MLB Postseason Previews 2025: The NLCS
- Om Brown
- 6 days ago
- 6 min read
It’s finally here! The best month for sports. We are a month into the NFL season, the NBA is in its preseason and the NHL is officially underway. However, the greatest playoffs out of any professional league is the MLB Postseason, and I will be there every step of the way with you, previewing each round, giving my honest thoughts on all the matchups, as well as my predictions. October baseball has no equal!
Each round, I will recap what happened in the previous one, as well as keep track of my official predictions that I had. For matchups themselves, I will have an outlook for each team, an X-Factor, projected pitching matchups, as well as who I think will win the series.
For the Championship Series’ I will cover each one with its own piece. Make sure to check out what could happen in the AL as well. Without further ado, let’s jump into what will be a great NLCS this postseason!
Division Series Predictions Record: 4-0 (SEA, TOR, MIL, LAD - Correct)
Total Predictions Record: 7-1
NLDS Recap:
Los Angeles Dodgers Beat Philadelphia Phillies - 3-1:
The Dodgers went up 2-0 in the LDS due to stellar pitching from RHP Shohei Ohtani and LHP Blake Snell, while their offense got timely hits and scored enough runs to secure the lead. In Game 3, the Phillies won off the back of DH Kyle Schwarber’s two home runs. In Game, 4 the Dodgers won a nail-biting 11-inning classic, 2-1. OF Andy Pages plated the winning run after RHP Orion Kerkering threw the ball away at home. The reigning champs will get to continue their title defense.
Milwaukee Brewers Beat Chicago Cubs - 3-2:
Former Brewers manager Craig Counsell jumped ship after last season to join the Cubbies. Under new manager Pat Murphy, the Brew Crew went 97-65, good for the best record in the majors en route to a meeting with Chicago in the NLDS. After Milwaukee took a 2-0 lead in the series thanks to their hot bats, the Cubs cooled them off in Chicago, taking the next pair of contests. Tied up at 2-2, the series returned to Milwaukee. Each team had their own plan for a bullpen game in Game 5, and it was the Brewers’ who fared better. They allowed just 1 run with 5 different pitchers, while the Cubs gave up 3 runs with 6 unique arms. Now, Milwaukee looks to avenge their 2018 NLCS loss to the Dodgers.
NLCS Preview:
Last Postseason Meeting: 2020 NL WC Series (LAD Won 2-0)
Los Angeles’ Outlook: For the Dodgers to win their second straight pennant, their starting pitching has to be on point. LHP Blake Snell (1.38 ERA in 13 postseason innings), is fully healthy and looks like a true ace. RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (4 innings in Game 3), must get back to form. In the NLDS, he started the only game LA lost. RHP Tyler Glasnow (6 scores innings in Game 4) is also fully healthy and looked like his old self in his start in Game 4. He also threw 1.2 scoreless innings in Game 1, but exited with traffic on the base paths. I trust their star-studded lineup that is headlined by DH/P Shohei Ohtani, SS Mookie Betts and 1B Freddie Freeman. However, if Yamamoto can’t pitch deep into games, it will severely hinder manager Dave Roberts’ ability to use his bullpen, especially in a best-of-7 series like the NLCS.Â
Team X-Factor: RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (12-8, 2.49 ERA, 0.99 WHIP)
Yama was the Dodgers’ only healthy starting pitcher this whole year. Even with Snell back in the picture as the stopper, the pressure is on Yamamoto to deliver. Roberts has a lot of options when it comes to starting pitching, but not a lot of reliable ones. He needs Yamamoto to throw the ball the way he did during the regular season and stabilize the rotation.
Milwaukee’s Outlook: The Brewers’ key to the NLCS is their pitching. Only once in the NLDS did a starting pitcher go over 5 innings, which was in Game 1 when their ace RHP Freddy Peralta threw for 5.2 innings. Manager Pat Murphy had to have 3 bullpen games, as well as see extended bullpen use in Game 4, when Peralta managed to throw just 4 innings. A big part of that was RHP Quinn Priester going 0.2 of an inning in his Game 3 start. Priester had a 3.32 ERA in the regular season. My guess would be that he will get another opportunity since the NLCS is a longer series. Murphy can’t overuse his bullpen early in the series like he had to do vs. Chicago. Rookie RHP Jacob Misiorowski (2-0, 1.29 ERA in the NLDS) might get a start in the NLCS. Righties Trevor Megill (2.49 ERA, 30 SV in the regular season) and Abner Uribe (1.67 ERA, 90 K in the regular season) are weapons out of the pen for the Brew Crew. Having them well rested will give Milwaukee a huge advantage. A way for the team to not have to rely too heavily on the bullpen is the offense matching the opposition’s runs. C William Contreras and 1B Andrew Vaughn, who hit both of his 2 homers in the NLDS, as well as young star OF Jackson Chourio, who batted .389 to go with a 1.088 OPS, will be integral to the Brewers' success the rest of October.
Team X-Factor: RHP Freddy Peralta (17-6, 2.70 ERA, 204 K)
Peralta was one of the most if not the most underrated pitchers in the MLB. His record, ERA and punch-outs were 4th, 7th and 9th in the majors respectively. However, he has given up 3 homers and walked 5 batters in his two postseason starts. Milwaukee desperately needs him to pitch like his regular season self so that it doesn’t add extra strain to the bullpen.
Probable Pitching Matchups:
Game 1 - RHP Shohei Ohtani (LAD) vs. RHP Quinn Priester (MIL)
Game 2 - LHP Blake Snell (LAD) vs. RHP Freddy Peralta (MIL)
Game 3 - RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (LAD) vs. RHP Jacob Misiorowski (MIL)
Game 4 - RHP Tyler Glasnow (LAD) vs. LHP Aaron Ashby (MIL)
Game 5 (if necessary) - RHP Shohei Ohtani (LAD) vs. RHP Quinn Priester (MIL)
Game 6 (if necessary) - LHP Blake Snell (LAD) vs. RHP Freddy Peralta (MIL)
Game 7 (if necessary) - RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (LAD) vs. RHP Jacob Misiorowski (MIL)
Series Prediction: Dodgers win 4-2
The Dodgers won their series vs. the Phillies with Ohtani and Freeman struggling at the plate. The Brewers are coming off of an emotionally charged matchup with their rivals, in which their bullpen had to do a lot of heavy lifting. I think the LA bats wake up in the first couple games and tax the Milwaukee bullpen earlier than Murphy would like, setting them up for failure later in the series.
NLCS MVP: DH/P Shohei Ohtani
Ohtani struggled offensively in the NLDS, going 1-18 with 9 strikeouts. However, he has been dynamic off the mound, and threw 6 innings of 3-run ball in Game 1 getting the win. All he has to do to win this award is get his bat right, and I would be shocked if he doesn’t heat up at the plate in the NLCS.
Final Thoughts:
The Dodgers have been the best team on paper for at least the last 5 seasons. The Brewers are a team that always seem to get it done, especially when they are counted out. There is a reason why they have the best record in the majors. This matchup is between teams on opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to team-building and I love it. I don’t know the future, but I do know this will be an exciting series, and I hope it goes the distance. Make sure to check out my separate preview of the ALCS as well, and don’t forget to tune in again once the World Series comes around!