It’s Game 2 of the National League Division Series, and the Milwaukee Brewers are rolling out a promising young arm against the San Diego Padres’ ace. On one side, you’ve got veteran Michael King, coming off a near no-hitter in his last outing. On the other, the Brewers are handing the ball to 24-year-old Logan Henderson, who, despite being a rookie, has absolutely seized a top spot in their rotation. This is shaping up to be a wild one at American Family Field.
Michael King: The Padres’ Playoff Tested Ace Ready to Grind
The San Diego Padres are putting their trust in right-hander Michael King, a 31-year-old with eight MLB seasons under his belt. King’s regular season numbers were solid: a 12-10 record with a 3.21 ERA across 32 starts, racking up 159 strikeouts in 185 innings. His WHIP sits at a respectable 1.178, though he did give up 20 homers and 70 walks. What really jumps out is his playoff experience: five appearances with a 2.05 ERA over 22 innings, making playoff appearances in three consecutive seasons. This dude knows what the postseason pressure cooker feels like.
His last time out, King dominated the Cubs on September 29, throwing seven shutout innings, giving up just one hit, striking out eight, and walking three. And get this: he took a no-hitter into the seventh inning of Game 1 in the NL wild-card series against the Cubs. Talk about coming in hot! When facing the Brewers earlier this season, he allowed just one earned run on six hits over 5 ⅔ innings. King summed up the challenge of playing Milwaukee perfectly: “They put the pressure on. And similar to what I was saying, we want to play Padre baseball. They’re going to try to make us play that Brewer style of baseball. And if they can speed it up and speed me up on the mound, then they’re gonna win.” This guy understands the chess match.
Logan Henderson: The Rookie Phenom Taking The Mound For Milwaukee
Across the diamond for the Brewers, we’ve got Logan Henderson, a right-handed pitcher who’s only 24 and in just his second MLB season. What a rise for this guy! Henderson’s regular season was phenomenal, especially considering his limited experience: an 11-3 record with an eye-popping 2.47 ERA in 18 starts. He punched out 110 batters in 98 innings with an insane 0.844 WHIP, allowing 14 homers and only 19 walks. This kid is efficient! This will be his *first playoff appearance*, a huge moment for the young arm.
Despite battling through back ailments earlier this year, Henderson has become the clear No. 2 for the pitching staff, even as a rookie. He hasn’t allowed more than three runs in any of his 23 career appearances, which is just absurd consistency. His last outing was September 23 against the Phillies, where he gave up one run on four hits over five innings. Against the Padres this season, he allowed three earned runs on five hits in 6 ⅓ innings, striking out seven and walking one. Henderson sounds ready for the moment, noting, “I feel like I’ve grown a lot as a pitcher, just getting some more innings under my belt. And talking to guys like Woodruff and all the guys in the clubhouse, there’s just so much to learn.” He’s soaking it all in.
After Monday’s day off, the Brewers are looking to Dustin May to start Game 3 in San Diego on October 6. But tonight, it’s all about King vs. Henderson. Can the rookie handle the bright lights of his playoff debut against a seasoned postseason veteran? You know we’ll be watching every single pitch.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply