The National League Championship Series opens on Sunday at 7 pm CT as the Milwaukee Brewers host the Los Angeles Dodgers for Game 1. Jacob Misiorowski takes the mound for Milwaukee against two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal in an elite pitching showdown, with both clubs entering fully rested after sweeping their respective Division Series in four games.
Fantasy & Market Impact
- Cy Young Momentum: Jacob Misiorowski enters Game 1 carrying the mantle of the likely NL Cy Young winner after leading all qualified pitchers with a 1.80 ERA and 252 strikeouts.
- Ohtani Recovery Track: Shohei Ohtani looks to rebound in the L.A. lineup after going 2-for-13 with four strikeouts during the NLDS following his late-season return from the injured list.
The High-Stakes Aug. 1 Precedent
The Milwaukee Brewers pursued Skubal aggressively at the trade deadline but ultimately balked at including a prized young prospect in the package. Instead of watching Skubal toe the rubber for them in Game 1, the Brewers now find themselves tasked with solving him.
For Milwaukee, the front-office calculus centered on preserving six years of team control over young right-hander Logan Henderson rather than renting Skubal for two months. Yet, as Brewers president of baseball operations Matt Arnold acknowledged to the press, facing the premier left-hander on opening night represents the exact scenario the franchise hoped to sidestep. Skubal anchors an L.A. rotation that also boasts Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the MVP of the 2025 World Series, and Tyler Glasnow.
Rotation Alignment and Rest Advantages
That efficient four-game sweep allowed Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy to keep his high-leverage arms entirely out of the fray during the final innings in San Diego. Closer Trevor Megill noted that the bullpen successfully carried the load, leaving Misiorowski entirely fresh to take the ball for Game 1. Behind Misiorowski, Logan Henderson is lined up to start Game 2. Henderson posted a stellar 2.47 ERA across 18 regular-season starts, holding the Padres to a single earned run over five innings in his NLDS outing.
| Team | Regular Season Wins | Game 1 Starter | Game 2 Starter | Bullpen Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee Brewers | 103 | Jacob Misiorowski | Logan Henderson | 1st in NL ERA |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | 100 | Tarik Skubal | Yoshinobu Yamamoto | Top-Tier Depth |
Lineup Depth and the 103-Win Standard
Milwaukee reached triple-digit victories for the first time in franchise history, pacing both leagues with 103 wins. The club’s balanced offense produced the second-most runs in baseball, trailing only the Chicago Cubs. The depth of Pat Murphy’s lineup was on full display in Game 4 against San Diego, featuring seven starting hitters who posted an OPS of .718 or better during the regular season, alongside newly appointed captain Christian Yelich, who batted .357 with two steals in the Division Series.
Conversely, the Dodgers fought through an uneven September offensively before finding their footing. Shohei Ohtani’s health remains a central storyline. After returning from the injured list in the final week of the regular season, Ohtani experienced a sluggish NLDS, leading manager Dave Roberts to briefly drop him to fifth in the order before returning him to the cleanup spot for Game 4.
With Skubal and Misiorowski toeing the rubber to open proceedings, the series promises a masterclass in elite pitching execution. First pitch is set for 7 pm CT on Sunday.
