How Padres Helped Dodgers Face Jacob Misiorowski in NLCS Game 1

The likely NL Cy Young Award winner began the postseason with a pair of abbreviated outings.

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski (32) watches a single by San Diego Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) drop in the outfield during the third inning of their game Wednesday, May 13, 2026 at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Only three National League teams hit more home runs in the 2026 regular season than the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Their 204 homers came without help from Shohei Ohtani for much of September, and multiple injuries sapping his power even before he was placed on the injured list. No other Dodgers player hit even 30 home runs, reflecting the depth of power up and down their lineup and bench.

Even without Ohtani for much of the season's final month, the Dodgers scored 44.3% of their runs via home runs. However, prior to Game 1 of the National League Championship Series, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts talked about "conceding the slug" — embracing an offensive strategy not focused on hitting the ball over the fence.

The Dodgers' inspiration? The San Diego Padres.

The Dodgers' NLCS strategy against Misiorowski, Roberts said, was "more a little bit conceding the slug, hitting the ball out front, to then seeing the ball a little bit longer to spoil pitches, to shoot the ball the other way. That's how you've got to beat this guy. To think you're going to catch him out front and pull it in the air is bananas.

"The Padres, I thought, had the perfect plan to get him. They got him out after four innings, which was a huge, huge win."

The Padres forced Misiorowski to throw 88 pitches across four innings on Oct. 3 in Game 1 of the National League Division Series. The Padres won the battle against the likely National League Cy Young Award winner, forcing manager Pat Murphy to use five relievers across the final five innings of Game 1.

The Padres lost the war; Milwaukee came back to win Game 1, 3-2, and won the series in four games. In the process, the Dodgers picked up a strategy for how to get into the Brewers' bullpen early.

Misiorowski entered the fifth inning against the Dodgers on Sunday with 92 pitches on his ledger. After throwing two pitches to retire Kiké Hernández, Murphy went to his bullpen.

The Dodgers had only scored one run to that point, but their game plan was obvious: they swung and missed only 10 times. That 10.4% whiff rate is outstanding against a pitcher who induced whiffs on 17.6% of all pitches in the regular season.

The pitching duel between Misiorowski and Dodgers starter Tarik Skubal was basically as good advertised, but by the sixth inning, both teams were into their bullpens. The Padres paved the path.

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