Man, talk about a gut punch to kick off the NLCS. The Los Angeles Dodgers dropped Game 1 to the Milwaukee Brewers 2-1 last night, and if you’ve been watching the Dodgers this whole year, you probably saw all their biggest issues on full display. It was a tight one, but a loss is a loss, and now the pressure is immediately on in a huge way.
Dodgers’ Plan Backfires, Brewers Grab Early Momentum
So, the big plan for Game 1 was to wear down Brewers’ ace Jacob Misiorowski. And honestly, it kinda worked, at least in part. They chipped away, but what they couldn’t get was that knockout punch. No wonder, right? The Dodgers’ “warts” have been a theme all season, and they showed up again in Milwaukee. This ain’t like last year, where I was pretty confident about L.A.’s chances in the NLCS. Folks predicting a tight series in 2025 weren’t really paying attention to how much the Dodgers had it figured out. This year? Totally different vibe. Both teams came in rested and healthy, but the Brewers just had that extra little something.
The “Bad Guys” of Baseball Face a World Series Reality Check
The buzz around the league right now? Everyone’s calling for a Milwaukee versus Tampa Bay World Series. Yeah, I know, kinda a hipster pick, but if it happens, someone’s finally getting their first ring, and that’s pretty cool. Owners would hate it though, a World Series between two “less-than-average league payrolls” would not be good for their “hard salary cap” discussions. The Dodgers are playing the “bad guys” in this NLCS again, and they’re seriously trying to avoid that Apollo Creed fate from Rocky II. Personally, I’m still holding out for a rematch of the 2020 Dodgers and Rays, you know, without everyone stuck in quarantine. Tampa Bay looks like they’re gonna walk through the ALCS, no sweat. But a Dodgers-Cleveland Guardians World Series? That would be straight-up diabolical, a baseball summary execution. The smallest payroll in the sport against the Dodgers? That’s David fighting Goliath with no sling, man. No way.
Game 2 Is a Must-Win, Dodgers Can’t Fall Behind
Game 1 felt like a must-win, especially for Milwaukee, who really needed to finally get one over on the Dodgers in postseason play. You know it was important because my inbox is full of emails from the Brewers talking about their “tone-setting win.” I gotta admit, I chuckled reading that. Now, the ball’s in the Dodgers’ court for Game 2. They haven’t had to deal with this much this year: stopping themselves from going behind the figurative eight-ball. Game 1’s starting pitching was a total toss-up, but you gotta figure the Dodgers have a nominal edge in these next couple of games. It all starts with Yoshinobu Ya on the mound for Game 2. This is it. No room to breathe.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by True Blue LA.
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