After making quick work of the Colorado Rockies, the Milwaukee Brewers are one of just four teams remaining in the chase for the World Series trophy. Alongside the Brewers – who are looking to return to the World Series for the first time in three and a half decades – are the 108-win Boston Red Sox, the defending champion Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Dodgers, who have won six straight division titles and captured the National League throne last fall.
The baseball playoffs don’t always reward the best teams, but in this case, the four remaining organizations are the most complete units in their respective leagues. The upcoming pair of championship series should bring out the most intense, nerve-wracking, ear-splitting, exhilarating and exhausting baseball we have seen all season. The Brewers-Rockies series was just the appetizer; there is no preparing for October baseball as a fan when the stakes climb this high.
The Astros-Red Sox series will soak up plenty of attention, which is completely fair. Those two teams did combine to win 211 (!) regular season games and feature a handful of the game's best all-around stars.
But the NL side of the bracket will not sit idly by and play the little brother role to whomever wins the AL. Milwaukee and Los Angeles are the two hottest teams remaining, and both employ very different, equally imposing strategies. Dave Roberts and the Dodgers want to ride their starting pitchers and bash you with the long ball, while Craig Counsell’s Brewers are looking to push their unhittable bullpen to the ends of the earth and then create havoc on the base paths on offense. The dichotomy between the two rosters will make for a thrilling series, and either team is more than capable of winning the World Series should they advance.
You can read my full Brewers-Dodgers NLCS preview and prediction here. Below are the start times and networks for all seven games. Major League Baseball sets up best-of-seven series with a 2-3-2 format, so the Brewers, who captured the top seed in the NL and thus earned home-field advantage, will host Games 1 and 2, as well as Games 6 and 7 if necessary.
Game 1
When: Friday, Oct. 12 at 7:09 p.m.
Where: Miller Park
Channel: FS1
Game 2
When: Saturday, Oct. 13 at 3:09 p.m.
Where: Miller Park
Channel: FOX
Game 3
When: Monday, Oct. 15 at 6:39 p.m.
Where: Dodger Stadium
Channel: FS1
Game 4
When: Tuesday, Oct. 16 at 8:09 p.m.
Where: Dodger Stadium
Channel: FS1
Game 5 (if necessary)
When: Wednesday, Oct. 17 at 4:05 p.m.
Where: Dodger Stadium
Channel: FS1
Game 6 (if necessary)
When: Friday, Oct. 19 at 7:39 p.m.
Where: Miller Park
Channel: FS1
Game 7 (if necessary)
When: Saturday, Oct. 20 at 8:09 p.m.
Where: Miller Park
Channel: FS1
Many of the exact game times and networks are still to be determined, but one thing is for certain: Miller Park will be hosting at least two weekend games, with the possibility for two more should the series extend to a sixth or seventh meeting. Brewers fans are already some of the best in the sport; give them a couple hours to loosen up and libate on a Friday night, and the crowd noise should have Bernie’s dugout swaying at first pitch.
Buckle up, Brewers fans. This series is going to be a blast.
