This matchup turns on how long the two left-handed starters can carry the game. Milwaukee has shown it can put runners aboard and bring them home through more than one hitter. Los Angeles has patient bats that can make Gasser work, so the first relief handoff matters on both sides. The late innings bring a second contest between Milwaukee's established bridge and the Dodgers' available relievers.
Snell needed ninety pitches to get through three and two-thirds innings in his last postseason start and issued five walks. Chourio and Turang can put runners in front of Contreras and Yelich, who have already delivered in different scoring sequences this series. At the other end, Gasser's sweeper meets Betts and Freeman's patience, with Teoscar Hernández and the rest of the Dodgers' order looking to finish the innings they build.
Milwaukee has no active-roster injury reported for this matchup. The listed batting orders are projections, while Roberts has said Ohtani will start after playing the previous game. Ohtani and Smith have struggled at the plate this postseason, which makes the Dodgers' traffic-to-runs connection a key part of this matchup.
The first few innings test Snell's command and Gasser's strike throwing. If the starters hand over before the middle innings are done, Milwaukee can use Hall, May or Romero before Uribe, Ashby and Megill, a sequence it has already used in this series. Milwaukee has also shown it can add runs after creating an initial scoring chance.
That's why I'm siding with the Milwaukee Brewers. Their runner creation, middle-order finishing and relief handoff form the clearest connected route through this game.
