NLCS Starting Pitching Considerations

The NLCS is set as the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers will face off in the best of seven series starting on October 13. With a longer series, the pitching plans could be adjusted compared with the ALDS games and here is a look at the possible starting options for both teams with a spot in the World Series on the line.  

LOS ANGELES DODGERS

Blake Snell – Despite plenty of opportunities, two-time Cy Young Winner Blake Snell had not delivered a quality start in the playoffs until this season. He now has two, as he has allowed just two runs and five hits over 13 innings in a pair of wins for the Dodgers on the run to the NLCS. Snell’s career postseason ERA is down to 2.92 and he struck out 18 in 13 innings vs. the Reds and Phillies. He last pitched on October 6 in Game 2 of the NLDS and will likely start Game 1 in the NLCS in Milwaukee. Snell didn’t face the Brewers in the regular season, and he owns a career 5.79 ERA vs. the Brewers over 14 innings with a 12.27 ERA from his lone start at American Family Field back in 2021.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto – While his first postseason start last season went poorly, Yamamoto proved to be a hero with a terrific Game 2 start in the 2024 World Series. Yamamoto now has a 3.38 ERA in nearly 30 innings of postseason work, including allowing five runs, but only three earned runs over nearly 11 innings so far this postseason. Yamamoto did take the Game 3 loss in the NLDS against Philadelphia but will likely be used to start Game 2 in this series. Yamamoto didn’t get through the 1st inning in Milwaukee in July, allowing five runs while getting two outs in an eventual 9-1 defeat in his only career outing vs. the Brewers. 

Shohei Ohtani – As the Game 1 starter in the NLDS for the Dodgers, Ohtani delivered a six-inning quality start with nine strikeouts in his postseason pitching debut. He hasn’t pitched since October 4 and will be able to slot into whatever order the Dodgers decide with the wealth of starting pitching options now available for the Dodgers. Ohtani is yet to pitch against the Brewers in his MLB career but he delivered a strong outing in his postseason debut on the mound.

Tyler Glasnow – With a career 4.89 ERA in nearly 46 postseason innings, Tyler Glasnow hasn’t always been a reliable postseason option in his career, but he came up big for the Dodgers in Game 4 of the NLDS with six scoreless innings. Glasnow was teammates with Snell in the 2020 World Series run for the Rays but he allowed four or more runs in four of his six starts that postseason, including allowing 10 runs in fewer than 10 innings in two World Series starts. He has been nearly perfect so far in the 2025 postseason, also making a relief appearance in Game 1 of the NLDS. Glasnow threw 83 pitches on Thursday as he won’t likely pitch until the middle games of the series. Glasow is 0-3 in decisions over nine appearances against Milwaukee in his career with a 5.87 career ERA at American Family Field. 

Clayton Kershaw – It was surprising that Kershaw was given a second inning in the NLDS Game 3 loss to the Phillies but he was, and it went poorly, as Kershaw’s marginal career postseason numbers swelled even higher. Kershaw can’t be considered an option to start in the NLCS and may not even be on the NLCS roster, despite contributing positively during the regular season when Los Angeles was shorthanded. A minor consideration is that Kershaw does a have a 2.83 ERA over 21 starts against Milwaukee in his career including amazing splits at American Family Field with a 1.66 ERA in 76 innings. 

MILWAUKEE BREWERS

Quinn Priester – The Brewers went 21-8 in games Priester started in the regular season, but his first career postseason appearance was a struggle, pulled without completing the 1st inning of Game 3 in Chicago. Priester allowed four runs and threw 39 pitches, but he very nearly got out of the inning with just one run allowed. Milwaukee could conceivably use an opener as they did in Game 5 of the NLDS on Saturday but Priester figures to be the primary pitcher in Game 1 on Monday. He had a 3.01 ERA after the All-Star Break and threw six scoreless innings for a win at Dodger Stadium in July.  

Freddy Peralta – The numbers for Peralta in the postseason are adequate with a 4.23 ERA in nearly 28 innings but Milwaukee is 1-7 in games he has pitched since his first playoff appearance back in 2018. Peralta started Game 1 and Game 4 in the ALDS with decent but not dominant results in splitting those decisions vs. the Cubs. In his career, Peralta has been a far stronger pitcher in his home innings, including a 1.77 ERA at American Family Field this season as he likely to pitch on four days rest for Game 2 Tuesday, even with 84 pitches thrown on Thursday. Peralta went 2-0 vs. the Dodgers this season, but his home start in July included six scoreless innings. 

Jacob Misiorowski – The rookie flamethrower delivered four solid innings in the Game 5 elimination game Saturday and will likely be penciled in for Game 3 innings, perhaps after an opening inning from Trevor Megill or Aaron Ashby. Misiorowski picked up wins in both of his playoff appearances with one run allowed in seven combined innings after some ups-and-downs in the regular season. Misiorowski struck out 12 Dodgers in a six-inning win in July at home, though his first NLCS appearance is likely to be on the road where he has a 5.52 ERA in just over 29 career innings. 

Brandon Woodruff – Woodruff famously hit a home run in the playoffs in a 6-5 win over the Dodgers in Game 1 of the NLCS in 2018 and he owns a strong postseason track record with a 3.18 ERA and a 1.90 FIP, even if the Brewers have not won in any of his last six appearances. Woodruff had a quality start for the Brewers in his last playoff start but that was a 3-0 loss to the Braves back in 2021 as Woodruff hasn’t been healthy for the more recent playoff opportunities. It appears that he is not healthy this postseason either, as it sounds like Woodruff will remain off the NLCS roster for Milwaukee. 

Jose Quintana – The veteran left-hander owns a solid postseason track record with a 3.25 ERA including pitching well in two of his three starts for the Mets last season, including six scoreless innings against the Brewers in Game 3 of the memorable NLDS game in Milwaukee. His position as a potential Game 4 starter or primary pitcher may hinge on Woodruff’s health, but he threw three scoreless innings to keep Milwaukee in Game 3 of the NLDS, and he owns a career ERA of 2.32 vs. the Dodgers with a 2.36 career ERA at Dodger Stadium. 

Chad Patrick – Patrick finished with a 3-8 record in the regular season but the rookie had a fine year with a 3.53 ERA and a 9.6 K/9 in nearly 120 innings. He has excelled since moving to the bullpen as well, including pitching in four of five games in the NLDS and allowing no baserunners. Pat Murphy would likely rather keep Patrick in a versatile relief role, but he would be an option for an extended outing in some scenarios and Los Angeles has never faced him, as he didn’t pitch in the regular season meetings, which were all won by Milwaukee.