The Milwaukee Brewers are set to face the Los Angeles Dodgers for the fourth time in nine seasons in the 2026 National League playoffs. The Brewers, who finished as the top seed with a 103-59 record, advanced after defeating the San Diego Padres in the NL Division Series. The second-seeded Dodgers (100-62) eliminated the Atlanta Braves in their NLDS matchup.
This marks a familiar playoff hurdle for Milwaukee, as the Dodgers have won each of their previous postseason meetings: the 2018 NLCS, the 2020 wild-card round, and the 2025 NLCS. Last season, the Dodgers swept the Brewers in four games.
FOX Sports MLB Analyst Eric Karros suggests the Brewers' offensive strategy must focus on patience and strike zone discipline. "They come to play every single day. They grind; they don't give away anything," Karros stated. "Offensively, I don't know if it's necessarily the hitting part as much as it's controlling the strike zone, and that means don't expand, don't chase pitches out of the zone, take your walks, be patient and just kind of wear down this Dodgers' pitching staff."
Despite their regular-season offensive prowess, the Brewers scored only 13 runs in their four NLDS games against the Padres and a mere four runs in the 2025 NLCS against the Dodgers. In the 2026 regular season, Milwaukee led MLB in hits (1,422) and on-base percentage (.341), tied for first in batting average (.258), and was second in runs scored (832). However, they ranked tied for 28th in home runs (154).
Key offensive contributors for the Brewers include second baseman Brice Turang, who recorded 23 defensive runs saved and drove in 100 runs. First baseman Jake Bauers led the team with 26 home runs, while left fielder Jackson Chourio contributed 25 home runs and 23 stolen bases. Catcher William Contreras led MLB catchers with 94 RBIs and hit two home runs in the NLDS.
Pitching has been the cornerstone of Milwaukee's success. Their starting rotation ranked second in the majors in opponent batting average (.220) and third in strikeouts (907). Ace Jacob Misiorowski posted a league-best 1.80 ERA and 252 strikeouts over 30 starts. The bullpen was also strong, ranking third in ERA (3.40).
The Dodgers present a formidable challenge, boasting a deep lineup featuring stars like Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, and Mookie Betts. They finished second in the regular season in slugging percentage (.424) and third in batting average (.257) and on-base percentage (.338). Their starting rotation was second in ERA (3.43).
Los Angeles' pitching staff includes Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, and trade deadline acquisition Tarik Skubal. Ohtani has primarily served as the designated hitter due to knee inflammation.
Karros noted that Misiorowski's effectiveness against left-handed hitters, a strength of the Dodgers' lineup, could be an advantage for the Brewers. "At the end of the day, this series is going to come down to the Brewers' bullpen and matchup against the Dodgers' depth position player-wise and what [Dodgers manager] Dave Roberts creates," Karros added.
Milwaukee held a 4-3 record against Los Angeles in the regular season. Game 1 of the 2026 NLCS is scheduled for Sunday night, with the series broadcast on FOX networks.