Brewers Starter Makes Candid Admission On Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani

The Brewers didn't just lose, they got Shohei'd

Oct 17, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) reacts after defeating the Milwaukee Brewers in game four of the NLCS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

When you finish the regular season with the best record in Major League Baseball, getting swept in the playoffs is exceptionally painful.

That was the reality for the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night, as the Los Angeles Dodgers battered them one more time to send them home in the National League Championship Series. But even the most bitter Brewers player or fan had to tip their cap to Shohei Ohtani.

What Ohtani did on Friday -- three home runs at the plate, six-plus scoreless innings and 10 strikeouts on the mound -- was unlike anything that has ever happened on a baseball diamond, especially in the postseason. Even the pitchers he victimized were in awe.

Quintana on Ohtani's incredible game

Oct 17, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy (49) relieves pitcher Jose Quintana (62) in the third inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game four of the NLCS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Jose Quintana, the Brewers' veteran starting pitcher who allowed the first of Ohtani's home runs, was very complimentary of Ohtani's performance, even while lamenting the end of his team's season.

“That’s not the way I wanted to end our season,” Quintana said, per Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. “What Ohtani showed us tonight was amazing. A lot of credit to him. That guy is unreal. That was crazy. Amazing player.

"They were better than us in this series. They pitched well and they did the right things. It’s tough for us because we believed a lot in this team and to get swept is for sure a tough thing.”

Quintana allowed a home run to Ohtani in the regular season as well, back on July 20. But the Brewers won that day, 6-5. In fact, they won all six of the regular-season matchups against the Dodgers, which was a big reason why they had the No. 1 seed and LA had to play in the wild-card round.

But some teams are built for October success, and the Dodgers, who boasted four legitimate ace-type pitchers in this series, are certainly that. The Brewers have yet to prove it, and that's a label they'll keep trying to shed as the years go by.

One thing is for sure: Ohtani will continue to be a roadblock in front of the Brewers in their quest for a long-awaited World Series title.

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