NLCS Preview: Ohtani on the Bump with a Chance at a Sweep
National League Championship Series: Series Dodgers Lead 3-0
LOS ANGELES, CA—Well, today could be the day! The Los Angeles Dodgers are just a win away from returning to the Fall Classic for the second consecutive season.
Entering Friday, the Dodgers have a commanding three games to none series lead in the best-of-seven National League Championship Series against the National League top-seeded Milwaukee Brewers.
The chances of winning their fifth National League Pennant in the past nine seasons are favorable, as history shows that only one team in forty-one has overturned such a deficit—the 2004 Boston Red Sox, who did so against their American League East rival, the New York Yankees.
However, after facing Blake Snell in Game One, Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game Two, and Tyler Glasnow in Game Three, the Brewers will face two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani, who will be making his first pitching appearance since Game One of the National League Division Series in Philadelphia.
The Brewers’ offense, which was top five in the sport, has been unable to muster any sort of momentum, largely due to the Dodgers’ elite starting pitching staff, which holds a 1.54 ERA across October.
Milwaukee has only been able to score a combined three runs over the first three games of the NLCS, their worst stretch in franchise history (regular + postseason).
Despite the overwhelming odds, the Dodgers are not taking their eye off the prize, and in Kobe Bryant fashion, Mookie Betts shared the same message that the job is not finished.
Pitching Probables
Shohei Ohtani (1-0, 4.50 ERA) vs TBD (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
On the mound for Los Angeles with a chance to send his team to the World Series is none other than Shohei Ohtani, who is looking to make his mark on this postseason.
It’s been a struggle for the three-time MVP this October, and this series with Ohtani hitting a collective .158 with a .641 OPS and seventeen punch outs, just five away from his twenty-two despite playing seven fewer games so far.
Ohtani has just made one appearance this postseason, where the right-hander tossed six innings during Game One of the NLDS against the Phillies. While he was an option to pitch Game One or Two of the NLCS, the team opted to push him back for a start at Dodger Stadium.
That was the case for a number of reasons. For one, it allowed Ohtani to focus on his hitting for the first three games of the series. Secondly, it gave Ohtani thirteen days of rest between his starts, similar to the situation the Dodgers provided during the regular season to pace his workload.
Finally, he’ll be pitching at home, which this season he has done far better at than on the road. This season, Ohtani has posted a 1.71 ERA in 21.0 innings at home, compared to a 3.81 ERA on the road.
On the mound for the Brew Crew, well, it’s to-be-determined, a common theme we’ve seen from Brewers manager Pat Murphy during this NLCS.
However, with Misiorowski pitching the bulk of yesterday’s game, expect veteran left-hander José Quintana to take the ball today, with likely another lefty opener to kick off the bottom of the first inning.
It’ll be the entire kitchen sink the Brewers will throw out today as they look to avoid elimination and force a Game Five.
Who to Watch
My player to watch this series is Tommy Tanks, as that right ankle injury has not hindered his offensive performance so far this October.
Edman, who is hitting .290 this postseason, continued a strong NLCS with a key go-ahead knock in Game Three.
However, another mention could be left-hander Clayton Kershaw, who could be used out of the bullpen today if the Dodgers lead a lot by the late innings or are down.
But with Dodgers manager Dave Roberts having a taste for the theatrics, he could give Kershaw another opportunity to close out the game and send his team to the World Series.
Where to Watch
The 2025 National League Championship Series will be aired exclusively on TBS, truTV, and HBO Max at 5:38 PM PT (8:38 PM ET)
Betting Odds
The Brewers aim to prevent a sweep after losing the first three games of the series. The Dodgers are the favorites at -197, while the underdog Brewers have +163 odds to pull off an upset. Los Angeles is also the favored team on the run-line at -1.5. An over/under of 8 runs has been set for this game.
Have you subscribed to the Bleed Los Podcast YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows & promotions, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
