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The Dodgers over the next ten days will get a good look at the Milwaukee Brewers, playing them seven times in what might be a potential playoff matchup. Up first is a four-game series in Milwaukee beginning Monday night.
The National League playoff race is jumbled, but only after the top two spots. Los Angeles has the best record in baseball and currently occupy the No. 1 seed in the NL, five games ahead of the NL East-leading Mets at No. 2. Atlanta will still have a say in the NL East, entering Monday at both 4½ games behind New York and 5½ ahead of the second wild card spot.
Races are going for both the National League Central — with Milwaukee trailing the Cardinals by 1½ games — and the final two wild card berths. It’s essentially four teams for three playoff spots:
National League playoff race
| Spot | Team | W-L | Pct | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spot | Team | W-L | Pct | GB |
| Central winner (No. 3 seed) | Cardinals | 63-51 | .553 | --- |
| Wild card (No. 4 seed) | Braves | 70-46 | .603 | +6 |
| Wild card (No. 5 seed) | Padres | 65-52 | .556 | +½ |
| Wild card (No. 6 seed) | Phillies | 63-51 | .553 | --- |
| Outside looking in | Brewers | 61-52 | .540 | 1½ in NLC; 1½ in WC |
Milwaukee dropped two of three games over the weekend to the Cardinals in St. Louis, and have dropped eight of their last 12 games.
Trading away closer Josh Hader got the headlines, and raised eyebrows inside the Brewers clubhouse, but the biggest issue for Milwaukee has been the offense of late, scoring just 3.82 runs per game in August.
Pitching is still a strength, headlined by reigning Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes, who has a 2.39 ERA this year and leads the majors with 181 strikeouts, and by Brandon Woodruff, who finished fifth in Cy Young voting last year and after a rough start this year has a 2.42 ERA in eight starts since a month-long injured list stint with an ankle sprain. Woodruff starts Tuesday for the Brewers, with Burnes pitching the series finale on Thursday afternoon.
Dodgers-Brewers schedule
- Monday, 5:10 p.m. (SportsNet LA): Julio Urías vs. Freddy Peralta
- Tuesday, 5:10 p.m. (SportsNet LA): Ryan Pepiot vs. Brandon Woodruff
- Wednesday, 5:10 p.m. (SportsNet LA): Tony Gonsolin vs. Eric Lauer
- Thursday, 11:10 a.m. (SportsNet LA, MLB Network): Andrew Heaney vs. Corbin Burnes
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