going 2–10.
The Brewers, on the other hand, were one of the hottest teams in baseball with an 11–1 record between July 4 and July 20.
By the end of the regular season, things had changed.
The Dodgers finished 15–5 over their last 20 games. They are 5–1 in the postseason. The Brewers, with a hefty lead in the NL Central, cruised down the stretch to a 12–12 record in September. They had to withstand the Cubs in the NL Division Series and won it in five games.
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The Brewers finished with the best record in baseball during the regular season. Their pitching and offense ranked in the top three across baseball.
They went 41–25 in the second half, tied for the best record in the National League with the Phillies. They also led with 349 runs scored, .272 batting average and .345 on-base percentage after the All-Star break.
Their 19.5% strikeout percentage trailed the Marlins and Padres at the end of the season for lowest in the NL.
The Dodgers went 35–30 in the second half. Los Angeles’ pitching led the NL with a 3.45 ERA after the All-Star break, while Milwaukee’s 3.49 ERA ranked second.
The Dodgers enter the NLCS after beating the Phillies in four games.
Mookie Betts is 10-for-26 in the postseason with a 1.005 OPS. Teoscar Hernández is 8-for-26 with nine RBI and a 1.026 OPS. Kiké Hernández is 7-for-22 (.318).
The Brewers beat the Cubs in five games of the NLDS, while outscoring them 22–17. Outfielder Jackson Chourio led with six RBI and went 7-for-18.
Catcher William Contreras and first baseman Andrew Vaughn each hit two home runs in the series.
Dodger pitchers have a 3.38 ERA in six postseason games. Los Angeles starters have thrown a combined 35 innings in five games while posting a 2.02 ERA.
Milwaukee pitchers recorded 46 strikeouts against the Cubs and surrendered nine home runs. They combined for a 3.35 ERA in the NLDS.
Season Series…
The Dodgers were winless in six games against the Brewers this season. It was the first time they had been swept in a season series by Milwaukee in 26 years.
The Dodgers averaged 2.7 runs per game against the Brewers, being outscored 31–16. The offense slashed .179/.245/.301/.546 against Milwaukee pitching, which ranked first in the NL with a 3.59 ERA.
They were also limited to two runs or fewer in four games by Milwaukee, including a shutout at Dodger Stadium on July 18.
Dodger starters had a 4.32 ERA and 1.48 WHIP against the Brewers. Their 10.1 hits-per-nine-innings against Milwaukee was above their season 7.4 hits-per-nine-innings mark.
Milwaukee averaged nearly 5.2 runs per game against the Dodgers. The Brewers slashed .274/.342/.394/.736 with 12 extra-base hits.
Strength vs. Strength
Pitching again gets the headline.
Two of the three best rotation ERAs in the National League belonged to the Brewers (second) and Dodgers (third). Now, in the best-of-seven series, the starters are the key to limiting the opposing team.
Blake Snell is the Dodgers’ Game 1 starter. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, whose 2.49 ERA ranked second in the NL, will start Game 2. They’ve recorded 29 combined strikeouts and 23 2/3 innings in four postseason starts.
Snell allowed only two earned runs in two starts (NLWCS Game 1, NLDS Game 1).
The left-hander didn’t face the Brewers in the regular season due to being on the injured list with left shoulder inflammation. But his game plan to combat them is set.
“The goal is to keep them off the bases. If they’re on the bases, it depends on which runner is on base,” Snell said on Sunday. “No matter what, it will change the way you view them — the leg lift to home, the time, the looks, disrupting that.
“But I’ve studied them. I understand who is running, who is not running, counts, all that. If we get to that point, then I’ll be ready for it and well aware of it.”
Shohei Ohtani will start later in the series.
Ohtani started Game 1 of the NLDS, his only postseason start so far. He allowed three runs over six innings.
“Appreciating having four starters in a potential seven-game series and who can pitch potentially twice, that’s kind of the impetus.” Dave Roberts said of where Ohtani pitches.
The Brewers haven’t announced their rotation yet, but ace Freddy Peralta will likely go in Game 2. He finished fourth in the NL with a 2.70 ERA.
He started Games 1 and 4 of the NLDS against the Cubs. He gave up five runs through 9 2/3 innings between both starts, while striking out 15.
Milwaukee utilized the opener in the NLDS with Aaron Ashby, Trevor Megill and Quinn Priester. Brewers manager Pat Murphy said on Sunday that they may use an opener in Game 1 and later decide who to use in Game 3.
All-Star rookie pitcher Jacob Misiorowski is also part of the Brewers’ pitching plan after he impressed with one earned run through seven innings in appearances.
“We’re going to have to piece it together. That’s how we do it. It’s patchwork. It’s proven to be pretty good,” Murphy said. “(Christian Yelich) calls it the collection of misfit toys. Everybody has been DFA’ed or moved around or been through really tough stretches, whatever. And it’s kind of all hands on deck and they’re ready to do whatever.
Los Angeles’ Top Pitchers vs. Brewers in ’25:
- Tyler Glasnow: two starts, 11 innings, six hits, four walks, one earned run, 11 strikeouts
- Clayton Kershaw: two starts, 10 1/3 innings, 11 hits, two walks, three earned runs, five strikeouts
Milwaukee’s Top Pitchers vs. Dodgers in ’25:
- Freddy Peralta: two starts, 11 innings, 10 hits, four walks, four runs, 11 strikeouts
- Jacob Misiorowski: one start, six innings, four hits, one walk, one run, 12 strikeouts
- Quinn Priester: one start, six innings, three hits, no walks, no runs, 10 strikeouts
2025 NLCS: Dodgers and Brewers set to clash for the NL pennant was originally published in Dodger Insider on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.