Brewers Defeat Padres in 4 Games, Secure NLCS Rematch With Dodgers

The Milwaukee Brewers are headed back to the National League Championship Series, where they'll face the Los Angeles Dodgers in a rematch from last postseason.

Oct 7, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Trevor Megill (29) celebrates a strikeout to end the game against the San Diego Padres during the ninth inning in game four of the NLDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With their 3-1 win over the San Diego Padres at Petco Park, the Milwaukee Brewers ended an eight-year losing streak in postseason road games and clinched a spot in the National League Championship Series. They'll take on the Los Angeles Dodgers in a rematch of last year's NLCS. The Dodgers swept the Brewers out of the postseason in 2025.

"We know we’re a force to be reckoned with," Brewers center fielder Garrett Mitchell told Fox Sports' Tom Verducci after the game. "We know the Dodgers are a force to be reckoned with too. It’s gonna be a really, really fun series. And hopefully we come out on top."

The circumstances remain mostly the same as last year. The Brewers had the best record in MLB in 2026, winning a franchise record 103 games. The Dodgers are the best team money can buy. The big vs. small market narrative will run amok over the four days between games.

The NLCS will start on October 11. It's a best-of-seven series, which means four wins separates the Brewers from their first World Series trip since 1982.

How the Brewers Won Game 4 of the NLDS

Oct 7, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Garrett Mitchell (5) hits a triple during the fifth inning against the San Diego Padres in game four of the NLDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It was another low-scoring game for the Brewers, who plated only 13 runs in four games. But they were enough.

Milwaukee's pitching staff made three runs stand up one more time. Robert Gasser limited the damage to a Fernando Tatís Jr. home run over four solid innings. The bullpen then pitched five scoreless innings, three coming from left-hander Aaron Ashby.

The moments that decided the game came from center fielder Garrett Mitchell, both offensively and defensively. His RBI single in the third put the Brewers on the board. His triple to lead off the fifth, which was fair by mere inches, put the Brewers in position to take the lead. Jackson Chourio drove him in with a single.

"Just slowed it down a little bit," said Mitchell. "You know, it's funny, like you had games like yesterday where you feel like things are not going your way, put a little pressure on yourself. But when you get back to making it about the team, passing it on to the next guy. Trying to take the pressure off of you and do it together when it's against 50,000 other people. Just trying to keep it simple."

Mitchell also made a game-saving catch in the eighth against Manny Machado. Machado 106.7 MPH drive sent him back to the wall in right-center, but the Brewers' center fielder hauled it in with a two-handed grab above the top of the fence. Instead of a game-tying home run, it became a loud out No. 2 and the Padres' last gasp in the series.

"I was shaded over there, with Uribe on the mound. Just got a good read off the bat, got back to the wall as quickly as I could just to get my feet set and made the play.

Dodgers vs. Brewers Matchup Features the Best Two Pitchers in MLB

Oct 3, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski (32) reacts after pitching in the fourth inning against the San Diego Padres in game one of the NLDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Since the Brewers and Dodgers have three off days before the NLCS starts, both teams can set their rotation to however they please. But teams went one turn through their rotation.

Game 1 will feature the most anticipated starting pitcher matchups for the entire postseason. The Brewers will start Jacob Misiorowski, the prohibitive favorite to win the National League Cy Young Award. He'll face a two-time Cy Young Award winner in Tarik Skubal. Those two are arguably the best pitchers in MLB right now.

The rest of the Brewers rotation will play out similarly to how it did in the NLDS. Logan Henderson lines up for Game 2, Dustin May for Game 3, and Robert Gasser for Game 4. On paper, the rotation matchup favors the Dodgers. They have Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, and Tyler Glasnow in their postseason rotation.