Brewers and Dodgers open NLCS with Misiorowski and Skubal pitching

The Milwaukee Brewers and Los Angeles Dodgers open their National League Championship Series featuring a pitching matchup between Jacob Misiorowski and Tarik Skubal, Tipsterio reported. Betting markets list the opener as a coin-flip matchup with win odds sitting at 1.95 for Milwaukee and 1.97 for Los Angeles.

The series marks a postseason rematch of the 2025 NLCS, where the Dodgers swept the Brewers 4:0. Los Angeles enters the matchup aiming for a third straight World Series title, having reached the NLCS for the third year after eliminating Atlanta 3:1 in the Division Series. Milwaukee secured the best record in MLB at 103-59 — three wins ahead of Los Angeles — to earn home-field advantage in the 2-3-2 format, and advanced past the San Diego Padres 3:1 in the NLDS.

Pitcher Duel on the Mound

The pitching matchup centers on Milwaukee starter Jacob Misiorowski, who led the regular season in four categories with a 1.80 ERA, 252 strikeouts, 0.80 WHIP, and a .157 opponent batting average. Against the Dodgers this season, Misiorowski posted a 1.59 ERA with 27 strikeouts and three walks across 17 innings. Los Angeles counters with Tarik Skubal, who arrived from Detroit in the summer, posted a 2.61 ERA following the trade, and holds a 1.97 ERA across seven postseason career starts. The overall betting total line of 6 runs indicates expectations for a tight, low-scoring contest.

Path to the Championship Series

Both teams advanced through tightly contested division series. Milwaukee claimed narrow home victories in the opening games against San Diego, taking Game 2 by a 4:3 score behind a two-run single from Jackson Chourio with two outs in the ninth inning against closer Mason Miller. After a 4:3 defeat in San Diego, the Brewers clinched the series with a 3:1 victory in Game 4 on October 7, featuring a decisive triple from Garrett Mitchell, who also made a catch against the wall on a ball hit by Manny Machado. The Brewers’ bullpen recorded a 0.47 ERA across 19 innings in the NLDS.

The Dodgers opened their series against Atlanta with a 5:3 win backed by seven strikeouts from Skubal, dropped Game 2 2:3, and secured the next two games in Atlanta, including a 4:1 clincher where Andy Pages drove in the difference with a two-RBI single in the seventh inning. Los Angeles concluded September with an 18-7 record, while Milwaukee finished the regular season with a 6:4 win against St. Louis, where Misiorowski earned his 16th victory.

Expert Forecasts and Series Outlook

CBS Sports baseball analysts split their predictions for the best-of-seven series. Analysts Axisa, Feldman, and McWilliams projected the Dodgers to prevail in five or six games, pointing to postseason power, deeper rotation strength in the 3 and 4 spots, and the lineup depth of Los Angeles. Conversely, analysts Perry and Snyder picked the Brewers to win in seven games, highlighting Milwaukee’s front-end rotation, superior bullpen, improved home-run power from budding star Jackson Chourio, and defensive capabilities. Questions remain regarding the health of Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, who has been visibly compromised by knee issues during the postseason.