Brewers' Perfect Pitching Plan For Must-Win NLCS Game Vs. Dodgers

All the odds are stacked against the Milwaukee Brewers, but they're not done just yet.

Facing a 2-0 National League Championship Series deficit, the Brewers have to roll into Chavez Ravine on Thursday night and prove they can punch back at the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. It's going to take everything they have, but there's a formula that could work.

Brewers pitchers have to be perfect at this point, because the Dodgers simply aren't giving up runs. So with that in mind, let's construct the ideal pitching blueprint that gives Milwaukee its best chance to make this a series in Game 3.

First inning/four batters: Aaron Ashby

The Brewers started Ashby in Game 1, and they should do so again here with the goal of getting through the Dodgers' two star lefties (Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman). Los Angeles likely goes with the same lineup from Game 1 (Freeman fourth behind Teoscar Hernández) if Ashby starts.

Second inning through fifth or sixth: Jacob Misiorowski

This is the Brewers' all-or-nothing bet. Misiorowski should be off the leash in this one, giving Milwaukee its best chance to win this game while also setting up the pitching staff for success in Game 4.

Misiorowski threw seven innings and gave up just one run in Games 2 and 5 of the division series. Obviously, going on the road is a different animal, but he's got the most electric stuff of anyone in this series, and the Brewers need to unleash it for as long as they can.

And as many will recall, Misiorowski threw six innings against the Dodgers in July, allowing a leadoff home run to Ohtani before striking out 12 batters in a dazzling performance.

Seventh or eighth inning: Trevor Megill

Megill was the Brewers' All-Star closer this season, and even though he's pitched in different roles throughout this postseason, he should get a clean inning against a pocket of mostly righties and switch-hitters. It's likely Megill will factor into just about every game the Brewers win from here on.

Ohtani/Freeman stopper: Jared Koenig

At some point in these late innings, a future Hall of Fame lefty will step to the plate either in a big spot or to lead off an inning. Whether that lefty is Ohtani or Freeman has yet to be determined, but in either case, Koenig should take the mound.

Closer: Abner Uribe

Uribe was money for the Brewers all season and stepped into the closer role with aplomb when Megill hit the injured list last month. But his last two games have been clunkers, so we're giving him one more chance, ideally with a lead in hand, to prove he can be the bullpen ace Milwaukee needs to survive.

Firemen: Quinn Priester, Robert Gasser, Chad Patrick, Jose Quintana, Tobias Myers

Quintana and Priester would be in the Misiorowski role for Games 4 and 5 if all goes according to plan. Meanwhile, these others have all been starters at various points in the season, but would be called upon here if the game goes extra innings or gets out of hand either way.

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