Technically speaking, this game is not a “must win” for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Down 2-0 in a best-of-seven gives, the back-to-back champs still have a tiny room for error, and they are back in the friendly confines of Chavez Ravine, where they went 51-33 during the regular season. No one is going to be putting them out to pasture just yet.
That said, it is entirely possible that they have simply come up against MLB’s best team in the 2026 Milwaukee Brewers. The Brewers led the league in wins, runs
scored, and run differential this season. The Dodgers were close behind in each of those metrics, but just like they were chasing the Brewers for the NL’s number one seed during the final two months of the season, they seem to be a beat behind in the first two games of this series.
Shohei Ohtani’s struggles are not a small part of the story here. He’s 1-for-7 with three strikeouts in this series. This follows a nightmarish September for him in which he was injured and then underperforming. He is probably still hurt quite badly. At the same time, the rest of the lineup has also struggled. They have one extra-base hit through two games, and have gone 1-f0r-10 with runners in scoring position.
Brewers at Dodgers, 8:00 p.m., FS1
Brewers lead series 2-0
LHP Robert Gasser (5-5, 3.87 ERA) vs. LHP Blake Snell (4-1, 1.90 ERA)
How long will Snell stick around in this game? As long as he is effective. He last pitched on October 4 against the Braves. That day he worked 3.2 innings and allowed one run while walking five and striking out five. The lefty has never been known for his longevity, so if he gets through the order twice the Dodgers have to consider it a win.
Gasser worked four innings and allowed one run to the Padres in Game 4 of the NLDS, his most recent outing. He ended the regular season on a run of allowing four earned runs over his final four starts (22.2 innings). Similar to Snell, they will hope to get him through an order twice, and then turn to the bullpen.
