The Brewers’ sweep of the Dodgers in the NLCS was a complete team effort. While there were heroes in each game and throughout the series, almost every position player stepped up at some point in the series and made a big play for the team. Let’s take a look at each position player’s contribution in the NLCS, as well as their biggest moment in the series.
Gary Sánchez
Did not play
We’ll start with Sánchez, because unfortunately, there’s no moment for him. He did not play at all in the NLCS, and only has one plate
appearance in the postseason so far (a ninth-inning pinch hit in Game 2 of the NLDS). It was a good plate appearance, as he drew a walk to extend the inning for Jackson Chourio’s walk-off hit.
William Contreras
4 games, 5-for-14, 1 double, 1 home run, 3 walks, 3 RBI, 2 runs scored, +.275 WPA
Game 2 was Contreras’ big game of the series, where he went 3-for-4 with a walk, home run, and three RBI. The biggest of those plays was his game-tying home run in the fifth inning, which tied the game at 4-4. That home run was a massive shot off the scoreboard, hit 438 feet with an exit velocity of 106.3 mph. It was worth +.160 WPA according to FanGraphs. While his sixth-inning single put the Brewers ahead for good, it was only worth +.100 WPA.
Jake Bauers
4 games, 4-for-14, 1 double, 1 home run, 3 walks, 6 RBI, 1 run scored, +.383 WPA
As the NLCS MVP, Bauers had plenty of big moments in the series. While his Game 4 two-RBI double and RBI walk helped secure the series sweep, his most impressive and biggest moment came in Game 3. Two days after working a 12-pitch walk against Yoshinobu Yamamoto, he had an 11-pitch battle against Blake Snell. He won the battle with a two-run home run to right-center, hit 412 feet with a 109.4 mph exit velocity. It flipped the game from a 2-1 deficit to a 3-2 lead and was worth +.320 WPA.
Brice Turang
4 games, 4-for-11, 1 double, 1 home run, 5 walks, 2 RBI, 6 runs scored, +.209 WPA
While Turang had an overall positive series, he didn’t have much for big moments in it. His biggest moment came in Game 1 of the series, when he got the Brewers on the board. A leadoff home run in the fourth inning started the scoring off Tarik Skubal, tying the game at 1-1. It just cleared the fence in front of the bullpen, flying 384 feet with a 102.5 mph exit velocity, and was worth +.136 WPA. Even though he didn’t have much for big moment, he was consistently on base and scored six runs in his nine times on-base. He also added plenty of value on defense, helping turn three double plays in Game 1.
Cooper Pratt
4 games, 5-for-14, 1 run scored, 1 stolen base, -.149 WPA
The numbers weren’t kind to Pratt in the season, as he overall had a negative WPA throughout the series. His only game with a positive WPA came in Game 3, where he went 3-for-4 with a stolen base. Pratt provided more value on defense, as he was part of the three double-plays the Brewers turned in Game 1. He also had a nice play on a hard-hit ball in the ninth inning of Game 4, helping finish the clinching game of the NLCS. It was a good recovery from his three errors committed in the NLDS.
Joey Ortiz
2 games, 1-for-7, 1 RBI, 1 run scored, -.117 WPA
It was also a rough series for Ortiz, who played in just two games and only recorded one hit. That hit was an insurance run in Game 3, giving the Brewers a 6-2 lead in the ninth inning. Since the Brewers already had a strong lead, that play was only worth +.019 WPA.
David Hamilton
2 games, 4-for-7, 1 home run, 2 RBI, 5 runs scored, 3 stolen bases, +.361 WPA
Though Hamilton only played in two games, he was a major player in both of those games. Not only was he regularly on base, his strong baserunning gave the Brewers more chances to score. His series was punctuated in the ninth inning of Game 4. A solo home run gave the Brewers a huge insurance run, increasing the lead to 6-4. It was hit 402 feet with an exit velocity of 105 mph, and was worth +.104 WPA.
Jackson Chourio
4 games, 3-for-19, 1 home run, 1 RBI, 1 run scored, -.181 WPA
After putting together a very strong performance in the NLDS, Chourio took more of a backseat in the NLCS. He didn’t have much for big moments, only recording three hits in the series. However, he did give the Brewers an instant lead in Game 3 with his home run on the first pitch of the game, a 391-foot blast with an exit velocity of 106.1 mph to right-center that was worth +.098 WPA. His running catch in the ninth inning of Game 4 also secured the final out of the series, sending the Brewers to the World Series.
Garrett Mitchell
2 games, 2-for-14, 3 walks, 2 home runs, 2 RBI, 2 runs scored, +.120 WPA
It’s a little hard to believe that Mitchell only had two hits in the series with how much of an impact he had. He had several great catches in the outfield to help keep the Dodgers at bay in each game. However, his two home runs, both off left-handed pitchers, were big moments in those games. In Game 3, his home run two pitches after Bauers’ home run gave the Brewers an insurance run. He topped that the next night, leading off the sixth with a solo home run to right-center to give the Brewers a 5-4 lead. It was hit 409 feet with a 105.2 mph exit velocity, and was worth +.162 WPA.
Sal Frelick
2 games, 0-for-6, 2 walks, 1 run scored, 1 stolen base, -.086 WPA
Frelick didn’t record a hit in his two starts in right field, but did walk twice. His highest positive WPA came from a walk in the fifth inning of Game 4, and followed that by stealing second. Those together were worth +.050 WPA, and started the rally that tied the game. He also provided some good defense during the series. One of his better plays came in the third inning of Game 2. He made a leaping catch to rob Freddie Freeman of extra bases, as well as keep the game tied for the moment.
Luis Lara
2 games, 1-for-7, 1 RBI, -.011 WPA
Lara got the other two starts in right field, and had similar results to Frelick. He also provided some good defense in the outfield, ranging far for some catches. However, his one hit in the series was a big one. In the bottom of the fifth inning in Game 1, Mitchell was at second following a walk and sacrifice bunt from Pratt. Lara then singled to center, bringing in Mitchell and giving the Brewers a 2-1 lead. It ended up being the game-winning RBI and was worth +.121 WPA.
Andrew Vaughn
2 games, 1-for-5, 1 double, 2 walks, +.018 WPA
Vaughn came into the NLCS with a bit of rust. Due to a late-season illness, he spent the end of the season on the injured list and hadn’t made a start since September 19th. He did play in the NLDS, but only a couple of innings as a late-game replacement. Vaughn started in Game 1 and 3 of the NLCS, serving as the DH in both games. In the series, he drew two walks (one intentional), and his big moment was a double in the second inning of Game 1, the first Brewers’ hit of the game. It was worth +.046 WPA. He advanced to third on a groundout, but was left stranded there.
Christian Yelich
3 games, 2-for-10, 2 RBI, 1 run scored, -.039 WPA
Even though Yelich had a rough season, he’s stepped it up in the postseason so far. While he wasn’t as good in the NLCS, he still had a big moment in the series. In Game 2, he went 2-for-5 at the plate. The first of those hits gave the Brewers their first lead of the day. It was a two-RBI single to center field, and the Brewers led 3-2 at the time. The play was worth +.203 WPA.
