Alex Bregman reportedly will hit MLB free agency for a second straight offseason.
The veteran infielder, who signed a three-year, $120 million contract with the Red Sox in February, will be opting out after playing the first year of his deal, according to a report from The New York Post’s Jon Heyman on Tuesday night.
Bregman’s contract included opt outs after each of the first two seasons. It doesn’t come as a major surprise the 31-year-old would pursue a deal with longer term after being named an MLB All-Star for the third time in his career.
Bregman departing Boston is not a definite, however.
The Red Sox remain a logical fit for Bregman, Heyman wrote. But Boston likely will have competition for the Gold Glove third baseman with the Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros viewed as potential suitors.
Bregman hit .273 with a .821 OPS in 433 at-bats for the playoff-qualifying Red Sox. He belted 18 home runs with 62 RBIs in 114 games, numbers that were a product of being sidelined 43 games with a right quad strain. He didn’t play from late May through mid-July but returned to help Boston in its pursuit for the postseason.
Bregman’s on-field production was complemented by his leadership in the clubhouse. With Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer and other youngsters entering the big leagues, Bregman was credited for instituting his work ethic and professionalism behind the scenes.
On the latest episode of The Mets Pod presented by Tri-State Cadillac, Connor Rogers and Joe DeMayo look at the road ahead for Pete Alonso and the Mets offseason.
Connor and Joe discuss the money and years necessary for the Mets to bring back both Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz, and they also talk about what the Mets can learn from the playoff exits of the Reds, Phillies, and Dodgers.
Later, the guys recap their Mets 2025 preseason predictions (yikes), and dig back into the Mailbag to answer questions about prospects who could make the major leagues in 2026, the future for Brett Baty, the thought of Houston’s Hunter Brown as a possible trade target, and ideas for improving center field.
Be sure to subscribe to The Mets Pod at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
While the Yankees haven't conveyed that noticeable changes to their coaching staff are expected this offseason, it appears they're at least comfortable seeing one of Aaron Boone's trusted minds pursue a promotion elsewhere.
According to a report from the New York Post, the Yankees have granted the Twins permission to interview hitting coach James Rowson for their open managerial position. Red Sox bench coach Ramon Vazquez and former Pirates skipper Derek Shelton are reportedly in the running as well.
It's not at all surprising to see Rowson -- who assumed the Bronx role ahead of the 2024 season -- on the Twins' radar. The 49-year-old oversaw a Yankees offense that produced league-high marks in home runs (274), runs (849), OPS (.787), and walks (639) during the 2025 campaign.
Rowson also has a history with the Twins, as he worked as their hitting coach for three seasons (2017-19) before serving as Marlins bench coach from 2020-22. The Yankees knew they were receiving a power-centric approach from Rowson -- the Twins smacked a league-record 307 homers during his third and final season there.
It remains to be seen whether Rowson emerges as a serious managerial candidate. The Mount Vernon native has a long history with the Yankees, too -- he played a few seasons in the Yankees' farm system (1995-97) and spent seven seasons (2006-11, 2014-16) as their minor league hitting coordinator.
With Eric Chavez and Eric Barnes not returning, the Mets will have some new hitting instructors in the dugout in 2026.
First reported by ESPN's Jeff Passan, Mets director of hitting development Jeff Albert will be in uniform and in the dugout this season, leading the team's major league hitting program.
The Mets plan is to reportedly "complement him with another hitting coach."
Albert joined the Mets organization in 2022 as director of hitting development after previously working with both the St. Louis Cardinals and the Houston Astros in a handful of different roles. Now 44, Albert severed as the Cardinals hitting coach from 2019-2022, helping Paul Goldschmidt win an MVP in 2022.
The Mets have not yet made any external additions to Carlos Mendoza's staff, as the manager returns for his third season with the club.
MILWAUKEE — Max Muncy was inches away from hitting a grand slam for the Los Angeles Dodgers to open the scoring in the National League Championship Series.
Little did he know his 404-foot drive instead would end the top of the fourth inning in one of the most incredible plays of this or any postseason.
“It’s definitely the worst fielder’s choice/double play I’ve ever hit in my life,” Muncy said after the Dodgers’ 2-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 1.
Here’s how Muncy’s potential grand slam turned into an unusual 8-6-2 double play:
With the bases loaded and one out, Muncy hit a long drive to center field, where Sal Frelick jumped and reached over the wall in an attempt to make the catch.
The ball popped out of Frelick’s glove and hit the top of the fence before Frelick caught it in the air. Muncy wasn’t ruled out because the ball hit the wall — but the Dodgers’ runners scrambled back to their bases thinking the ball was caught on a fly.
“I didn’t see it hit the wall,” said Will Smith, who was on second base. “I just thought he kind of brought it back in and caught it.”
Frelick fired to shortstop Joey Ortiz, who quickly relayed a strike to catcher William Contreras. Aware a force was still in effect, Contreras alertly stretched for the throw with his right foot on home plate, rather than position himself for a tag that would have been necessary if the ball hadn’t hit the wall.
Contreras caught the ball before Teoscar Hernández slid across the plate, forcing out Hernández after he had hesitated at third base.
“Teo knows the rule. I think right there he had just a little bit of a brain fart, appreciating that when it does hit the glove, you can tag (up) there,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “But then he tagged, did it correctly, then saw he didn’t catch it, (and) he went back. That was the mistake. But he owned it. And after that, there’s nothing else you can do about it.”
After the force out at home plate, Contreras smartly got up and jogged to third to force out Smith, too.
Smith had gone back to second when he thought Frelick made a clean catch.
“From home plate, I had a pretty good view of it,” Contreras said through an interpreter. “I could tell pretty much right away it hit off the wall. Right away once it hits off the wall, you know that ball is played live. Tremendous job by the guys there just doing what we needed to do to finish that play off.”
As all of it was developing, Frelick had his arms out with a quizzical look on his face, wondering what exactly had just happened — not unlike many fans.
The Dodgers challenged the call, but a replay review confirmed the force outs at home and third for a most unusual inning-ending 8-6-2 double play.
Umpires called it correctly in real time all the way through the play.
“Honestly, I didn’t know they ruled it a no-catch,” Roberts said. “I just wanted clarity on the whole situation. And then kind of making sure that they got a couple of force outs, which they did. And ultimately, those guys and replay, the guys on the field got it right. They nailed it.”
At 404 feet, it was the second-longest projected distance on a batted ball resulting in a double play since Statcast tracking began in 2015 — regular-season games included. For Muncy, it goes down as a grounded-into-double play, even though the ball didn’t touch the ground.
There had not been an 8-6-2 double play in the postseason over the last 35 years, the Elias Sports Bureau said. Those type of official scoring details are not always clear in records going back any further.
The most recent 8-6-2 double play in the regular season involved a ball hit by Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa to Cincinnati center fielder Ken Griffey Jr. in April 2004 — though that one ended with a tag at the plate.
TORONTO — Two games into the AL Championship Series against Seattle, the Toronto Blue Jays look like a different team from the one that pounded the New York Yankees.
“Always going to have optimism about this team,” manager John Schneider said after a 10-3 loss to the Mariners dropped Toronto into a 2-0 series deficit. “We’ve got to figure out a way to limit damage, one, and then two, generate more offense
Of the 27 teams winning the first two games on the road of a best-of-seven series during the 2-3-2 format, 24 have gone on to win.
Toronto, which led the majors with 49 comeback wins in the regular season, is trying to reach the World Series for the first time since winning its second straight title in 1993.
Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was 0 for 3 with a walk and is 0 for 7 in the series. Guerrero went 9 for 17 with three homers and nine RBIs in four games against the Yankees.
Toronto has four runs and eight hits — just two for extra bases — in the two games against Seattle. Just one hit has come after the second inning.
Toronto went 40-41 on the road in the regular season but swept a three-game series at Seattle in May.
“We have a good day tomorrow to reset as a team and get ready for Game 3 and whatever happens there,” said rookie Trey Yesavage, the Game 2 loser. “I wouldn’t count this group out. This group is special.”
With the 2025 MLB regular season behind us, it’s time to review what we learned from a fantasy perspective and how we can apply it to next year.
In the coming days throughout October, we’ll be breaking down the standout seasons, the breakout candidates, the prospects to know, and our early 2026 rankings. You can see our catcher breakdownhere, and our first base breakdownhere.
In this edition, we’ll cover the 2025 closer position and take a look at some situations to monitor this winter, as well as some relievers on the rise.
2025 POSITION BREAKDOWN: RELIEF PITCHER
The closer position remains volatile as we chase saves in drafts and on the waiver wire. This season, about half of the top 20 closers by ADP failed to match their draft value. Emmanuel Clase, the top closer in drafts, finished with only 24 saves and was suspended in late July. Devin Williams, usually second drafted, managed just 18 saves for the Yankees before losing the job to Luke Weaver and David Bednar. Mason Miller and Ryan Helsley, other top-10 draft closers, were traded to setup roles.
On the other hand, Josh Hader had an incredible season despite missing the final two months. Edwin Díaz enjoyed a successful bounce-back season. Andrés Muñoz and Jhoan Duran elevated their game to new levels. And we got some incredible values from the likes of Aroldis Chapman and Emilio Pagán. With a total of 215 different pitchers recording a league-wide 1201 saves, securing the category early in drafts will always have its merits, while examples like Chapman and Pagán prove that waiting remains viable if you can identify the right situations.
2025’s Top Ten Closers
1. Aroldis Chapman (Red Sox)
61 1/3 IP, 1.17 ERA, 0.70 WHIP, 85/15 K/BB, 32 SV
Year 16 in the majors may have, incredibly, been Chapman’s best yet. There was some ambiguity over who would emerge as Boston’s closer this season, and in the end, it was the 37-year-old left-handed veteran proving he had plenty left in the tank. Chapman was still averaging 98.5 mph on the fastball, still generated an elite whiff rate, and displayed some of his best control with a career-low 6.6% walk rate in a full season. The Red Sox rewarded Chapman with a one-year contract extension for 2026 at $13.3 million.
Finally trusted with the full-time closer role, Muñoz enjoyed a breakout 2025 campaign with a career-high 38 saves for the ALCS-bound Seattle Mariners. The 26-year-old right-hander’s skills have been incredibly consistent over the last three seasons. A secured role now makes him one of the top closers going into 2026.
3. Edwin Díaz (Mets)
66 1/3 IP, 1.63 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, 98/21 K/BB, 28 SV
Díaz had a relatively disappointing 2024 after missing the 2023 season with a knee injury. Another year removed, he bounced back in a big way this season for the Mets, going from a 3.52 ERA to a 1.63 ERA with outstanding strikeout numbers. While his skills haven’t fully rebounded to otherworldly 2022 levels, mainly behind a 97 mph fastball that has lagged behind the 99 mph mark he was displaying pre-injury, he remains among the best closers in the game. He has the ability to opt out of the final two years and $37 million on his contract with the Mets and become a free agent, which most expect he will do.
4. Jhoan Duran (Phillies)
70 IP, 2.06 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 80/19 K/BB, 32 SV
Duran, much like Muñoz, excelled this season as he was trusted with the full-time closer role, posting a career-high 32 saves. The save total saw a boost after he was acquired by the Phillies at the trade deadline, converting 16 of his 32 saves over the last two months in Philadelphia. The team has its locked-in closer over the next several seasons with three more years of team control, giving him the job security behind the elite skills that make him one of baseball’s top pitchers in the ninth inning.
5. Robert Suarez (Padres)
69 2/3 IP, 2.97 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 75/16 K/BB, 40 SV
There was some concern going into the season surrounding Suarez and the way he ended his 2024 season. He put those questions to rest with an excellent campaign, leading the National League with 40 saves while maintaining outstanding ratios and an improved strikeout rate. The threat of Mason Miller behind Suarez may keep his draft price suppressed once again, but there’s speculation that Miller could potentially be stretched out as a starter. Still, there’s little reason to believe Suarez’s role would be in any jeopardy unless the team decides to cash in on a trade this winter.
6. Josh Hader (Astros)
62 2/3 IP, 2.30 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 86/19 K/BB, 28 SV
Hader might’ve finished atop the rankings had he not suffered a shoulder injury that sidelined him for the final two months, with his last appearance coming on August 8. Before that, he had converted 28 saves while displaying some of the best skills of his career, including a 7.8% walk rate and 21.1% swinging-strike rate.
7. David Bednar (Yankees)
62 2/3 IP, 2.30 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 86/19 K/BB, 27 SV
Bednar was briefly demoted by the Pirates early in the season before returning in mid-April and putting together a strong bounce-back campaign, following a 5.77 ERA in 2024. He converted 17 saves for Pittsburgh and was the best reliever for the Yankees after joining New York at the trade deadline, converting ten more saves. With another year of team control, Bednar is in line to open the 2026 season as the Yankees’ closer.
8. Trevor Megill (Brewers)
47 IP, 2.49 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 60/17 K/BB, 30 SV
After converting 21 saves for Milwaukee in 2024, filling in for Devin Williams, Megill opened the season as the team’s closer with Williams traded to the Yankees over the offseason. He ran with the opportunity, converting 30 saves with outstanding ratios before a right flexor strain landed him on the injured list in late August. Megill made just one more appearance on the final day of the regular season before Milwaukee’s postseason run.
9. Carlos Estévez (Royals)
66 IP, 2.45 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 54/22 K/BB, 42 SV
Estévez was a big regression candidate as he seemed to pitch well above his peripherals in 2024. Instead, he posted a nearly identical season, including a carbon copy 2.45 ERA on his way to leading baseball with 42 saves. Still, the red flags remain, as Estévez saw a sharp dip in his swinging-strike rate while issuing more walks, a ratio he’ll have to correct if he’s to repeat his success next season.
10. Kenley Jansen (Angels)
59 IP, 2.59 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 57/19 K/BB, 29 SV
The 2025 top ten is bookended by a pair of 16-year veterans. And like Chapman, Jansen proved he can still get it done with an outstanding 16th season. The 38-year-old right-hander should certainly get another chance to add to his 476 career saves in 2026.
2026 Rising Relievers
Braydon Fisher (Blue Jays)
Fisher had an outstanding rookie season for the Blue Jays, earning a call-up after posting a 1.62 ERA with 22 strikeouts over 16 2/3 innings in Triple-A. The 25-year-old right-hander made an impact in the Toronto bullpen, recording a 2.70 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and a 62/19 K/BB ratio across 50 innings. His 22.3% K-BB rate was the best in the Blue Jays’ bullpen. While Jeff Hoffman remains under contract for two more seasons, he doesn’t have the longest track record as a closer, and it would not be surprising to see Fisher in the mix for saves sometime in 2026 should Hoffman struggle next season.
Ronny Henriquez (Marlins)
The Marlins found a gem when they claimed Henriquez off waivers from the Twins before the season. The 25-year-old right-hander had a breakout season in Miami, posting a 2.22 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and a 98/27 K/BB ratio across 73 innings, earning seven wins and converting seven saves. His 23.4% K-BB rate was tops in the Marlins’ bullpen as he collected plenty of strikeouts behind a strong 16.7% swinging-strike rate. Henriquez worked his way into a share of saves in a closer committee and, at worst, should go into the season in the mix for saves once again.
Connor Phillips (Reds)
Phillips posted an 8.01 ERA across 19 starts in Triple-A in 2024 before reinventing himself as a reliever in 2025 after recovering from Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. He posted a 2.84 ERA across 38 innings in the minors, earning himself a promotion on June 20. The 24-year-old right-hander went on to record a 2.88 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, and a 32/12 K/BB ratio across 25 innings in Cincinnati. Flashing a 98 mph fastball and 15.4% swinging-strike rate, Phillips could be in line for a significant role in the back end of the Reds’ bullpen next season, especially if the team loses closer Emilio Pagán in free agency.
Matt Svanson (Cardinals)
Svanson is another name to watch for in 2026. The 26-year-old right-hander went under the radar this season despite a breakout performance, posting a 1.94 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, and a 68/20 K/BB ratio across 60 1/3 innings for the Cardinals. Svanson has positioned himself for a pivotal role in the St. Louis bullpen in 2026. And while JoJo Romero and Riley O’Brien finished the season in a closer committee, neither has a large track record in the ninth inning, nor have they separated themselves from a skills perspective.
2026 Situations to watch
The main things to watch for over the offseason when it comes to closers are the vacant situations left by pending free agents and teams with ambiguous roles without established closers. The biggest name on the market will be Devin Williams. The 31-year-old right-hander had a disappointing season in New York, posting a 4.79 ERA over 62 innings while losing the closer role. Still, his underlying metrics remained strong while he maintained an elite strikeout rate. There’s a good chance he’s given an opportunity to close wherever he lands. Other big names to watch for include Emilio Pagán, Raisel Iglesias, Kenley Jansen, Luke Weaver, and Ryan Helsley. Robert Suarez of the Padres can also exercise an opt-out and enter free agency.
The Yankees surprised the baseball world last offseason when they made a trade with the Chicago Cubs for former MVP Cody Bellinger.
Bellinger was a part of GM Brian Cashman and his front office's Plan B after Juan Soto signed with the Mets in free agency. Did they expect Bellinger, who rehabilitated his career in Chicago, to replace the offensive production Soto gave them in their World Series run a year ago? Of course not, but after a humiliating defeat at the hands of the Dodgers, run prevention and defense were the mantra and Bellinger provided that with his elite defense.
It was a risky move. Bellinger's end in Los Angeles was not great, and after a very good first season on the North Side, he had a down 2024. But once Bellinger donned the pinstripes, he was a revelation, complementing Aaron Judge in the outfield perfectly and providing the defense the team lacked a season ago.
With Bellinger likely to opt out of his player option this offseason -- and no one would blame him -- should the Yankees pursue a reunion with the 30-year-old?
Aug 28, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger (35) celebrates with designated hitter Aaron Judge (99) after they score on Bellinger’s two run home run against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning at Rate Field. / Matt Marton-Imagn Images
Why Yankees should re-sign Cody Bellinger
Bellinger had one of the best seasons of his career in 2025.
He batted .272 (third-best in his career), had an OBP of .334 (fourth-best), slugged .480 (third-best) and had an OPS of .813 (fifth-best). His 29 home runs were the third-most of his career and his 98 RBI were the second-most. He was also the Yankees' most clutch hitter, batting .348 with runners in scoring position. Next season, Bellinger will enter his age-31 year, so it's not like he's aging and the production should not be expected to dip. Similar production in 2026 is not far-fetched.
On the defensive end, Bellinger made a number of game-saving plays this season. The catch and throw double play to salvage a game against the Mets this summer and his sliding grabs in the postseason are notable, and the Yankees haven't had an elite defender in left field in years.
According to Baseball Savant, Bellinger was in the 93rd percentile in outs above average (OAA) this season and still has a solid arm -- ranking in the 83rd percentile. Runners were also only 31 percent successful in advancing to the next base against him.
Depending on how Judge recovers from his ailing elbow this offseason -- or if he needs surgery -- and Trent Grisham testing free agency, the Yankees need all the defense they can get.
The argument for letting Bellinger walk is two-fold. The first is tied to money.
Bellinger is walking away from a player option that would have paid him $25 million. With the very good season he had, Bellinger will look to get $30 million a year with a team. And while he's expressed that he's open to returning to the Yankees, the team will have to look long and hard to see if they are willing to give Bellinger the contract he's looking for.
The other side is the young outfielders the Yankees currently have. Jasson Dominguez is still looked at as a potential everyday outfielder. However, the youngster's inconsistent production, and Bellinger and Grisham's play in 2025 prevented Dominguez from seeing a lot of playing time. How the Yankees handle Bellinger and Grisham (who is also a free agent) in the offseason could keep Dominguez out of the loop.
There's also prospect Spencer Jones, who seemingly out of nowhere began to be very productive in Double-A before his promotion to Triple-A. With the young slugger on the cusp of a call-up, the number of outfield spots on the Yankees is limited, especially if you bring back Bellinger.
Bellinger is a solid postseason hitter, but it's nothing to write home about. In his seven trips to the postseason, Bellinger has 10 home runs and driven in 37 RBI. He was the NLCS MVP back in 2018 with the Dodgers and was a powerhouse in Los Angeles' World Series run back in 2020 when he launched four bombs.
But lately, he hasn't gotten the job done. This postseason, Bellinger was 6-for-31 with just one home run and four RBI. At times, it looked like he was incapable of lifting the ball. Whether that had to do with his foot injury is unknown, but he couldn't deliver for the Yankees behind Judge this time around.
Oct 1, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) speaks to New York Yankees left fielder Cody Bellinger (35) after the fifth inning against the Boston Red Sox during game two of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Verdict
With the Yankees' perpetual win-now mentality, they need to bring in at least one veteran outfielder to pair with Judge. Bellinger's production made him a great No. 2 to the captain, especially when Giancarlo Stanton was on the injured list. His defense saved games and if New York is looking to give Dominguez a real shot, they'll need it to cover up the youngster's deficiencies.
Bellinger also gives the Yankees versatility, being able to play first base when needed. If the Yankees want to bring up Jones to get some time in the big leagues, Bellinger could slide over to first base to allow for that to happen in the outfield.
While this postseason's numbers weren't great, given another shot, Bellinger will likely deliver.
Rangers' hunt for a new head coach to replace Russell Martin is still ongoing, with more than two candidates on the shortlist after Steven Gerrard withdrew from the process.
But is the solution to their problems "staring them in the face"?
Former Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Rohl appears to be one of the candidates on the list after he reportedly held talks with the the club's hierarchy last week.
Yet Daily Record sports writer Scott McDermott and former Rangers striker Rory Loy both believe the 36-year-old, who has had spells as an assistant with RB Leipzig, Bayern Munich and the German national team, is not the answer for Rangers.
Instead McDermott thinks current Hearts boss Derek McInnes would make a better replacement for the departed Russell Martin, who lasted just 17 games after being appointed in June.
"We know Rangers have spoken to Danny Rohl, they spoke to him before they appointed Russell Martin, so he's obviously been on their radar for a while," McDermott told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.
"Is he the right guy for Rangers? Not for me, not for what Rangers need at the moment.
"He's a very highly rated young coach. Sheffield Wednesday is the only managerial gig so far, but he has worked at a high level with Germany and Bayern Munich.
"In Rangers' situation at the moment, the predicament they find themselves in both in the league but also just historically with lack of success and trophies in the past 10 to 15 years, they need a specific type of manager.
"With all due respect, I'm not sure a 36-year-old coach coming from the English Championship is exactly what they need.
"For me, the answer is staring Rangers in the face. The answer for Rangers is Derek McInnes at the moment."
Loy says there are parallels that can be drawn between Martin and Rohl and feels Rangers fans would want to steer clear of a repeat of the last four months.
But the right person for the job remains unclear to him.
"There are some similarities in that Martin and Rohl have both managed in the English Championship," Loy told the podcast.
"But Barry Bannan saying he's the best coach he's ever worked with, I just don't think Rangers fans want to hear that again.
"It's good for players to be saying that but that's one thing the board said about Russell Martin before appointing him and those words haunted him.
"Rohl and Martins' backgrounds are so similar so you don't need to have experience and understand the club to know that that profile of manager isn't going to work.
"You need a manager that's going to come in, win trophies, have this aura, have this presence first and foremost away from being a coach.
"But who is that? Where do you get him? Can you afford him? And does he want the job?"
Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell delivers during a 2-1 win over the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 1 of the NLCS at American Family Field on Monday night. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Sixty years ago, the only pitcher with a statue at Dodger Stadium delivered the most dominant postseason performance in franchise history.
With apologies to Orel Hershiser and his classic run in 1988, the three postseason starts put up by Koufax in 1965 practically mirror the three postseason starts put up by Snell so far in 2025.
Koufax: 24 innings, 13 hits, two runs, five walks, 29 strikeouts.
Snell: 21 innings, six hits, two runs, five walks, 28 strikeouts.
For this year’s Dodgers, winning the World Series would require four postseason rounds, which could allow Snell to deliver the most sustained streak of October dominance in the history of a franchise built upon a foundation of pitching.
Snell shut out the Milwaukee Brewers for eight innings on Monday, the undisputed star as the Dodgers opened the National League Championship Series with a 2-1 victory. If the Dodgers win the World Series, Snell figures to have two or three more starts.
If you are a free agent that wants to play in the postseason and measure yourself against the best, as Snell did, you sign with the team that has made the playoffs 13 years running.
“I wanted to be a Dodger and play on that team,” Snell said. “To be here now, it’s a dream come true.
“I couldn’t wish for anything more. I’m just going to do the best I can to help us win a World Series.”
There was only one thing Snell failed to do Monday, and the failure was on the Dodgers, not on him. The failure very nearly cost the Dodgers the game.
Sandy Koufax pitches for the Dodgers in Game 2 of the 1965 World Series against the Minnesota Twins. (Associated Press)
In the 1965 postseason, Koufax pitched two complete games. In 1988, Hershiser pitched three.
Snell could have pitched one Monday. He could have pitched the ninth, he said, but he trusted his manager to make the call.
He is a victim of the modern game. The Dodgers had no complete games this season. In 222 regular season starts, Snell has one — and he had to throw a no-hitter to do it.
On Monday, he faced the minimum 24 batters over eight innings, giving up one hit and then picking off the runner. The last pitcher to face the minimum over eight innings of a postseason game: Don Larsen of the New York Yankees, in his 1956 perfect game.
Pat Murphy, the Brewers’ manager, called Snell’s outing “the most dominant performance against us” in the 10 years he has coached or managed here.
Milwaukee scored more runs than any NL team besides the Dodgers.
The Brewers are terrific at putting the ball in play — only two NL teams struck out fewer times than Milwaukee — and yet Snell struck out 10. His other 23 outs: 11 ground balls, a fly ball, a foul out, and that pickoff.
No other Dodgers pitcher — not Koufax, not Hershiser, not Clayton Kershaw — has pitched at least eight innings and given up one hit or fewer in a postseason game.
“We’ve all known this: Blake, when he’s right, is the best pitcher in the game,” Kershaw said. “It’s pretty fun to watch.”
Snell had made 103 pitches through eight innings. His season high was 112. The Dodgers led, 2-0, with the bottom of the Brewers order coming up.
Snell had not pitched into the ninth inning since that no-hitter 14 months ago. The Dodgers plan to use him on regular rest in Game 5 of this series. Roberts summoned the closer of the moment, Roki Sasaki.
“I thought it was 50-50,” Roberts said. “Roki has been throwing the ball really well.”
The rap that has dogged Snell throughout his career: peerless stuff with erratic control, leading to him too often making 90 to 100 pitches in five innings rather than seven or eight. In 2023, the season in which he won his second Cy Young award, he led the NL in walks.
In the nine regular-season starts since the Dodgers activated him from the injured list in August, Snell made two starts of five innings and 90 pitches. In the other seven starts, he posted a 1.28 earned-run average.
In his past six starts, postseason included, he has pitched at least six innings each time. His record: 5-0, with a 0.68 ERA.
“My last three years, I’ve been pretty consistent,” Snell said, “and I could throw the ball, do what I want with the ball.
“But the narrative has always been, ‘He’s a wild pitcher, he walks a lot of guys.’ I laugh at it because I know it’s not true. I know that because I’m the one throwing the ball.”
He is throwing the ball as well as he ever has, on the biggest stage, where Dodgers legends are made.
“Postseason, if you dominate and you do great,” Snell said, “no one can say anything.”
Blake Treinen reacts after striking out Brice Turang for the final out of the Dodgers' 2-1 win. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Blake Treinen’s first save of the postseason was hardly a memorable performance.
He threw more balls than strikes. He walked the first batter he faced and nearly hit the second. And he got the final out on a pitch that was well out of the strike zone.
But he did get the final out, preserving the Dodgers' 2-1 win over the Milwaukee Brewers in the opening game of the National League Championship Series on Monday.
And for Treinen and the bullpen he’s supposed to be anchoring, that counts as major progress.
“We've been putting in a lot of work to try to get some things in a better place with myself,” Treinen said. “Today, I thought I executed almost every pitch.”
The fixes, he said, were simple mechanical tweaks that helped set up his pitches.
“Sometimes through catch-play and touching the mound a little bit, things start to click. And you’re kind of shocked at how a subtle tweak can change everything,” he said.
In the Dodgers’ World Series run last season, Treinen was as vicious as an ill-tempered Doberman, going 2-0 with three saves, a 2.19 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 12 1/3 innings.
This year, not so much. In his first four playoff appearances more batters got a hit than struck out and five of the 12 men he faced reached base. That followed a disastrous September in which he went 1-5 with a 9.64 ERA.
He wasn’t so much putting out fires as he was starting them. The poor performances began to build on one another.
“At times this year, when it hasn't gone well, th[ings] can speed up a little bit in your mind,” he said. “That's the hard part, to carry the thoughts and focus on what you're good at.”
But manager Dave Roberts, who has had Treinen for the last five seasons, kept giving him chances to turn things around.
“I think the best way to for me to kind of view it is whether you're a position player slumping or a pitcher maybe not getting the outs at the clip that you want, we all know what our abilities are,” Treinen said. “Dave’s seen me at my best and at my worst, and so when he calls my name, I'm grateful that he has confidence in me.
“And I have confidence that he's putting me in situations for the team to win. So there's a lot of peace in that.”
Treinen may have been at peace but he didn’t have much wiggle room when he replaced Roki Sasaki on the mound Monday with two out in the ninth and the Dodgers clinging to a one-run lead.
Sasaki, the team’s surprise playoff closer, had been lights out in the postseason, with just one of the 17 hitters he faced reaching base. Against the Brewers, he gave up two walks, a ground-rule double and a run-scoring sacrifice fly in the span of two outs. When Treinen entered, Milwaukee had the tying run on first and the winning run on third — and the right-hander immediately made things worse by walking William Contreras on six pitches to load the bases.
Treinen quickly got ahead of Brice Turang, the Brewers’ left-handed cleanup hitter, but courted disaster again when he sailed a 1-2 sweeper that nearly hit Turang. That would have forced in the tying run had Turang not instinctively danced out of the way, eliciting a groan from the sold-out crowd.
“It’s a natural reaction,” Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy said. “When the ball is coming towards you, it’s a breaking ball, your natural reaction is to do that.
Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki delivers in the ninth inning against the Brewers in NLCS Game 1 on Monday. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
“It happens. He’ll learn from that situation. But it’s hard.”
For Treinen, whose only luck lately has been bad luck, the break was one he quickly cashed by getting Turang to chase the next pitch, which was head high, to end the game.
That swing brought equal measures of joy and relief for Treinen, who has supplied little of either for the Dodgers this postseason. This time, he said it felt good to finally be able to contribute.
“Our guys have been playing great baseball,” he said. “Our bats are doing a great job. Our starters have been amazing. So [I’m] just doing my job to finish the game.”
He also did his job in picking up Sasaki, the hero of the NL Division Series win over the Phillies, who stood to be the goat if the Dodgers lost Monday.
“Any time as a professional, when you have the ability to pick up your teammates, there's a lot of pride in it,” Treinen said. “You just want to do your part because it's a team game.
“I've certainly had guys pick me up this year. To have the opportunity to pick someone else up, it feels good.”
And it’s been a long time since Treinen has felt that.
MILWAUKEE — Blake Snell allowed one baserunner in eight shutout innings before Los Angeles' bullpen barely held on in the ninth as the Dodgers opened the National League Championship Series with a 2-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday night.
Blake Treinen struck out Brice Turang with the bases loaded to end the game.
The Dodgers led 2-0 when they handed the ball to Roki Sasaki in the ninth after Snell had thrown 103 pitches. Sasaki had worked 5 1/3 scoreless innings while adjusting to a bullpen role in the NL Division Series against Philadelphia, but he wasn't nearly as sharp Monday.
Isaac Collins drew a one-out walk and Jake Bauers hit a ground-rule double that bounced over the center-field wall. Jackson Chourio hit a sacrifice fly that scored Collins and advanced pinch-runner Brandon Lockridge to third. Christian Yelich walked on a 3-2 pitch low and outside.
That's when Dodgers manager Dave Roberts removed Sasaki and brought in Treinen.
Yelich stole second to move the potential winning run into scoring position before William Contreras walked on a 3-2 pitch low and outside. After Treinen nearly hit Turang with a pitch - which would have tied the game - Turang struck out swinging at a neck-high 2-2 fastball.
Game 2 in the best-of-seven series is Tuesday night, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitching for Los Angeles and Freddy Peralta starting for Milwaukee in a matchup of All-Stars.
This NLCS is a study in contrasts, with the Brewers playing in MLB’s smallest market while the defending World Series champion Dodgers have the most expensive roster in the game.
Brewers manager Pat Murphy referenced the difference in star power between the two teams by joking during his pregame news conference that “I’m sure that most Dodger players can’t name eight guys on our roster.”
Even so, the Brewers had swept their six regular-season matchups with the Dodgers. All those games came in July, while Snell was on the injured list with shoulder inflammation.
Snell showed Monday how much of a difference he can make. The two-time Cy Young Award winner struck out 10 while walking nobody and allowing only one hit - a leadoff single by Caleb Durbin in the third.
Freddie Freeman broke a scoreless tie with a solo homer in the sixth. Freeman's drive came after the Brewers thwarted a couple of Los Angeles opportunities, most notably on a bizarre 8-6-2 double play that was inches away from becoming a Max Muncy grand slam.
Freeman connected on a 3-2 pitch from Chad Patrick and delivered a shot so high that it got tantalizingly close to the American Family Field roof before barely clearing the right-field wall for his first homer of this postseason.
Patrick was coming off an outstanding NL Division Series in which he struck out six and allowed no baserunners over 4 2/3 innings against the Chicago Cubs.
The Dodgers added what ended up being an essential insurance run in the ninth when Mookie Betts drew a bases-loaded walk from Abner Uribe on a 3-2 pitch outside.
Milwaukee stayed close because of Los Angeles' missed opportunities. The most obvious example came in the fourth, when the Brewers produced one of the strangest double plays in postseason history.
The bases were loaded when Muncy sent a drive off Quinn Priester that was headed out of the ballpark before Milwaukee’s Sal Frelick reached his glove over the center-field wall. The ball popped out of Frelick’s glove and hit the top of the fence before he caught it in the air.
Los Angeles' runners had headed back to their original bases, believing Frelick had made the catch cleanly. Frelick threw to shortstop Joey Ortiz, who threw to catcher William Contreras to force Teoscar Hernández out at home. Contreras then jogged to third to force out Will Smith, too.
Los Angeles also had runners on first and second with one out in the fifth before Betts grounded into a double play. The Dodgers left runners on first and second after Freeman’s homer in the sixth. Freeman hit a one-out double in the eighth but was stranded at third when Tommy Edman struck out swinging against Trevor Megill.
The disparity in the payrolls was the focus of the series before the first pitch ever delivered, the handiwork of the manager in charge of the small-market franchise that won more regular season games than any team in baseball.
“I’m sure that most Dodgers players can’t name eight guys on our roster,” joked Pat Murphy of the Milwaukee Brewers.
If the preceding six months were a testament to how a team can win without superstars, the Dodgers’ 2-1 victory in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series was a display of the firepower that can be purchased with a record-breaking $415-million payroll.
The Dodgers won a game in which a confusing play at the center-field wall resulted in an inning-ending double play that cost them a run — and very likely more.
They won a game in which they stranded 11 runners.
They won a game in which the Brewers emptied their top-flight bullpen to secure as many favorable matchups as possible.
The Dodgers won because they had a $162-million first baseman in Freddie Freeman, whose sixth-inning solo home run pushed them in front. They won because they had a $182-million starting pitcher in Blake Snell, who pitched eight scoreless innings. They won because they had a $365-million outfielder-turned-shortstop in Mookie Betts, who drew a bases-loaded walk in the ninth inning.
The visions of the Brewers’ small-ball offense overcoming the absence of a Freeman or a Betts or a Shohei Ohtani?
In retrospect, how cute.
The thinking of how the Brewers’ pitching depth could triumph over the Dodgers’ individual superiority?
In retrospect, how delusional.
The Dodgers absorbed the Brewers’ best collective shot, and they emerged with a victory that won them control of the best-of-seven series.
Their $325-million co-ace, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, will start Game 2 on Tuesday. Ohtani, their $700-million two-way player, and their $136.5-million No. 4 starter Tyler Glasnow will pitch Games 3 and 4 at Dodger Stadium in some order.
The Brewers’ futile effort to stop the Dodgers on Monday night consisted of them deploying six pitchers in a so-called bullpen game. The assembly line of arms was solid, but Snell was exceptional.
Snell yielded only one baserunner over eighth innings — Caleb Durbin, who singled to lead off the third inning.
Snell picked him off.
Against the team with the lowest chase rate baseball, Snell finished with 10 punchouts.
“This,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, “was pretty special.”
Only when the Dodgers turned to their bullpen in the ninth inning were they in any sort of danger, with Roki Sasaki looking gassed after his three-inning relief appearance against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 4 of the NL Division Series.
Also of concern was the effect the previous series had on the Dodgers’ most valuable property, Ohtani. In the four games against the Phillies, Ohtani was one for 18 with nine strikeouts.
There was no way of knowing whether Ohtani was out of his mini-slump, as the Brewers elected to challenge him as infrequently as possible.
Facing opener Aaron Ashby, Ohtani drew a walk to start the game. He was walked two other times, both intentionally.
He was hitless in his two other plate appearances, as he flied out to left field in the third inning and grounded out to first base in the seventh. His plate discipline was improved, and his third-inning at-bat against Quinn Priester lasted eight pitches.
“I thought Shohei’s at-bats were great tonight,” Roberts said.
Before the game, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman pushed back against the perceptionthat Ohtani was even slumping, describing how the Phillies pitched to him in borderline historic terms.
“I think it was the most impressive execution against a hitter I’ve ever seen,” Friedman said.
Perhaps not wanting to create any bulletin-board material for Ohtani, Murphy also described the mini-slump as a reflection of the excellence of Phillies pitchers Cristopher Sánchez, Jesús Luzardo and Ranger Suarez.
Blake Snell was the story in Game 1 of the National League Championship series between the Dodgers and the Brewers Monday night. The 2023 Cy Young winner threw eight shutout innings allowing just one hit while striking out a postseason career high ten as Los Angeles took the opener, 2-1.
Freddie Freeman launched a solo home run in the top of the sixth inning. Mookie Betts drew a bases loaded walkoff of Abner Uribe in the ninth. That base on balls proved pivotal as the Brewers scored in the bottom of the ninth and then loaded the bases with two outs. Milwaukee, though, could not plate the tying run as Blake Treinen struck out Brice Turang to end the threat.
Snell has now started three playoff games for the Dodgers this postseason – all series openers - and won each. He made his postseason debut with the Dodgers on September 30 taking the mound for Game 1 of the Wild Card Series against Cincinnati. He struck out 9 while allowing four hits and two runs over six innings in a 10-5 win. Next, he opened the NLDS for LA last Monday with seven innings of one-hit, shutout ball with nine strikeouts in a 4-3 win over the Phillies. Snell has now pitched 21 innings and allowed a mere six hits and two runs while striking out 28 this postseason.
Game 2 is Tuesday night with Yoshinobu Yamamoto taking the mound for Los Angeles against Freddy Peralta for Milwaukee.
Lets dive into the numbers behind the storylines of Game 2 of the NLCS between the Dodgers and the Brewers.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch the first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Dodgers at Brewers - NLCS Game 2
Date: Tuesday, October 14, 2025
Time: 8:08PM EST
Site: American Family Field
City: Milwaukee, WI
Network/Streaming: TBS
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Dodgers at the Brewers - NLCS Game 2
The latest odds as of Monday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Los Angeles Dodgers (-119), Milwaukee Brewers (-102)
Spread: Dodgers -1.5 (+152)
Total: 7.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Dodgers at Brewers - NLCS Game 2
Pitching matchup for October 14, 2025: Yoshinobu Yamamoto vs. Freddy Peralta
Yoshinobu Yamamoto (12-8, 2.49 ERA) Last Game: 10/8 vs. Philadelphia – 4IP, 3ER, 6H, 1 BB, 2Ks Yamamoto has started 2 playoff games this postseason and allowed 3 earned runs on 10 hits over 10.2 innings while striking out 11
Freddy Peralta (17-6, 2.70 ERA) Last Game: 10/9 at Cubs – 4IP, 3ER, 3H, 2BB, 6Ks Peralta started two games in the Divisional Series against the Cubs and allowed 5 earned runs on 7 hits with 15 strikeouts over 9.2 innings
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Dodgers at Brewers - NLCS Game 2
Shohei Ohtani is 3-10 (.300) with 2 HRs in his career against Freddy Peralta
Freddie Freeman is 6-26 (.231) with 1 HR in his career against Peralta
Mookie Betts is 1-12 (.083) with his lone hit being a home run in his career against Peralta
The Brewers as a team have had just 9 ABs against Yoshinobu Yamamoto but are 4-7 (.571) with 2 BBs in those plate appearances
Yoshinobu Yamamoto has zero strikeouts in his career against the Brewers
Shohei Ohtani is 0-11 in his last 3 games and just 1-20 in his last 5 games
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for Tuesday’s NLCS Game 2 between the Dodgers and the Brewers
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Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday’s game between the Dodgers and the Brewers:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the Dodgers on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play ATS.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.
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Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell delivers in the eighth inning of a 2-1 win over the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 1 of the NLCS at American Family Field on Monday night. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The reason the Milwaukee Brewers are in the National League Championship Series is because of plays like the one that ended the fourth inning Monday night.
A strange, one-in-a-million, 400-foot double-play in which one Brewers fielder made a spectacular defensive effort, and another never lost awareness of a wacky situation — highlighting the underappreciated skillset and sound fundamentals that made them baseball’s winningest team this season.
The reason the Dodgers are here, however, is because of how they can respond to adversity — settling the panic with their dominant starting pitching, rallying at the plate with their star-studded lineup and suffocating an opponent with a record $415-million payroll’s worth of talent.
In their 2-1 win in Game 1 of the NLCS at American Family Field, that was ultimately what made the difference.
The evening’s most memorable moment might have been that fourth-inning cluster, when the Dodgers had the bases loaded with one out, only to come up empty when Max Muncy had a potential grand slam robbed (but, crucially, not caught cleanly) and two Dodgers were retired on forceouts at home plate and third base.
But, the most important contributions came after that, with Freddie Freeman’s home run in the sixth inning giving the Dodgers the lead, and Blake Snell’s scoreless eight-inning, one-hit, 10-strikeout master class ensuring they wouldn’t relinquish it — even with some heartburn from the bullpen at the end.
“Obviously, there were some crazy things that happened,” manager Dave Roberts said. “It’s not going to come easy.”
But, “for us to find a way to get out of that,” Muncy added, “it's huge."
Muncy was in the middle of the night’s craziest play, when he came to the plate with the bases loaded and one out in the fourth inning.
What followed was a confounding, and nearly consequential, disaster. One both self-inflicted by the Dodgers’ lack of awareness, and compounded by the Brewers' ability to do the little things so well.
As Muncy’s ball soared to the wall, Brewers center fielder Sal Frelick jumped, got a glove on it, and then — at least it seemed initially — caught it on a bobble. At third base, Teoscar Hernández tagged up once, then again, before finally breaking for home plate as the Brewers turned a relay play in.
What no one on the Dodgers noticed in the moment: Left field umpire Chad Fairchild waving his arms in the outfield, signaling (correctly, as replay would later show) that the ball had bounced off the top of the wall before Frelick finally secured it. That meant, instead of a sacrifice fly situation, a force play was suddenly on for the defense.
Thus, when catcher William Contreras caught the throw home just ahead of Hernández’s slide, Hernández was out even without a tag. And as the other Dodgers runners stood motionless on base — still thinking Frelick had cleanly made the catch — the ever-aware Contreras ran over to third himself and stepped on the bag, forcing out Will Smith after he had failed to advance from second.
“I'm still kind of confused as to what all went down,” Muncy said.
“All of a sudden, you turn around and there's runners everywhere,” crew chief and first base umpire James Hoye added to a pool reporter.
The big mistake on the play was Hernández’s decision to re-tag third before racing home, a superfluous move thanks to a quirk in MLB’s rulebook. Even if Frelick had made the catch cleanly, Hernández could have left the base as soon as the ball first hit Frelick’s glove (similar to a bobbled sacrifice fly the Dodgers successfully executed in a game against the New York Mets earlier this season).
Instead, Hernández’s delay allowed the throw home to beat him. Afterward, Roberts acknowledged that his outfielder, who did not speak to reporters postgame, “just had a little bit of a brain fart.”
“Teo knows the rule,” Roberts said. “He owned it.”
The other problem was that neither Smith nor third base coach Dino Ebel apparently saw Fairchild, who was out of their sight line deep in the outfield, signal that the ball had not been caught, leaving Smith standing on second as Contreras went to force him out at third.
The Dodgers did challenge the play, but there was no changing the call.
In the scorebook, it went down as a 400-foot, ground-into-double-play.
“That’s really frustrating,” Smith said. “That was really close to being 4-0.”
For a brief moment, it left the team on the verge of falling into a familiar Brewers’ trap: Struggling with Milwaukee’s talented pitching staff, denied by its typically stellar defense, and one mistake away from losing to a team with inferior talent.
Freeman, however, flipped the script with a towering home run that carried just deep enough to right in the sixth inning for his first home run of this postseason.
Freddie Freeman hits a solo home run in the sixth inning for the Dodgers in Game 1 of the NLCS against the Brewers on Monday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
And from there, Snell never let the Brewers rally back.
In one of the greatest individual pitching performances in Dodgers postseason history, the already streaking two-time Cy Young Award winner ascended to a different level of dominance, facing the minimum number of batter over his eight-inning annihilation.
He erased his only baserunner, which came on a flare single from Caleb Durbin to lead off the third, by picking him off later in the inning. He struck out 10 batters, setting a personal playoff career high, and did it on just 103 pitches. Of his 69 strikes, 22 came on swing-and-misses against a Brewers offense that was one of the best in baseball this season at making contact. And by the time it was done, he’d added his name into the Dodgers’ October history books.
In what Roberts later acknowledged was a “50/50” decision, he decided to remove Snell for the bottom of the ninth inning, after a bases-loaded walk from Betts had doubled the Dodgers' lead to 2-0. He trusted his newly dominant closer Roki Sasaki for the final three outs.
Only this time, the 23-year-old rookie didn’t have his typical command, or his usual 100-mph velocity.
With one out, Sasaki walked Isaac Collins to start the danger. Then, Jake Bauers hammered a full-count fastball (that only clocked 97.3 mph on the radar gun) for a ground-rule double.
That was followed by a sacrifice fly from Jackson Chourio, and another walk to Christian Yelich. Suddenly, Roberts was trudging out to the mound, taking the ball from Sasaki while summoning Blake Treinen.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts removes reliever Roki Sasaki from the game in the ninth inning against the Brewers on Monday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
“He was off just a little bit,” Roberts said of Sasaki, who had not allowed a run previously since joining the Dodgers bullpen the last week of the regular season. “I thought his stuff was still good, but just missing. I don't know if there was carry-over from the three innings [in the NLDS]. ... With the three days off, I felt good with him.”
Treinen didn’t make things easy on himself either, issuing a walk to Contreras that loaded the bases and brought the Brewers’ home crowd roaring to life.
Suddenly, it all felt so similar to the Dodgers’ 2021 NLCS against the Atlanta Braves, when they squandered their most recent attempt at a World Series title defense with walk-off losses in the first two games of that series.
This time, though, the Dodgers survived.
Treinen got Brice Turang in a two-strike count, then fanned him on a fastball Turang chased up and out of the zone. Just like that, the fourth-inning double-play was turned into a footnote, ensuring Snell’s historic gem was rewarded with a winning decision.
“We knew from the get-go it was going to be a battle,” Freeman said. “But when you get one for Blake, you're feeling good.”
