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Can Brewers' 'pen hold up? Can Glasnow get L.A. on track? Key takeaways after Game 3

The Milwaukee Brewers defied expectations with a 6–2 win over the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 3 of the NLCS, proving their versatility after a historically restrained regular season. Despite ranking last in the majors with just 154 home runs—including only 10 games with three or more homers—Milwaukee exploded for three long balls in the seventh inning, including back-to-back shots from Jake Bauers and Garrett Mitchell.

The outburst came against Dodgers ace Blake Snell, who had gone 46⅓ postseason innings without allowing a home run before Wednesday’s collapse. The Brewers’ ability to win through varied offensive approaches contrasts sharply with their 2023 NLCS matchup, where they relied on a single dominant strategy to fall short against the same opponent.

The Dodgers now face a critical Game 4, with Tyler Glasnow tasked to right the ship after a shaky postseason debut. Glasnow, who allowed five walks in 4⅓ innings of one-run ball in the NLDS, must deliver if Los Angeles hopes to stay alive.

His postseason history is mixed: a quick exit in the 2019 ALDS, a strong but abbreviated performance in 2020, and a dominant five-inning shutout in a 2022 Wild Card Series loss. Meanwhile, the Dodgers’ offense—down to 3.0 runs per game in this postseason after averaging 5.1 in the past two—will need to rediscover its scoring punch to keep pace with Milwaukee’s momentum.

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