The Milwaukee Brewers just dropped their National League Championship Series roster, and if you were expecting any fireworks, you’re out of luck: it’s the exact same squad that took down the Padres in the Division Series. Seriously, zero changes. This isn’t exactly a shocker though, right? After a DS win, you gotta figure the team trusts the guys who got them there.
Those New Lefty Arms Are Ready To Unleash On LA
Okay, so the names are the same, but the strategy is definitely shifting, especially on the mound. Three left-handed pitchers , Shane Drohan, Kyle Harrison, and Chad Patrick , were on the Division Series roster, but none of them actually saw any action against the Padres. Why? That Padres lineup was stacked with right-handed bats. But now, it’s a whole different ballgame against the Dodgers.
Think about it: Shohei Ohtani, Max Muncy, Freddie Freeman, and Kyle Tucker are all lefties in the Dodgers’ regular starting lineup. With a longer series ahead and that kind of lefty firepower, you absolutely have to expect Drohan and Harrison to get their shot. It’s an opportunity for these guys to step up big time and prove why they were kept on the roster. Now, for Patrick, it’s a bit different. His control issues flared up in September, and it looks like that’s still keeping him on the outside looking in for now. You gotta fix those command problems to get into these high-stakes games.
Who’s In, Who’s Out: The Real Questions Start With The Batters
When it comes to the lineup, Manager Pat Murphy has some interesting decisions ahead, especially with how he plays the left/right platoons. We saw Sal Frelick start all three games where the Padres threw right-handed pitchers in the DS. Luis Lara, on the other hand, only played in Game 1 when the lefty Robbie Ray was on the bump. It feels like that’s going to continue as the default, but Frelick was *electric* in the Division Series. He was playing so well, it makes you wonder if he could snag a start against one of the Dodgers’ tough lefties like Blake Snell or Tarik Skubal. That would be a huge vote of confidence.
But the biggest question mark is gotta be Andrew Vaughn. The dude only got two plate appearances in the entire Padres series! Murphy opted for Jake Bauers at first base and threw out a better defensive option in right field instead of trying to get both Vaughn and Bauers into the lineup. And let’s be real, Christian Yelich is basically cemented in that lineup. He stayed in even against the lefty Ray, and after his strong showing in the DS, you’d be crazy to think he’s sitting against Snell or Skubal, even with how tough those matchups are. So, does Milwaukee sacrifice a bit of defense by putting Bauers in right and Vaughn at first against those lefty starters? Or is Vaughn just too valuable as a high-leverage pinch-hitter to waste on a full start? It’s also worth remembering Vaughn was shaking off a nasty illness, so maybe that played a role in his limited playing time, not just strategy.
So, no surprises on paper, but the real show starts when these guys face off against the Dodgers. How Pat Murphy plays these matchups, especially with those potent left-handed Dodgers bats coming up, is going to be EVERYTHING. Get ready, this NLCS is gonna be wild!
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.
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