The Milwaukee Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers are set up for a National League Championship Series matchup. They faced off in 2018, with Los Angeles winning and advancing to the World Series. But this year, Milwaukee took all six games against the defending champions. Brewers manager Pat Murphy revealed the text he got from Dodgers president Andrew Friedman ahead of the NLCS battle.
“Congrats, look forward to seeing you,” Friedman texted Murphy, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today. “Please see if you can be a little more hospitable than you were with us this season. Thanks for your consideration.”
The Brewers swept both three-game sets against the Dodgers in July. It was during LA's turbulent summer, when they went 10-14 in July and 15-3 in August. Milwaukee was on the opposite side, going a combined 38-16 in those months. But that is all out the window now, and a veteran LA team is rolling.
Murphy and the Brewers have a tough task in Game 1 with Blake Snell on the mound. In his first two starts this postseason, he has thrown 13 innings and allowed just two runs. Milwaukee's offensive firepower is not the reason they have made it this far, so this could be a tough matchup. But if they do get on, expect base-running chaos.
The Brewers will have ace Freddy Peralta going in Game 2 of the NLCS, with no starter announced for Game 1. Brandon Woodruff remains out, and Jacob Misiorowski has been a weapon out of the bullpen. A bullpen game is possible, as is Quinn Priester on four days' rest after his start in Game 3 of the NLDS.
The Brewers have every chance to win the World Series this year for the first time in franchise history. But Goliath is landing in Wisconsin with a repeat on their minds. Game 1 begins at 7:08 p.m. Central on Monday.