Brewers Steal NLCS Game 1 From the Dodgers and Tarik Skubal
Episode 375 in brief: Nick and Harrison watched the Brewers take NLCS Game 1 from the Dodgers live, winning the way Milwaukee wins: a walk, a sacrifice bunt, and a timely single. They break down how the White Sox struck out 21 times in a 2-0 Game 5 loss to Cleveland, preview Rays vs. Guardians in the ALCS, and debate whether a small-market World Series would change the MLB lockout fight. Rounding out the show: Roger Clemens’ Medal of Freedom, Sam Fuld passing on the A’s, the Arizona Fall League’s new outfield positioning rule, and a playoff edition of postseason trivia.
How Did the White Sox Strike Out 21 Times in ALDS Game 5?
Cleveland eliminated Chicago 2-0 in a winner-take-all Game 5. The White Sox put only nine balls in play all night. By the hosts’ count, that brought Chicago’s strikeout total for the five-game series to 75.
Gavin Williams was the reason. He struck out 12 over five and two-thirds innings with a fastball touching 101 and a curveball the White Sox couldn’t find. As Harrison put it, Cleveland could have thrown it down the middle all night and Chicago wasn’t going to touch it.
Why Putting the Ball in Play Still Matters in October
Nick’s point was simple: when you strike out, nothing can happen. When you put the ball in play, a fielder can boot it, a throw can sail, or a ball can find a hole. Harrison tied it to batting average on balls in play. When 21 of your 27 outs are strikeouts, the defense is just standing there.
The only run-scoring hit of the game proved it. After a broken-bat bleeder from Steven Kwan, Jose Ramirez golfed a pitch near his shoe tops over the wall for a two-run homer. He wasn’t swinging for the fences. He shortened up, barreled it, and it carried.
Was the White Sox Season Still a Success?
Yes, and both hosts were clear about it. The White Sox went from a punchline to one win from the ALCS. The pitching carried them in October, including bounce-back stories like Erick Fedde and Sean Newcomb, Grant Taylor at the back end, and a breakout from Sean Burke. Kyle Teel, Braden Montgomery, Colson Montgomery and Munetaka Murakami now have real experience under their belts.
The flaw Harrison flagged before the playoffs is what ended it. By his tally, roughly 40 percent of Chicago’s runs came on home runs, and homers are a lot harder to come by in the postseason.
Can the Brewers Beat the Dodgers in the NLCS?
Milwaukee took Game 1 without its best stuff. Jacob Misiorowski needed 94 pitches to get through four and a third innings, allowing five hits and three walks. Even so, he made the big pitch every time he got into a jam, including an inside slider to escape one inning. On the other side, Tarik Skubal struck out seven over five innings and still took the loss.
What Won Game 1 for Milwaukee
Brice Turang went deep to left-center. The go-ahead run came on a walk, a sacrifice bunt and an RBI single. That’s Brewers baseball in a nutshell: get him on, get him over, get him in. Aaron Ashby bridged the middle innings with two strong frames, and Trevor Megill closed it out after a nervy ninth.
The Keys for the Brewers the Rest of the Series
Run up pitch counts. Make the Dodgers starters work and get into the bullpen early.
Manufacture runs. Milwaukee can’t count on winning games 2-1, so it has to keep bunting, moving runners and stringing hits together.
Win both Misiorowski starts. Both hosts agree the Brewers only go as far as Miz takes them.
Use Ashby as the secret weapon. As an opener or a bulk reliever, he’d start for most teams in baseball.
Why Was Christian Yelich Out of the Lineup?
Pat Murphy started Andrew Vaughn, who is hitting .400 this postseason, against the tough lefty. That kept his captain available as a late pinch-hitter against the Dodgers’ right-handed bullpen. Nick called it managing all nine innings, not just the first matchup. Yelich has hit well this October, but the move made sense.
Who Wins the ALCS, Rays or Guardians?
Both hosts pick Tampa Bay, and neither expects a long series. Cleveland pitches and defends well, but its offense is thin. Nick’s view: the Guardians need near-perfect pitching and huge games from Jose Ramirez to have a chance. The Rays have speed throughout the lineup, contact, and power from Junior Caminero and Yandy Diaz, plus a habit of getting big hits from players nobody saw coming.
Nick’s pick to click is Chandler Simpson. If Simpson is getting on base, the Rays could run all over Cleveland.
Would a Rays vs. Brewers World Series Change the MLB Lockout?
A viewer asked whether two small-market World Series teams would help the players argue against a salary cap. Harrison expects the MLBPA to use it, but he doesn’t think it changes much. Most playoff teams still came from high payrolls. Only two champions in the last decade ranked outside the top 10 in payroll, and that 2017 Astros ranking was skewed by cheap pre-arbitration deals.
The Case for a Cap and a Floor
Both hosts favor a cap with a floor so small-market teams can keep homegrown stars. Their example: Paul Skenes staying in Pittsburgh. The NFL, NBA and NHL spread star power around their leagues, while baseball’s talent concentrates in a few markets. Harrison added that a cap would make the trade deadline more interesting, because teams would move big contracts to clear space for upcoming free agents.
Nick’s take on the lockout timeline: a Dodgers title probably shortens the lockout because it strengthens the owners’ argument. A Rays or Brewers title gives the players more to work with, though not enough to change the outcome.
For more salary cap and lockout coverage, check out The Rounding Third Rundown.
Should Roger Clemens Receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom?
Harrison sees the honor as a way to recognize Clemens knowing the Hall of Fame likely won’t come in his lifetime. He believes Clemens belongs in Cooperstown. Nick disagrees with the medal itself. He thinks it should go to athletes who transformed society, like Jackie Robinson, Larry Doby and Roberto Clemente, not a player named in the Mitchell Report.
Both hosts noted that presidents of both parties have used the medal to honor celebrities and athletes they personally admire. That’s a reminder of how broad the award’s criteria really are.
Why Did Sam Fuld Turn Down the Athletics Job?
Harrison grew up hitting in the batting cages next to Fuld in New Hampshire. He thinks Fuld is being patient on purpose. The A’s are a franchise in flux, with a looming lockout and an unsettled move to Las Vegas. Fuld left the Phillies’ baseball side to run business operations while earning his MBA, and Harrison expects him to wait for a job he’s confident in. He wouldn’t be surprised if that eventually means a return to New England.
What Is the New Arizona Fall League Outfield Positioning Rule?
MLB is testing a rule that requires outfielders to start each pitch inside designated zones, marked with painted hash marks. If a fielder starts out of position and makes the play, the umpire can place the runner where he likely would have ended up. The goal is more doubles and triples.
Neither host liked it. Harrison called it the backyard Wiffle ball version of baseball: forcing the defense to play at a disadvantage because hitters have stopped hitting to all fields. He thinks it’s far worse than the infield shift ban. His alternative is to teach contact again, pointing to Luis Arraez as proof that contact is still possible against modern velocity. Nick joked that MLB loves to mock Banana Ball, yet this rule is just as gimmicky.
Has Home Plate Umpiring Always Been This Bad?
Harrison’s answer: probably, but nobody noticed until broadcasts added the strike zone box. He pointed to Livan Hernandez getting strikes well off the plate in the 1997 World Series, when nobody complained.
Postseason Trivia: Can You Answer These?
Nick’s postseason trivia went deep this week. Here are the questions and answers.
Who scored the tying run on Tony Womack’s double in Game 7 of the 2001 World Series?
Midre Cummings, who pinch-ran for the Diamondbacks and was with Arizona only in 2001.
Which Red Sox pitcher won Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS, starting the comeback from 0-3?
Curtis Leskanic. Alan Embree got the final out of the series but didn’t get a win.
Who hit four home runs in the 1972 World Series after hitting only five in the regular season?
Gene Tenace of the Oakland A’s. Fans of Nostalgic Baseball Geezer saw a clip of him the same day.
Who was batting when Koji Uehara picked off Kolten Wong to end Game 4 of the 2013 World Series?
Carlos Beltran, one of the greatest postseason hitters of his generation.
Which Royals player homered twice on his birthday in Game 1 of the 1980 World Series?
Willie Aikens.
Which Red Sox reserve homered on the final swing of his career in Game 4 of the 2007 World Series?
Bobby Kielty, with a pinch-hit home run at Coors Field.
Who struck out to end the 2019 World Series?
Michael Brantley of the Astros.
Take a Walk on the Other Side: Playoff Edition
Harrison’s segment asks about the forgotten player on the other side of baseball’s most famous October moments.
Who was warming up in the Red Sox bullpen when Aaron Boone homered off Tim Wakefield in 2003?
Bronson Arroyo, who was in the LCS again a year later when Boston finally broke through.
Who scored the winning run on Freddie Freeman’s walk-off grand slam in Game 1 of the 2024 World Series?
Tommy Edman, the 2024 NLCS MVP, who was the runner on second.
Who gave up Jose Bautista’s bat-flip home run in the 2015 ALDS?
Sam Dyson of the Rangers, who later summed it up as a sinker that just didn’t sink.
Who hit the ball into the corner before Derek Jeter’s flip play in the 2001 ALDS?
Terrence Long of the Oakland A’s.
Who gave up David Freese’s walk-off home run in Game 6 of the 2011 World Series?
Mark Lowe of the Rangers, who faced only one batter in the game.
Who gave up Howie Kendrick’s foul-pole home run in Game 7 of the 2019 World Series?
Will Harris, while Gerrit Cole stayed in the Astros bullpen.
Who gave up Reggie Jackson’s third home run in Game 6 of the 1977 World Series?
Charlie Hough. Jackson was sitting on the knuckleball.
Who threw the wild pitch that tied Game 6 of the 1986 World Series before Bill Buckner’s error?
Bob Stanley. Kevin Mitchell scored the tying run, so the game was already tied before the ball reached Buckner.
Who gave up Rajai Davis’ game-tying home run in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series?
Aroldis Chapman, who was gassed after heavy use earlier in the series.
Who made the final out of Don Larsen’s perfect game in the 1956 World Series?
Dale Mitchell, called out on strikes by Babe Pinelli in the last at-bat of his career. He argued for the rest of his life that the pitch was off the plate.
Who Are the Best Second Basemen in Baseball Right Now?
The crew landed on Ketel Marte, Brice Turang and Nico Hoerner as the top three. Harrison could make a case for Turang at number one thanks to his defense, base-stealing and clutch hitting. JJ Wetherholt and Chase Meidroth need more than one season before they move up. Ozzie Albies got a fair hearing, but his recent defense kept him out of the top three.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won Game 1 of the 2026 NLCS?
The Milwaukee Brewers beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1, handing Tarik Skubal the loss despite his seven strikeouts.
How many strikeouts did the White Sox have in ALDS Game 5?
The White Sox struck out 21 times in their 2-0 Game 5 loss to the Guardians, with Gavin Williams recording 12 of them.
Who hit the home run that won ALDS Game 5 for Cleveland?
Jose Ramirez hit a two-run homer off a low pitch, which was all the scoring in the Guardians’ 2-0 win.
What is the Arizona Fall League outfield rule?
It’s an experimental MLB rule requiring outfielders to start each pitch inside designated zones. It’s meant to create more doubles and triples by limiting deep positioning.
Who threw the wild pitch before Bill Buckner’s error in 1986?
Bob Stanley. His wild pitch let Kevin Mitchell score the tying run in Game 6 before Mookie Wilson’s grounder went through Buckner’s legs.
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