Pat Murphy's 'Step on His Throat' Message Foreshadowed Brewers' Dominance Over Dodgers in NLCS

The Brewers are living up to Pat Murphy's mantra.

Oct 14, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy speaks in a press conference after game three of the NLCS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Before Game 1 of the National League Championship Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers, manager Pat Murphy was asked if he could appreciate the pitching matchup between aces Jacob Misiorowski and Tarik Skubal.

His response ended up being a perfect representation for how his team has approached the NLCS one year after being swept by the Dodgers.

"You're giving me way too much credit for my creative or altruistic mind. I just want to step on his throat, you know what I mean?" Murphy said at the time. "I mean that respectfully because I really like Tarik, but I just want to beat him. That's it. My brain can't go anyplace else."

Murphy's message made it clear that the only thing that mattered to the Brewers was beating the Dodgers.

Through three games of the NLCS, they've done just that.

The Brewers did just enough damage against Skubal to take the first game of the NLCS. One day later, they chased Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the third inning en route to a dominant win.

When the series shifted back to Los Angeles, the Dodgers had another ace — Blake Snell — on the mound to take back the momentum of the series.

What did the Brewers do?

On the very first pitch of the game, Jackson Chourio "stepped on Snell's throat," hitting a leadoff home run.

Snell was able to settle down until the seventh inning, when he gave up back-to-back home runs — and a lead Milwaukee wouldn't relinquish.

The Dodgers now have their backs against the wall.

They need to win four games against baseball's best — and clearly hungriest — team. They're one loss away from being swept out of the postseason in what would be shocking fashion.

Maybe it shouldn't be so shocking, though.

The Brewers are as hungry as any team. They're out to prove that last year's sweep was a fluke. They're out to step on the throats of the reigning two-time defending champions.

"All three games we've played so far, and hopefully that continues, where just every time they score, we come back and score," Murphy said after Wednesday's game. "I think it's what it's all about in the game. To be that locked in that you respond every time. It's resiliency. It's a belief. It's all those things. Our guys have done it, they've responded."

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