Milwaukee’s reward for 103 wins, a fourth straight NL Central crown and the top seed in the postseason is a familiar opponent with a hot lineup. The Brewers open the National League Division Series against the Padres on Saturday night, carrying a long September surge into a matchup shaped by one August series San Diego swept at Petco Park.
| NLDS Game 1 | Details |
|---|---|
| Matchup | San Diego Padres at Milwaukee Brewers |
| First pitch | Saturday, 8:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. CT / 5:30 p.m. PT |
| Television | FS1, FOX Deportes, FOX One |
| Brewers starter | RHP Jacob Misiorowski |
| Padres starter | To be announced; Walker Buehler is the leading possibility |
The human note from Milwaukee’s side belongs to Jake Bauers. After the Padres put the Brewers through a miserable August weekend — including blown late leads in the first and final games — Milwaukee hitters were 3-for-28 with runners in scoring position and struck out 12 times in those spots. Bauers’ prescription was blunt: “I think we just need to relax a little.”
The Brewers did exactly that. They went to Dodger Stadium, took three of four, seized baseball’s best record and finished with a franchise-best 103 victories. Milwaukee went 18-6 in September, never easing after securing its division title, its bye and the No. 1 overall postseason position.
San Diego matched that September record at 18-6, then used home field to get past the Cubs in the Wild Card Series. The Padres arrive with an offense that was baseball’s best during the final month, while Milwaukee has had several days to reset after its bye.
Misiorowski gets the October ball
Misiorowski enters Game 1 after one of the sport’s most imposing regular seasons. The 16-5 right-hander led the Majors with a 1.80 ERA, 252 strikeouts and a .157 opponents’ batting average, while posting a 0.81 WHIP. That batting average was the lowest ever recorded by a qualifying starter, bettering Pedro Martinez’s .167 mark from 2000. His WHIP ranked behind only Martinez and Walter Johnson on the all-time list cited for starters.
A year ago, Misiorowski had slipped from Milwaukee’s rotation after a difficult second half as a rookie and barely made the postseason club as a reliever. Three overpowering October bullpen appearances against the Cubs and Dodgers changed the direction of his winter and, ultimately, his 2026 season. He closed the regular season with 5 1/3 innings against St. Louis and will pitch Game 1 on five days of rest.
San Diego has not named its starter. Buehler appears to be the most likely call, though Robbie Ray, Randy Vásquez and a bullpen arrangement remain possibilities. Buehler had a 3.62 ERA after the All-Star break, and the Padres won 10 of his final 13 starts. His October resume includes recording the final outs of the Dodgers’ 2024 World Series clincher at Yankee Stadium.
Projected lineups
| Padres | Position | Brewers | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fernando Tatis Jr. | RF | Garrett Mitchell | CF |
| Dustin Harris | LF | Jackson Chourio | LF |
| Manny Machado | 3B | Brice Turang | 2B |
| Ty France | 1B | William Contreras | C |
| Jackson Merrill | CF | Jake Bauers | 1B |
| Xander Bogaerts | SS | Christian Yelich | DH |
| Gavin Sheets | DH | Joey Ortiz | 3B |
| Luis Campusano | C | Sal Frelick | RF |
| Jake Cronenworth | 2B | Cooper Pratt | SS |
The Padres could adjust their designated-hitter and catching choices. Austin Hays started at DH in the second Wild Card game against Chicago because of Kevin Gausman’s split profile, and San Diego could again consider Hays against Misiorowski, who has dominated left-handed hitters. That would leave Sheets available as a bench bat, though Sheets has already shown he can handle premium velocity. Campusano, Ethan Salas and Freddy Fermin are each candidates behind the plate.
Milwaukee’s offense does not need a barrage of home runs to create trouble. Only Toronto hit fewer homers during the regular season, but the Brewers ranked first in batting average at .258 and on-base percentage at .341. They were fifth with 152 steals, second with 32 bunt hits, and led the Majors in both lowest swing rate and lowest chase rate.
Late innings could decide it
The Padres can turn a lead into a short game. Mason Miller handles the ninth-inning territory, with Adrian Morejon positioned in front of him. Bradgley Rodriguez, Jason Adam and Yuki Matsui give San Diego matchup options before the late innings. The club also has length available from unused starting candidates, with Michael King set up for Game 2 on normal rest.
Milwaukee can answer with closer Trevor Megill, who recorded 30 saves for the second consecutive season and posted a career-best 0.89 WHIP. Abner Uribe is another high-leverage right-hander, while Aaron Ashby has been the club’s most durable left-handed relief option. DL Hall moved into bigger situations during the second half, and trade additions JoJo Romero and Antonio Senzatela strengthened the group. Robert Gasser, Shane Drohan and Kyle Harrison could also work multiple innings or open a game.
Health watch and September heat
San Diego added Joe Musgrove to its Wild Card roster despite nearly two years away from game action after Tommy John surgery. Whether he is used in the Division Series bullpen remains uncertain. Jeremiah Estrada is still sidelined by a shoulder impingement. Sheets and Miguel Andujar recently returned from injuries, although Sheets’ lingering foot trouble limits him to DH and pinch-hit work.
Milwaukee is watching Joey Ortiz, who dealt with abdominal and right knee issues in the season’s final week. Ortiz was one of the club’s best second-half hitters after rookie Cooper Pratt took over at shortstop. From Aug. 2 through the final day, Ortiz hit .331 with an .884 OPS, and Milwaukee has also used left-handed speed option David Hamilton at third against selected pitchers.
Turang was especially sharp in September, leading the Majors with a .361 average and .475 on-base percentage while posting a 1.077 OPS. Contreras drove in a Major League-best 24 runs during the month and carried a .933 OPS from Sept. 9 onward. Milwaukee’s probable Game 2 starter, Logan Henderson, has made 23 regular-season starts without allowing more than three runs in any one of them.
For the Padres, Tatis and Machado supplied home runs and energy in the opening Wild Card game. Bogaerts produced important hits in both games, while Merrill and France continued their strong work at the plate. Cronenworth began the postseason 1-for-6, and Hays was hitless in five at-bats.
This is the first postseason series between the clubs. They nearly met in last year’s Division Series, but San Diego did not get past the Cubs in the Wild Card round. There is also a dugout connection: Brewers manager Pat Murphy first managed the Padres on an interim basis in 2015 after Bud Black’s departure. Murphy and Padres manager Craig Stammen are both in the National League Manager of the Year conversation.
